Get in the kitchen with POS

Many restaurant owners switch to POS systems for the benefits of the front of house operations, but did you know it can also help out in the back of house solutions in the kitchen? The combination of intuitive software and back of house hardware has helped many a restaurant rid itself of the tedious (and often confusing) manual ordering systems.  Some POS systems can come integrated with a kitchen display system (KDS) that will improve staff efficiency and customer service all while reducing waste and increasing your bottom line.
It’s important to remember that a KDS doesn’t replace printers in the kitchen, it optimizes the back of house process in conjunction with the printers.  Just like POS the kitchen is equipped with a display screen or i-pad that manages the meal execution process from ordering to delivering of the meal.  Instead of the printer which dictates the order, the display screens help keep an overall tracking of the time a table sits til the time they leave and all that happens in between.
So lets talk about the advantages the POS with KDS feature can offer your restaurant.
Communication
Some chefs and kitchen staff can seem unapproachable, especially when its slammed.  KDS simplifies communication between the kitchen and the wait staff. Wait staff can easily punch their orders in and it goes directly to the kitchen.  No more handwritten slips full of mistakes that cut into your bottom line and create an unhappy experience for your customer.
Prep kitchen bonus
Prep kitchen couldn’t get easier.  You’re able to save recipes, and imagery of the end product so food preparers can deliver the finished product how it should be, saving you time and money.
Analyze that
With the push of some buttons you can analyze things like:

1. How long it takes the kitchen to respond and turnover certain menu items
2. Team productivity; which kitchen staff turns out the most quantity, but making sure it’s the right quality
3. Food usage, inventory and reminders when your running low
4. Items returned to kitchen and the reasons

All this information can help you create the best menu for your customers while having the write staff on board.
Time management
Timing is everything. Make sure you get your hot food out hot and you’re cold food out cold.  Order timing can help manage this for you, specifically during the big rush.  You can look at different orders and create priority lists for kitchen staff to show them when to start each order.
Getting food on time
With digital screens POS systems allow managers and employees to monitor check times and deliver food promptly to customers.
So remember a restaurant is only as good as the back of house performance. So help your team stay ahead and switch to a POS with KDS abilities.
Like our stories or want to hear more? Drop us a line @ [email protected].
See you next week!
Your devoted hostess,
Brittany
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