topic Re: KDS Display in Restaurant Operations

KDS Display

UPDiegoG — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 00:34:00 GMT

Im wondering if theres a way to improve the organization of our KDS display system. We include side salads with our entrees, and it can get tricky when we send out the salads but still need to prepare the entrees. This becomes a challange, especially during busy times when our screen is crowded. It would be great if Toast could introduce a feature that allows us to highlight individual items on the tickets with out having to complete or "fufill" the entire order. The Green Checks on the side help the front of house but not so much the cooks as it still looks overwhelming. Alternativley, the option to hide certain items on tickets would make it easier for the kitchen to clean up and organize the tickets on display.

Re: KDS Display

MattMarra — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 02:31:48 GMT

Do you only have one KDS screen for your entire kitchen or do you utilize prep station screens?

Re: KDS Display

JC — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 14:51:46 GMT

Our EXPO's Dislike the KDS Screen. As a breakfast & Lunch Restaurant we have a lot of Modifiers within our Items and we need the Current KDS Expo screen to be able to check off the modifiers. Thinking seriously of finding another POS system that will accommodate the checking off the Item and the Modifiers separately.

Re: KDS Display

MattMarra — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 02:31:02 GMT

https://doc.toasttab.com/doc/platformguide/adminKitchenDiningRoomReference.html#configModifierRouting

maybe this article on explanation of the settings can help. Look at the first table on the bottom section named “Modifier Routing”. Still not clear if you’re just using one expo screen or utilizing prep station screens but this article explains how to send modifiers to the correct prep stations without being linked to their parent item.

You can definitely set up your modifiers to not be sent to the kitchen if they are made in FOH, like drinks or maybe soups, salads, fruit cups, etc, if the servers are responsible to make and serve those.

hope it helps,

matt

Re: KDS Display

JC — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 15:09:06 GMT

Hi Matt, I have 3 KDS, 2 in the Kitchen and 1 for the EXPO. We are a breakfast and lunch restaurant. We do not do coursing. The 2 kitchen KDS’s and the Expo KDS are set up the same except when the kitchen is done making the order they double tap and to goes away but stays and blinks for a couple of seconds and until the Expo fulfills the order and double tabs and it goes away.

Here is what we need the EXPO KDS to do. An order has 1 or let’s say 6 items, each Item has 1-3 modifiers on it. Currently we can only tap the item and the item and modifiers get a check mark. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO CLICK ON EACH OF THE MODIFIERS WITHIN EACH ITEM AS THEY ARE FULLFILLED. Fortunately, we are a busy restaurant and the KDS screen could have 5-12 orders in cue. The EXPO table, where the food is place, could have 1-3 orders on it and it is very hard for us to make sure the modifiers are going to the right table if at all. So, to sum it up, I need to be able to check off the modifiers within each Item. Is that possible? If not, why?

Thank you!

Re: KDS Display

MattMarra — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 21:22:57 GMT

Got it. If you set up the two kitchen KDS as different Prep Stations you can utilize the modifier routing so that modifiers get sent individually to which ever prep station it needs to go to. For example if you have a cold and hot side screen, you can have the side salads sent just to the cold side screen, by itself and when you bump it, it should show a check mark on the Expo screen for just the side salad, and the rest of the ticket will show on wherever you need it to go. Without knowing your setup directly, this might be the easiest way to do it now. See this article Route Kitchen Tickets by Modifier (toasttab.com)

However, for your exact request, I don't believe they have this capability yet, but we'll see what's coming out on Nov 1st at Spark, as I am sure you are not the only that wants this function. In the meantime, maybe try "Office Hours" in the Toast Classroom and see if they have a way to do something, but remember that's just a training session, not a way to fix your situation directly or contact your implementation rep to get you connect with an expert. Toast Classroom (toasttab.com)

The modifiers as of now are set up for something like this:

Item: Burger

Modifiers: Well done, NO Pickles

The reason the bump function doesn't work for the modifiers is because its meant to be a modification to the item itself.

Your hoping, I believe, for something like this:

Item: Burger

Modifiers: Side of fries

And you want to bump the fries as they come out of the kitchen so expo knows that the fries in the window are for that order and not another order. Am I getting that right?

Re: KDS Display

MattMarra — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 02:06:54 GMT

Also, check this out that Toast announced today, maybe this will help you get to your end goal.

Configure Independent Prep Station Fulfillment (toasttab.com)