7 Best Kitchen Display Systems (KDS) for Order Routing 2024

June 30, 2024

7 Best Kitchen Display Systems (KDS) for Order Routing 2024

Looking for the top Kitchen Display Systems to streamline your restaurant's order routing in 2024? Here's a quick overview of the 7 best options:

These systems help restaurants manage orders efficiently, reduce errors, and improve customer satisfaction. When choosing a KDS, consider:

Integration with your current POS system
Ease of use for kitchen staff
Key features like custom views and alerts
Scalability as your business grows
Available support and training

Here's a quick comparison of the top KDS options:

KDS	Key Features	Best For	Monthly Cost
Toast KDS	Custom tickets, alerts	All restaurant types	$35-$195+
Square for Restaurants KDS	Custom views, auto messaging	Small restaurants, food trucks	$20-$60
Fresh KDS	Custom colors, views, messaging	Budget-conscious restaurants	$15+
TouchBistro KDS	Detailed menu item rules, offline mode	Multilingual kitchens, food trucks	$88+
Lightspeed KDS	In-house and delivery order management	Growing restaurants	$69-399+
Revel Systems KDS	Drive-thru queue, expeditor screen	Multi-location drive-thrus	Custom
Epson KDS	Printer-driven screens	Restaurants with existing POS	Varies

By implementing the right KDS, you can improve kitchen efficiency, reduce wait times, and enhance the overall dining experience for your customers.

How We Chose the Top 7

We picked the best Kitchen Display Systems (KDS) for order routing based on these key points:

Connecting with Other Systems

We checked how well each KDS works with Point of Sale (POS) systems and other restaurant software. Good connections between systems help kitchens run smoothly. We chose KDS options that easily link up with common POS systems and other restaurant tools.

Ease of Use

We looked at how easy each system is for kitchen staff to learn and use. Simple systems help reduce mistakes and speed up kitchen work. We picked KDS options with clear screens and short training times.

Key Functions

We checked what each KDS can do, like managing orders, timing food prep, and tracking food costs. We chose systems with lots of useful features for quick-service restaurants.

Room to Grow

We made sure each KDS can handle more work as a restaurant gets bigger. We picked systems that can keep up when restaurants add more menu items or open new locations.

Help When You Need It

We looked at the support and training each company offers. We chose KDS options with good how-to guides, quick customer service, and training materials to help kitchen staff use the system well.

What We Looked For	Why It Matters
Works with other systems	Helps kitchen run smoothly
Easy to use	Fewer mistakes, faster work
Useful features	Better kitchen management
Can grow with your business	Works for small and big kitchens
Good support and training	Help when you need it

7 Top Kitchen Display Systems for Order Routing

Here are the top 7 kitchen display systems (KDS) for order routing in 2024:

KDS	Key Features	Order Routing Strengths	Pricing	Best For
Toast KDS	User-friendly, all-in-one integration	Custom ticket layouts, alerts	$35-$195+/month	All restaurant types
Square for Restaurants KDS	Easy to use, cost-effective	Custom views, auto messaging	$20-$60/location/month	Small restaurants, food trucks
Fresh KDS	Low-cost, works with many POS systems	Custom colors, views, messaging	$15+/month	Budget-conscious restaurants
TouchBistro KDS	Strong offline mode	Detailed menu item rules	$88+/month	Multilingual kitchens, food trucks
Lightspeed KDS	Scalable, good analytics	In-house and delivery order management	$69-399+/month	Growing restaurants
Revel Systems KDS	Custom tickets and alerts	Drive-thru queue, expeditor screen	Custom pricing	Multi-location drive-thrus
Epson KDS	Printer-driven screens	Works with many POS systems	Varies	Restaurants with existing POS

Each KDS offers different features to help restaurants manage orders better. When picking a KDS, think about what your restaurant needs most. The right system can help you:

Get orders to the kitchen faster
Make fewer mistakes
Keep customers happy
Work more smoothly as a team

Side-by-Side Comparison

To help you choose the right Kitchen Display System (KDS) for your restaurant, we've put together a table comparing the key features of our top 7 picks:

KDS	Works With	Easy to Use	Main Features	Can Grow	Help Available	Cost
Toast KDS	All Toast products	Yes	Custom tickets, alerts	Yes	Online help, guides	$35-$195+/month
Square for Restaurants KDS	Square products	Yes	Custom views, auto messages	Yes	Phone, email, online	$20-$60/location/month
Fresh KDS	Many POS systems	Yes	Custom colors, views, messages	Yes	Online help, guides	$15+/month
TouchBistro KDS	Works offline	Yes	Detailed menu rules	Yes	Phone, email, online	$88+/month
Lightspeed KDS	Lightspeed products	Yes	In-house and delivery orders	Yes	Phone, email, online	$69-399+/month
Revel Systems KDS	Revel products	Yes	Drive-thru queue, order screen	Yes	Depends on plan	Ask for quote
Epson KDS	Many POS systems	Yes	Works offline	Yes	Depends on seller	Ask for quote

This table gives you a quick look at how each KDS compares in key areas. When picking a system, think about what your restaurant needs most. The right KDS can help your kitchen run smoother and keep customers happy.

What to Look for in a KDS for Order Routing

When choosing a Kitchen Display System (KDS) for order routing, keep these key points in mind:

Working with Your Current Systems

Make sure the KDS works well with your Point of Sale (POS) and other restaurant software. A good fit will help you:

Reduce mistakes
Improve order accuracy
Make kitchen work smoother

Room for Growth

Pick a KDS that can grow with your business. It should handle:

More orders
New locations
Menu changes

This helps keep your kitchen running well as you expand.

Ability to Adjust

Look for a KDS you can change to fit your needs. Good options let you set up:

Custom screens
Order routing
Kitchen workflows

This helps your kitchen work the way you want it to.

Help When You Need It

Choose a KDS with good support. Look for:

Online guides
Phone help
Email support

This ensures you can fix problems quickly and keep your kitchen running.

Equipment Needs

Think about what hardware you need. Check if the KDS works with:

Your current tablets or screens
Your kitchen setup

This helps avoid extra costs for new equipment.

Feature	Why It's Important
Works with current systems	Saves time and reduces errors
Can grow with your business	Keeps working well as you expand
Easy to customize	Fits your specific kitchen needs
Good support	Helps solve problems quickly
Compatible with your equipment	Avoids extra hardware costs

Wrap-Up

Picking the right Kitchen Display System (KDS) for order routing is key for your restaurant's success. With many options out there, it's important to think about what your restaurant needs. Look at how the KDS works with your current systems, if it's easy to use, and if it can grow with your business.

A good KDS can help your kitchen:

Make fewer mistakes
Get orders right more often
Work faster

By getting a good KDS, you can make your restaurant work better and stay ahead of other restaurants.

No matter if you have a small or big restaurant, there's a KDS that can work for you. Take your time to look at different options. Don't be shy to ask questions or get advice from people who know about these systems.

Here's a quick look at what to think about when choosing a KDS:

What to Consider	Why It Matters
Works with your current systems	Helps avoid problems and saves time
Easy to use	Staff can learn it quickly
Can grow with your business	Keeps working well as you get bigger
Good support	Helps you fix issues fast
Fits your budget	Doesn't cost more than you can afford

FAQs

How does KDS work?

A KDS helps kitchens serve food at the right time and temperature. It:

Syncs orders for each table
Flags items that might get cold quickly
Alerts staff when food is ready to serve

What is KDS in the restaurant industry?

A Kitchen Display System (KDS) is a digital screen that shows order information in real-time. It helps restaurants:

Take orders more easily
Prepare food faster
Reduce mistakes

What is the difference between POS and KDS?

POS (Point of Sale)	KDS (Kitchen Display System)
Takes customer orders	Shows orders in the kitchen
Handles payments	Replaces paper tickets
Used by front-of-house staff	Used by kitchen staff
Sends order info to KDS	Gets order info from POS

A KDS works with a POS system to make kitchen work smoother. Instead of using paper tickets, the KDS shows orders on a screen as soon as they're entered into the POS.

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