Kitchen Display System (KDS) for restaurants and cafés
A kitchen display system shows incoming orders on a screen in the kitchen in real time, so the cooks never wait for a printed ticket. Epidom includes one kitchen screen on the POS plan, and it runs on any tablet with a browser.
What a kitchen display system does
A KDS is a screen, usually a tablet mounted on the wall or set at the pass, that shows each order as a ticket: the items, the options, the table number, and whether it is dine-in, takeaway or delivery. It replaces the printer-and-paper-slip routine, or sits next to it.
The point is speed and clarity. Orders appear in the kitchen the moment they are entered, and the dining room can see what is ready without walking back to ask.
KDS versus printed kitchen tickets
- No lost, smudged or unreadable slips on the pass.
- Changes show up immediately instead of arriving as a second slip.
- Each item has a status, so the kitchen knows what is in progress and what is done.
- A sound alert announces a new order when everyone's hands are busy.
- No paper rolls to reorder for the kitchen.
You do not have to choose. Epidom works alongside printed kitchen and bar tickets, so you can keep a Bluetooth thermal printer for paper copies and add the screen, or the other way around.
How the kitchen screen works in Epidom
- The order is entered — A server or cashier rings it up on the POS (tablet, phone or computer), or a customer places it from your store page.
- The ticket lands in the kitchen — It appears on the kitchen display in real time with a sound alert, with nothing to refresh.
- The kitchen moves items along — Staff update the status of each item as they cook, then the order is marked ready.
- Front of house serves — The order moves through the queue: New, Preparing, Ready, Served.
One screen or several stations
The POS plan includes one kitchen screen. That is enough for a café, a bakery making sandwiches to order, or a small restaurant with a single prep area.
Once the kitchen and the bar work separately, the Operations plan supports several screens routed by station. Drinks show up at the bar, food shows up in the kitchen, and each team sees only its own items.
Example: an order has two burgers, a lemonade and a flat white. The burgers appear on the kitchen screen, the drinks on the bar screen. Each station moves its own items along, and the order is only ready when every station is done.
What hardware you need
Any tablet with a browser will do, or a computer or phone if you prefer. Epidom runs in the browser, so there is no server to install. Plan for a stable stand, a power outlet nearby, and a reliable internet connection so orders arrive live.
For paper tickets, 58 mm or 80 mm Bluetooth thermal printers can be paired to the POS for receipts, kitchen tickets, bar tickets and item labels.
Questions
What does KDS stand for in a restaurant?
KDS stands for kitchen display system. It is a screen that shows orders to prepare in real time, in place of or alongside printed tickets, and lets the kitchen mark each item as it is made.
Can I use a regular tablet as a kitchen screen?
Yes. Epidom's kitchen display opens in the browser of any tablet, computer or phone. You need an internet connection and a stand that keeps the screen within sight of the cooks.
Do I have to stop printing kitchen tickets?
No. The kitchen display works alongside printed kitchen and bar tickets. You can run both while your team gets used to the screen and decide later whether you still need the printer.
How much does a kitchen display cost with Epidom?
One kitchen screen is included in the POS plan at $14.99 per month ($12.49 per month billed yearly), with a 14-day free trial. Several screens routed by station, kitchen and bar, come with the Operations plan at $29.99 per month ($24.99 billed yearly).
Do online orders show up on the kitchen screen too?
Yes. Orders placed from your store page join the same queue as walk-in orders, so they appear on the kitchen display like any other.