SimplePOSKitchen order tickets: getting restaurant orders right, from table to kitchen
How to get restaurant orders from the table to the kitchen without mistakes: clear tickets, modifiers, courses, timing and a simple routine for the pass.
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Every wrong dish costs a restaurant twice: once for the food that goes in the bin, and again in the guest’s patience. Most mistakes do not happen at the stove. They happen somewhere between what the guest said and what the cook read. A clear kitchen order ticket, and a consistent routine around it, removes most of those errors.
What a good kitchen ticket shows
A kitchen ticket is the instruction the cooks work from. It should answer every question a cook might have without them needing to walk out and ask. Whether it is printed or shown on a screen, a good ticket includes:
- The table number or order number, and the number of guests.
- The time the order was sent, so the kitchen can see how long it has been waiting.
- The server’s name, so questions go to the right person.
- Each item with its quantity, written exactly as the kitchen calls it.
- Modifiers under each item, such as “no onion” or “sauce on the side”.
- Allergy notes, clearly marked so they cannot be missed.
- Course or timing information, such as starters now and mains later.
Taking the order at the table
Accuracy starts with the server. A clear routine at the table saves arguments later.
- Take orders in a fixed seat order, starting from a set point at the table, so each dish can be matched to a guest.
- Ask about allergies before taking the order, not after.
- Repeat back anything unusual, such as changes to a dish or cooking preferences.
- Enter the order straight away, rather than collecting several tables first.
- Check the order on screen before sending it to the kitchen.
Seat numbers are especially useful for larger tables. When food arrives, the runner knows exactly who ordered what, and guests are not asked “who had the fish?”.
Modifiers and allergies
Free-text notes like “make it special” cause confusion. Wherever possible, use a fixed list of modifiers for each dish: sizes, cooking levels, sides, extras and removals. Fixed choices are quicker to enter and easier for cooks to read. Extras that cost more should be priced automatically so they are not forgotten on the bill.
Allergies deserve their own routine. Mark them in a way that stands out on every ticket and tell the kitchen verbally as well. The kitchen should confirm they have seen it. Never guess about ingredients; if the server is not sure, they should ask the kitchen before promising anything to the guest.
Courses and timing
Guests expect starters before mains and everyone at the table to be served together. Tickets help the kitchen pace this.
- Send each course as a separate group, or mark mains as “hold” until the server fires them.
- Route items to the right station, such as grill, cold kitchen or bar, so each section sees only its work.
- Show how long each ticket has been open, so slow orders are noticed early.
- Mark items for takeaway or delivery clearly, so packaging is ready in time.
Splitting tickets by station is one of the biggest improvements a busy kitchen can make. The bar does not need to read food orders, and the grill does not need to read dessert orders.
A simple routine at the pass
The pass is where finished dishes are checked before going to the table. One person should own it during service.
- Check each plate against the ticket, including modifiers and allergy notes.
- Make sure every dish for the table is ready together.
- Mark the ticket as complete or clear it from the screen.
- Tell the runner the table and seat numbers.
Restaurant point-of-sale software can send orders straight from the table device to the right kitchen printer or screen, with modifiers, seat numbers and timings already laid out clearly.