Kitchen Display Systems (KDS): A Game-Changer for Culinary Operations

Chefs and Change: A Complicated Relationship

Chefs LOVE change. Okay, okay, I know that’s a lie. They’re often the most innovative, cutting-edge, creative, awe-inspiring, hardest working, and vocal people you’ll meet at a club. Sometimes they’re the friendliest; sometimes they’re the meanest. One moment they’re whipping up 5-star dinners in minutes, and the next, they’re crafting perfectly fluffy, Instagram-worthy omelets on demand. But ask them about technology? You might just see them revert to the Stone Age.

That’s not every chef, of course. Still, in most of the industry, POS systems and printers are someone else’s problem—usually the front-of-house F&B managers or IT staff. Thankfully, most operations have moved past the days of pen and paper or the chaos of chefs shouting orders across stations. Hearing the synchronized “Yes, Chef!” that television glorifies is rarely how it works in reality.

The Reality of Modern Kitchens

From Paper Chaos to Digital Coordination

Thousands of kitchens are filled with the relentless sound of thermal and impact printers spitting out tickets from POS terminals. These printers haunt line cooks’ dreams—especially when they mysteriously stop printing in the middle of a rush. In a typical kitchen, line cooks receive tickets through the POS system and make the items listed, passing the completed dishes to the expo chef for final plating and approval.

Each station works off its own independent tickets, often without seeing the entirety of what’s being sent to the table. Hot stations make hot items; cold stations make cold items. The expo chef is the only one with a complete view of the situation.

Then, someone realized that kitchen tickets could be displayed digitally, and kitchens were set on a path toward significantly improved operations. At first, these systems seemed suited only for quick-service restaurants and drive-thrus. A high-end club kitchen? No way. The complexity of these operations was thought to require a “finer touch.”

But times—and technology—have changed. Just as mobile apps have taken over from traditional websites, physical printers have been replaced by Kitchen Display Systems (KDS).

Why KDS?

Smoother Operations, Happier Teams

These devices improve operations in nearly every way. How much time do you have? If you’re still reading, probably as much time as it takes to serve a grab-and-go salad—so, not long at all.

First and foremost, a KDS displays tickets beautifully and in order. The tickets can be resized based on the user’s preference, and the system tracks time, alerting staff when a ticket hits a pre-set warning or cutoff time.

Say Goodbye to Printer Nightmares

They also eliminate the frustrating network issues that plague printers. There’s no paper to run out of, no ribbons to replace, and no chance of losing tickets, getting them wet, or printing weird, half-faded receipts. And if you thought the Christmas episode of The Bear was stressful, you should see a kitchen when all the servers rush to the expo chef asking where their food is after the printer dies.

Boosting Efficiency with Smart Features

Kitchen Display Systems solve all these problems and offer bonus features, such as tracking ticket completion times and generating item summaries. For example, instead of scanning every ticket to count how many chicken tenders are needed, the chef can glance at the item summary and drop five orders into the fryer at once. This boosts efficiency, reduces ticket times, and—most importantly—makes members happier.

Safety First: Allergy Management

The list of food allergies continues to grow—gluten, celiac, nightshade, peanut, shellfish—and some can be life-threatening. With a KDS, these allergies are always highlighted, automatically transferring from the POS system to the kitchen. This reduces the reliance on servers to remember every detail and ensures that no allergy goes unnoticed, providing peace of mind for members and guests.

Also read: 7 Reasons Your Club Needs a POS With Mobile POS Flexibility

Multitasking Made Easier

Stay in Control, Even from Your Desk

Chefs do far more than just make food. They manage schedules, payroll, food orders, banquet meetings, and countless other tasks. A KDS allows them to monitor the kitchen from their desk, keeping them in the loop while handling their other responsibilities.

Since Cobalt's kitchen display system can be accessed via the web, chefs can get a full view of all the orders coming in and out of the kitchen in real time. They can even tag into different stations to see what each individual station is working on and review the bumped times to gauge team performance.

Defending Against Wait Time Complaints

Real-Time Data Beats Frustration

Nothing sends chills down my spine quite like the dreaded “I’ve been waiting two hours for my food” complaint. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been pulled aside for that one. The truth is, making great food takes time. But we live in a world of instant gratification, where apps, robots, and delivery services bring everything to our fingertips in moments.

Even the best-prepared kitchens get slammed, and wait times inevitably increase. With a KDS, however, teams can monitor ticket times, bump times, and station times to keep things moving. More importantly, when faced with an angry patron, they have the data to back them up.

“No, ma’am, your order actually took 12 minutes from the time it was placed.”

Of course, how you deliver that message depends on your relationship with the member. But at least now you have the facts to support your response.

The Future Is Now

Embracing Change for the Member Experience

Adapting to new technology is never easy, and there are always upfront costs. But the results speak for themselves. With the help of IT, setup is usually easier than configuring those clunky old printers. KDS systems are intuitive—much like the touchscreens we use every day—which makes adoption simpler for teams.

Technology is evolving at lightning speed, driven by AI and other game-changing innovations like mobile ordering and location-based technology. Kitchens across the country are embracing new processes, led by a rising generation of energized leaders at some of the world’s most prestigious clubs and restaurants.

Settling for mediocre is no longer an option—not for the food we serve, the processes we follow, or the technology we use. At Cobalt, the member experience is at the forefront of everything we do, and tools like KDS help ensure we deliver on that promise every day.