Kitchen display system overview

The kitchen display system (KDS) allows you to use screens instead of printed tickets to route and display orders in the kitchen. Using KDS devices allows for better communication between back of house and front of house when the food is ready for guests, and transparency on which parts of an order are completed. If changes are made on Toast POS devices in the front of house, those changes appear on KDS devices in the kitchen in real time. KDS also provides visual and auditory settings to inform kitchen employees about order details, such as a sound notification for new tickets, different ticket heading colors based on the age of the ticket, and using a flash animation to indicate that a ticket was changed.

KDS devices are used in the kitchen as either an expediter or prep station KDS device. An expediter device serves as the intermediary place between the front of house and back of house to inform the front of house that an order is ready. A prep station device displays items to prepare at specific preparation areas. You can configure your restaurant to use both expediter and prep station KDS devices, or only expediter or prep station KDS devices.

The following diagram shows how an order might be routed to different KDS devices for a restaurant that uses expediter and prep station KDS devices.

For this example, fired items are sent to both the expediter KDS device and the appropriate prep station KDS devices. When all items are marked as fulfilled at the prep station, the ticket turns green on the expediter KDS device, indicating that all items are ready. Once the items are physically at the expediter station, the ticket is marked as fulfilled. If you have notifications configured to appear when tickets are fulfilled, the Toast POS device that placed the order initially receives a notification. In this case, the prep stations are configured to send items and tickets to the expediter once completed, and the kitchen uses a single-level expediter. You can also configure a prep station to not send fulfilled items and tickets to the expediter. For example, the Bar prep station is not in the kitchen, so it does not need to send fulfilled items to the expediter KDS device located in the kitchen.

The following diagram shows how an order might be routed to different KDS devices for a restaurant that uses only expediter KDS devices.

For this example, fired items are sent to the expediter KDS device. When individual items are marked as fulfilled on the expediter KDS screen, a green check appears next to the item. Once all items on a ticket are marked as fulfilled, the ticket disappears. If you have notifications configured to appear when tickets are fulfilled, the Toast POS device that placed the order initially receives a notification.

You can choose to use two-level expediter fulfillment and enable whether tickets must be at one expediter before the next one with that two-level expediter fulfillment. For example, to be marked as ready, the ticket needs to be fulfilled at the first expediter before being marked as fulfilled at the second expediter.

The following diagram shows how an order might be routed to different KDS devices for a restaurant that uses only prep station KDS devices.

For this example, fired items are sent to the appropriate prep station KDS devices. When individual items are marked as fulfilled on the prep station screen, a green check appears next to the item. Once all items on a ticket are marked as fulfilled, the ticket disappears. If the prep station is configured to not send items and tickets to the expediter once completed and you have notifications configured to appear when tickets are fulfilled, the Toast POS device that placed the order initially receives a notification.

You can also choose to send items to multiple prep stations. For more information, see Multiple prep stations for an item.

KDS device interface

Here is an example of the expediter KDS device interface, with multiple tickets.

Note

Though the KDS device functions differently as either an expediter or prep station, the screen layout remains the same.

At the top-left of the screen, the arrow icon returns you to the Toast home page. On the top-right, there are options to show the all day view, recently fulfilled, and recalling the last fulfilled ticket. The overflow menu, represented by three vertically stacked dots, provides additional actions and shortcuts: Text Size changes the text size of the KDS tickets, Purge Closed Orders removes information on all closed orders on the device, and Fulfill All Tickets fulfills all the KDS tickets on the device. The Device Status, Device Setup, and Switch user options are not specific to KDS mode.

The middle of the screen is the area where tickets display. Tickets appear at the top left and move downward and to the right. If a ticket is longer than the screen, the ticket continues to the next column. Ticket size is not standard, and changes to fit the number of items on the ticket. If the amount of tickets exceeds the screen size, you can swipe right and left on the screen to see tickets beyond the current view.

At the bottom of the screen, there are production items, if configured. For more information about production items, see About production items.

Grid view for KDS

Note

Grid view is in limited release. To enable this feature, contact Toast support.

In addition to classic, or dynamic, view for the kitchen display system devices, there is grid view. Grid view is designed to show a set maximum of tickets per screen, making it easier to process orders for a fast-moving restaurant. For example, a drive-through restaurant can only work on a set number of orders at a time. A set number of tickets on a screen makes it easier to process orders.

Grid view is compatible with portrait orientation for Elo v2 and Elo v4 devices.

Grid view has features that set it apart from dynamic view:

• Grid layout: Provides a grid layout for kitchen tickets with a maximum number of tickets on a screen.

• Preview tickets: Provides kitchen employees a preview of upcoming tickets as items are added to an order.

• Pagination: Indicates how many pages of tickets exist and can be tapped to quickly move to a specific page.

• Payment status: Displays whether the order was paid or unpaid.

• Dark mode: A color scheme for the screen that is more optimal for low light or prolonged screen use.

Important

Grid view is only compatible with the local data synchronization method. This local sync method allows for offline mode using local sync. For more information on how local sync works, see Offline mode with local sync.

Here is an example of grid view on an expediter KDS device:

At the top-left of the screen, the arrow icon returns you to the Toast POS home screen. On the other side, there are options to show the recently fulfilled, and recall the last fulfilled ticket.

The overflow menu (the ⋮ icon) provides additional actions and shortcuts:

• Device Status: Opens a dialog showing the device connection and service statuses.

• Change ticket size: Opens the Change ticket size dialog. This dialog changes the size and maximum number of tickets shown on the screen for the grid layout. This is specific to grid view.

• Device Setup: Opens the Device Setup page.

• Switch user: Opens the passcode screen.

The middle of the screen is the ticket area.

The bottom of the screen is for navigation and page indicators. For more information, see Pagination.

Note

The Android navigation bar is hidden on grid view to maximize screen space. Swipe upward from the bottom of the screen to reveal it.

Setting up grid view

When you initially set up your KDS device, you can choose dynamic or grid view. This sets the default kitchen view for your Toast POS device. You can change the default view at any time from the Device Setup screen.

Note

The Primary Mode setting must be set to Kitchen Display/Expo Screen to choose the KDS view.

To set up grid view on a KDS device

1. Navigate to the Device Setup screen. You can either:

   • From the Toast POS home screen, navigate to the Setup section and select Device Setup.

   • From the Kitchen Display System mode screen, select the overflow menu (the ⋮ icon) on the top right and select Device Setup.

   The Device Setup screen opens.

2. Select KDS View.

3. Choose Grid View.

4. Select Save. The Device Setup screen appears.

Grid layout

The grid layout feature provides a fixed number of spaces on the screen. The layout can be set as:

• Small Tickets: A 5 by 2 grid with a maximum of ten tickets per page.

• Medium Tickets: A 4 by 2 grid with a maximum of eight tickets per page.

• Large Tickets: A 3 by 2 grid with a maximum of six tickets per page.

Each ticket size has a different text size. The text size is not configurable separately from the ticket size.

Note

The ticket size for grid view is configured at the device-level. For example, if you want two KDS devices to use a different size from the default, each device has to change the ticket size.

The first ticket fills the top-left grid space and the next ticket fills the grid space below it. Once that grid column is filled, tickets continue to be added to the next column and move downward. Here is an example of the path tickets added to the grid layout take:

For tickets that take up more than a single grid space, the ticket expands to the grid space below it. If it continues past that grid space, it continues until the column is filled and then continues to the top grid space of the next column and moves downwards.

Here is an example of a ticket that takes up almost the entire single grid space.

Here is an example of the same ticket after it expands to two grid spaces to allow for additional items.

If a ticket is added that is larger than the remaining grid spaces on a screen with tickets, the new ticket is moved to the next page, and the previous page has the earlier tickets.

Here is an example of a KDS device using grid view that has three tickets, the third of which is larger than the remaining grid spaces, and is moved to the next page.

If a ticket is larger than all the grid spaces on a screen, it is continued on the next page. The first section of the ticket is marked with CONTINUED on the bottom right corner of the ticket. The last section of the ticket is marked with CONTINUED on the top left corner of the ticket. If there are any middle sections, the ticket is marked with CONTINUED on both the bottom right and top left corners of the ticket to indicate it is continued on the next and previous pages.

Here is an example of a ticket that is across three grid view pages.

To configure the ticket size

Note

You must use grid view to configure ticket size. For more information on how to configure grid view, see Setting up grid view.

1. From the Toast POS home screen, navigate to the Mode section and select Kitchen Display System.

2. Select the overflow menu (the ⋮ icon) on the top right. The content menu opens.

3. Select Change ticket size. The Change ticket size dialog opens.

4. Choose your desired ticket size.

   Note

   The default grid size is Medium Tickets.

5. Select Confirm. Grid view now displays with the chosen ticket size.

Preview tickets

Preview tickets (fire on next) allow kitchen staff to see items as they are added to an order by providing a preview ticket. The item appears on the preview ticket after the restaurant employee adds the item to the order and begins to enter the next item.

Note

Preview tickets are configured at the restaurant level.

The preview ticket is indicated by a shaded portion below the ticket, the word Preview replacing the fire time, and the ticket header fading between light and dark gray repeatedly.

Note

You cannot see preview tickets for orders placed online or from a kiosk.

After the ticket is Sent, the Preview label and ticket shadow disappear, the fading between light and dark gray stops, and the ticket enters a Sent state. The Preview label is replaced with the fire timer.

Note

Preview tickets cannot be fulfilled.

After an order is sent to the kitchen, subsequent additions to the order do not display as a preview ticket. These items are visible on the KDS device once they are sent to the kitchen. For example, if you add two items to an order, these items show on the preview ticket. Once you send the order to the kitchen and then add another item, the item does not appear on the KDS device until you send the order again.

To configure KDS devices to display preview tickets

1. Access Toast Web.

2. Choose Kitchen > Printers, tickets, & KDS devices > Kitchen to open the Kitchen page.

3. In the Ticket Screens section, use the Preview Tickets setting to turn the preview tickets feature on or off.

4. Select Save and Publish.

   Note

   To avoid updating while the restaurant is open, Toast support recommends publishing outside restaurant operating hours.

For an example workflow of a KDS device using grid view with preview tickets enabled, see KDS workflow using grid view.

Pagination

Grid view uses Next and Previous on the bottom right and left of the KDS screen to navigate to the next and previous pages. You can also swipe right and left to navigate to the next and previous pages.

The page number indicator icon on the bottom center is shaded dark gray to indicate the page currently being viewed. You can select a different page number icon to navigate to that specific page.

Here is an example of grid view with multiple pages.

Payment status

Grid view tickets display a payment status, which indicates whether the order for the ticket is paid or not. The payment status can be:

• NOT PAID: The entire amount for the order is not received and processed by the restaurant.

• PAID: The entire amount for the order is received and processed by the restaurant.

Here is an example of a ticket before and after it is paid.

Dark mode

Grid view is available in dark mode. To change to dark mode, select the overflow menu (the ⋮ icon), choose Device Setup, and select the POS Display Theme setting to choose between the Light mode and Dark mode options. Select Save to implement the theme.

Here is an example of grid view using dark mode.

Grid view and dynamic view

In addition to new features, grid view also implements several existing features differently from dynamic view to maximize efficiency with the new layout. These behavioral differences apply to:

• Production items

• Ticket header

• Action to fulfill

Production items

While dynamic view supports any number of production items, grid view supports a maximum of eight production items. These eight production items are spread across two lines, with four items on the top and four on the bottom.

Here is an example of a grid view device showing eight production items.

For more information about production items, see About production items.

Ticket header

While dynamic view displays the dining option beneath the header, grid view has moved the dining option to the header itself.

Here is an example of a ticket on a KDS device using grid view, compared to a ticket on a KDS device using dynamic view.

Action to fulfill

In addition to the double-tap action, you can also swipe downwards anywhere on the ticket itself to either fulfill or unfulfill it for grid view. The motion fulfills or unfulfills the ticket depending on whether you have Double tap to fulfill or Double tap to unfulfill enabled. By default, the setting is Double tap to fulfill, meaning swiping downwards or double tapping fulfills the ticket.

Grid view usage guidelines

Note

Grid view is in limited release. To enable this feature, contact Toast support.

When using the grid view feature, use the following guidelines:

• Do not exit or close the Toast POS app while an order is in progress. A preview ticket remains on the screen until the Toast platform clears any outdated tickets, meaning the preview ticket may remain on your device for up to thirty minutes.

• Do not use grid view on portable devices. Grid view is not currently compatible with ToastGo1 and ToastGo2. Using grid view on these devices can result in cropped contents and poor formatting.

• Do not disconnect your hub device from your router. The hub device is required for offline mode with local sync. For more information on hub devices, see Hub devices.

• Be aware that clearing the app data or uninstalling the Toast POS app on a KDS device that is using grid view reverts the ticket size to Medium Tickets. You then have to update the ticket size to change to either the Large Tickets or Small Tickets size option.

For the best experience using grid view, consider the following recommendations:

• Do not enable courses. Grid view does not display the course name on the ticket and menu items are split into separate tickets by course. This fills up the limited ticket space with grid view.

• Do not enable course pacing. In addition to reorganizing menu items into separate course tickets, if the Kitchen > Pacing > Meal pacing > Sending Courses setting is set to Send courses individually, only items in the sent courses appear on KDS devices.

  For grid view, a preview ticket shows items as they are added to an order. After an order is sent with the Send courses individually option, only the courses chosen by an employee at the front of house to send to the kitchen appear, with items belonging to courses not sent disappearing from the KDS device screen. This can lead to confusion for kitchen employees.

• Do not enable the Front of house > Order screen setup > Individually Hold and Send Items configuration. This configuration allows an employee at the front of house choose when to fire menu items. For grid view, once the initial items are sent to the kitchen, the KDS device ticket shows only the fired items, instead of all items as shown on the preview ticket. This can lead to confusion for kitchen employees.

• Do not choose to use individual tickets for every item in an order. A separate ticket for each item fills up the limited ticket space grid view.

Features unavailable with grid view

Note

Grid view is in limited release. To enable this feature, contact Toast support.

Grid view for KDS devices does not support all features available with dynamic view for KDS devices.

Grid view treats the following configurations and features as if they are not enabled or otherwise not in use:

• All day display: The All Day View does not appear with grid view.

• Average fulfillment timer: The Average Fulfillment Time, configured at the device level, does not appear with grid view.

• Future and scheduled orders: Future and scheduled orders placed on a Toast POS device display the preview tickets until the fire time is met.

• Kiosk orders: Orders placed on a Kiosk device do not display preview tickets. The ticket appears on the KDS device using grid view after the entire order is finalized and sent to the kitchen.

• Item pacing: Items in an order are fired to the kitchen at the same time. They are not split into separate tickets for firing based on the item prep time.

These unavailable features can be correlated to specific setting options.

The following table provides information about Toast Web settings that ignore the current selection and instead use specific options.

Setting	Behavior
All Day Display	This feature is not available with grid view. Grid view treats this setting as if it were set to “No, do not enable All Day Display”.
Firing Courses	Firing courses individually through the expediter KDS device is not available with grid view. Only the “Server fires courses individually” and “Automate course firing” options are supported.
Item Fire by Prep Time	Firing by prep time is not available with grid view. This setting is treated as if it is not enabled.
Additional Modifier Groups > Split	Splitting items is not available with grid view. This setting is treated as if it is not enabled.

The following table provides information on device settings that ignore the current selection and instead use specific options.

Setting	Behavior
All Day View	This feature is not available with grid view.
Text Size	For grid view, the text size is associated with the ticket size. For more information, see To configure the ticket size.
Average Fulfillment Time	This feature is not available with grid view.