Kitchen Display

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Why This Matters

The Kitchen Display page is the Kitchen Display System (KDS) that shows all pending orders to kitchen and bar staff. Items appear in real-time as staff submit orders from the floor. Kitchen and bar stations see their respective items, update preparation status, and mark items as ready. This replaces paper tickets and verbal calls, creating a smooth kitchen workflow.

How It Works

Two Stations, One Screen

The Kitchen Display splits into two columns: one for the kitchen crew preparing food, one for the bar team making drinks. Each column header shows how many orders are waiting, so you can gauge workload at a glance.

Reading an Order Card

When you tap into an order, you see everything you need. The card displays the table name, any special instructions the floor staff entered, and a list of items. Each item shows its quantity, name, current status, and — if it’s a complimentary item from a challenge win — a purple comp badge. Maybe Table 5 ordered two steaks and a cocktail; you’ll see all of that organized clearly.

Moving Items Through Preparation

As you work through orders, you update each item’s status: A new item appears with a yellow PENDING badge. When you start working on it, tap Start and it moves to blue PREPARING with a subtle pulse animation showing it’s in progress. Once it’s done, tap Ready and the badge turns green — your signal that this item is finished and waiting for pickup. The flow is simple: PENDING → PREPARING → READY. Items stay on the display until floor staff pick them up and mark them as served in the system. When the kitchen is completely caught up, you’ll see a calm “All caught up! No pending orders.” message with a checkmark — a small but satisfying confirmation that everything’s out.

Key Concepts

  • KDS (Kitchen Display System): Digital display showing orders for kitchen/bar preparation
  • Station: Where an item is prepared (KITCHEN or BAR)
  • Order Card: Groups all items for a single order (table)
  • Item Status: PENDING → PREPARING → READY workflow
  • Comp Badge: Purple badge indicating a complimentary item from a challenge

Technical Details

ComponentFilePurpose
Inline componentspage.tsxStation columns, order cards, status badges
Query/MutationPurpose
payments.getByStationAndStatusFetch items by station (KITCHEN/BAR) and status
payments.listTablesFetch table info for display names
payments.updateItemStatusUpdate item status (PREPARING, READY)

See Also

Staff Order

Taking orders at tables

Reception View

Table overview for reception staff

Admin Dashboard

Dashboard overview and navigation