Why ’86ing’ Mistakes is the Key to Cutting Food Waste: How a Kitchen Display System Helps Eliminate Order Errors

In the fast-paced environment of a commercial kitchen, mistakes happen. Whether it’s a missed modification, an incorrectly fired dish, or a forgotten ticket, these errors don’t just slow down service – they also lead to unnecessary food waste. In the United States alone, restaurants are estimated to generate a staggering 22 to 33 billion pounds of food waste each year, which equates to approximately $162 billion spent by the industry each year on food that ends up wasted. Food waste doesn’t just hurt your bottom line – it also has a significant environmental impact, contributing to landfill overflows.

But what if there was a way for restaurants to reduce these costly contributions to food waste dramatically? Enter the kitchen display system (KDS), a digital display that replaces traditional paper tickets, offering real-time order management and communication between front-of-house (FOH) and back-of-house (BOH). So, how exactly can a KDS system reduce food waste?

Reducing Order Errors

One of the biggest contributors to food waste in restaurants is incorrectly prepared dishes. When an order is wrong, the plate not only needs to be remade, but the original dish also winds up in the trash. When restaurants use a kitchen display system, clear and concise order instructions are provided to the kitchen staff via the digital screen, eliminating the guesswork involved in reading paper tickets to decipher special requests and modifications. This reduces misunderstandings and ensures orders are prepared exactly as requested the first time.

Real-Time Order Tracking to Prevent Over-Production

Gone are the days of over-prepping and over-cooking. With a KDS system, kitchen staff can monitor order flow and prioritize tasks in real time, eliminating unnecessary food waste. For example, if a rush slows down or an order is modified mid-prep, there would be no way to monitor those changes with a paper ticket system. However, with a KDS, the system instantly updates and allows the kitchen to quickly adapt and avoid producing unnecessary food.

Improved FOH and BOH Communication 

Miscommunication between servers and kitchen staff isn’t just common, it’s basically a rite of passage. In fact, 62% of U.S. restaurant workers say FOH and BOH miscommunication is a regular occurrence, and an even more hefty 72.25% say inefficient communication is the key driver of conflict between the two teams. A KDS system acts like a seamless bridge between FOH and BOH teams. Special instructions, allergy alerts, and modifications are clearly displayed, ensuring the kitchen team is fully informed before prepping. This enhanced communication reduces the risk of incorrect orders that may wind up returned and wasted.

When it comes to choosing the right KDS system, ConnectSmart® Kitchen is the industry leader for good reason. Built to optimize kitchen workflows and boost efficiency, ConnectSmart® Kitchen offers top-of-the-line features and support, including:

• Dynamic order prioritization: Throttle incoming orders based specifically on your kitchen’s actual workload. Capacity Management is based on data from your kitchen, like orders in rush status or the total number of orders in queue.
• Intelligent Routing: Reduce ticket times and turn tables faster with customizable routing, pacing, and prep stations.
• Improve Order Accuracy: ConnectSmart® Kitchen automates your operations with our kitchen display system (KDS), which helps cut down on food waste.
• Data and analytics insights: Detailed reports help restaurant owners manage their inventory more effectively, identify bottlenecks, and improve overall efficiency.
• 80+ POS integrations: With over 80 point-of-sale partners, ConnectSmart® Kitchen easily integrates with your existing system, creating a seamless experience for your customers.
• Best-in-class support team: Our award-winning support team has a 99% satisfaction rating for a reason. When questions arise, we’re here to help.

By integrating a KDS system into your operations, you’re not only improving order accuracy and customer satisfaction, but also taking a significant step toward reducing food waste. Ready to tackle food waste? Discover how ConnectSmart® Kitchen can transform your kitchen operations, improve your bottom line, and reduce food waste.

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About the Author

Caitlin Soard is a Content Marketing Strategist with over seven years of marketing experience under her belt. She joined the QSR Automations marketing team in June of 2022 and has been hard at work improving their social media and content ever since. She attended Franklin College where she received a Bachelor of Arts, focusing in Journalism and Public Relations as well as minoring in English. When she’s not lending her social media wizardry to QSR Automations, you can find her playing Dungeons & Dragons or TCGs at her local card shop, enjoying live local music, or spending time with her cat and two dogs, Ellie, Laney, and Orryn.