Kitchen display system for UK restaurants
A kitchen display system (KDS) replaces printed dockets with a screen on the pass. Orders arrive the moment a server sends them, tickets are timed, modifiers and allergen flags are impossible to miss, and nothing is lost to a jammed printer. Included on every BMTable plan, including Free.
Last reviewed July 2026
What a kitchen display actually changes
Paper tickets fail in three predictable ways: the printer jams, the docket falls off the rail, or the ink fades under heat until the modifier is unreadable. Each of those is a remake, and a remake in the middle of a rush costs far more than the food.
A screen removes all three. It also gives the kitchen something paper never could — elapsed time per ticket, so the pass can see which table has been waiting eleven minutes before the server does.
How BMTable's KDS works
- Tickets appear the instant a server sends the order, with no polling delay
- Elapsed timer per ticket, colour-shifting as it ages
- Modifiers and allergen flags rendered inline, not as a footnote
- Course-by-course firing so starters and mains land in the right order
- Bump a ticket when it leaves the pass; recall it if a plate comes back
- Runs on any screen with a browser — a cheap tablet on a stand is enough
Frequently asked questions
- What is a kitchen display system?
- A kitchen display system (KDS) is a screen in the kitchen that shows incoming orders in real time, replacing printed paper dockets. It typically shows ticket timing, modifiers, allergens and course order, and lets kitchen staff bump completed tickets.
- Is the kitchen display included in the BMTable free plan?
- Yes. The kitchen display system is included on all plans, including the £0 Free plan.
- What hardware do I need for a kitchen display?
- Any device with a browser and a screen you can mount safely away from heat and steam. Most restaurants use an inexpensive tablet on an adjustable arm, or a small monitor driven by a mini-PC.
Put a screen on the pass tonight.
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