A kitchen display system’s main role is to streamline communication between a restaurant’s front- and back-of-house, so that food orders are promptly fulfilled and delivered to the customer. The simplest option is going with the kitchen display system that your current restaurant POS system provider offers.
A kitchen display system, or KDS, is a flat-screen monitor that replaces paper order tickets by automatically sending customers’ orders from the front-of-house to the back-of-house. They also help restaurants prioritize, modify and track orders.
Kitchen display systems are often mounted to a kitchen’s wall at eye level and have either a touchscreen or keypad. Some run on a standard tablet, such as an iPad, while others use proprietary hardware that must be bought through your POS system provider.
The best kitchen display systems come from popular restaurant POS system providers and have reasonably priced monthly plans that cost somewhere from $0 to $35 per month. They should also include reporting features and user-friendly layouts.
250+ small-business products reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
95+ years of combined experience covering small business and personal finance.
75+ categories of best business software selections.
Objective and comprehensive POS systems ratings rubric. (Learn more about our star ratings.)
NerdWallet's small-business software content, including ratings, recommendations and reviews, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in business software, including POS, payment processing, accounting and payroll. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur, ABC News, Yahoo Finance and other national and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity to ensure accuracy and fairness in our coverage.
Here are our picks for the top kitchen display systems and why they stand out.
Best Kitchen Display Systems From Our Partners
Calculate your monthly cost estimate
Input your business’s monthly transaction details and we’ll help you sort from the best valueProduct | Cost Estimate | Payment processing fees | Cost Estimate | Learn more | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Toast POS Learn more on Toast POS's secure website | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | 4.0/5 Best for Overall kitchen display system | 2.49% + $0.15 if you buy hardware upfront; 3.09% + $0.15 for pay-as-you-go option. | $0.00 Starter Kit; $69 Point of Sale plan; custom Build Your Own plan. | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | Learn more on Toast POS's secure website |
Square Restaurant POS Learn more on Square Restaurant POS's secure website | 5.0/5 Best for Free POS software | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $0.00 Free plan; $69 Plus plan; $165 Premium plan. | Learn more on Square Restaurant POS's secure website | ||
Lightspeed Restaurant POS Learn more on Lightspeed Restaurant POS's secure website | 3.5/5 Best for Features that increase efficiency | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $69.00 Starter plan; $189 Essential plan; $399 Premium plan. | Learn more on Lightspeed Restaurant POS's secure website | ||
TouchBistro Learn more on TouchBistro's secure website | 3.5/5 Best for Offline mode functionality | N/A Quote-based. | $69.00 and up. | Learn more on TouchBistro's secure website |
Our pick for
Overall kitchen display system
Toast POS
Learn more
on Toast POS's secure website
Payment processing fees
2.49% + $0.15
if you buy hardware upfront; 3.09% + $0.15 for pay-as-you-go option.
Monthly fee
$0.00
Starter Kit; $69 Point of Sale plan; custom Build Your Own plan.
Every element of Toast's POS system is designed in a restaurant-first way. Hardware options are made to withstand spills, grease and heat. These include self-serve kiosks, kitchen display systems, handheld POS systems and guest displays that let customers view orders. Its free plan also offers 24/7 support via email, live chat and phone, just like its higher-tier plans do.Read full review
Pros
- Free plan available for restaurants with up to two POS terminals.
- 24/7 support via web messaging.
- Offers helpful related services, like payroll and team management software, that integrate closely with its POS system.
- Built specifically for restaurants with in-house delivery platform available, among other industry-specific features.
Cons
- Requires a two-year contract and charges early termination fees.
- Online payment processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
- Charges setup fee, and offline mode includes hidden cost of backup router.
- Online ordering is considered an add-on for all plans.
Our pick for
Free POS software
Square Restaurant POS
Learn more
on Square Restaurant POS's secure website
Monthly fee
$0.00
Free plan; $69 Plus plan; $165 Premium plan.
The free version of Square for Restaurants comes equipped with a comprehensive list of features, including inventory management, menu management, table management and employee time tracking.Read full review
Pros
- Free plan available.
- App and card readers are compatible with iOS and Android devices.
- Can pay for hardware in installments.
- No long-term contracts or installation fees.
- In-house payroll software available.
- All plans include a free online ordering page.
Cons
- Free plan doesn’t include 24/7 support.
Our pick for
Features that increase efficiency
Lightspeed Restaurant POS
Learn more
on Lightspeed Restaurant POS's secure website
Monthly fee
$69.00
Starter plan; $189 Essential plan; $399 Premium plan.
Lightspeed Restaurant’s Essential and Premium plans include advanced inventory management features for tracking ingredient waste, calculating recipe costs and automating recurring orders to vendors. Inventory items are automatically deducted as they’re ordered from the menu and in-depth reporting is meant to help business owners improve profit margins. Read full review
Pros
- Offers advanced inventory management and recipe costing tools.
- All plans include CRM and loyalty programs.
- Essential and Premium plans include one-on-one support.
- 24/7 support available.
Cons
- Syncing with accounting software costs extra.
- Some plans may require long-term contracts.
Our pick for
Offline mode functionality
TouchBistro
Learn more
on TouchBistro's secure website
Payment processing fees
N/A
Quote-based.
Monthly fee
$69.00
and up.
For restaurants that haven’t warmed to the idea of a totally cloud-based POS system, TouchBistro is a solid option. It’s a hybrid POS, meaning it’s locally installed but data is still sent to the cloud. Although other cloud-based POS systems can accept payments in offline mode, the TouchBistro system will maintain additional capabilities, like real-time reporting, in a Wi-Fi outage.Read full review
Pros
- 24/7 phone, chat and email support.
- Includes restaurant-specific features, like table and menu management.
- Optional profit management system provides tools for improving margins.
- As a hybrid POS system, TouchBistro can operate without the cloud. Offline capabilities include accepting payments, taking orders, editing menus and managing staff.
Cons
- Payment processing rates are quote-based, making them difficult to compare to the competition.
- Contracts are automatically renewed and can't be terminated early.
- No free plan options and charges setup fee.
- Ability to accept online orders costs extra.
Toast
Overall best kitchen display system
Why we like it: It costs more than some of its competitors, but Toast offers a few features the others don’t. The company says its custom-made device is built for abuse, withstanding higher temperatures than iPads, for example. It also supports multiple languages and lets the kitchen ping servers (or guests) via text or an app when their food is up. Read our full Toast POS review.
- $0 for Starter Kit plan.
- $69 Point of Sale plan.
- Custom plans available.
$35 per month plus $674.10 hardware purchase.
- $799.20 for Handheld Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
- $1,024.20 for Countertop Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
- $1,339.20 for Guest Self-Service Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
- 3.09-3.69% plus 15 cents per transaction, if you choose a pay-as-you-go plan.
- 2.49% plus 15 cents for card-present transactions, if you pay for hardware upfront.
- 3.50% plus 15 cents for card-not-present transactions, if you pay for hardware upfront.
Lightspeed Restaurant POS
Best for features that increase efficiency
Why we like it: Lightspeed’s KDS aids kitchen staff in coordinating delivery, pickup and in-house dining with helpful icons. Other kitchen-friendly details — such as the ability to quickly scan wait times with color coding on each digital ticket or a breakdown of which dishes see the biggest delay — make this a good option. Read our full Lightspeed Restaurant POS review.
- $69 for Starter plan.
- $189 for Essential plan.
- $399 for Premium plan.
Quote-based.
Pricing for Lightspeed's iPad and desktop hardware kits is quote-based. Individual hardware products are listed in Lightspeed's online store:
- $79 for Mobile Tap V2 card reader.
- $199 for iPad stand or swivel stand.
- $299 for WisePOS E countertop reader.
- $429 for Lightspeed Lite Server for data backup and offline mode functionality.
- 2.6% plus 10 cents per in-person transaction.
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
Square Restaurant POS
Best for free POS software
Why we like it: The feature list of this KDS isn’t as deep as some others, but counter service or pickup- and delivery-oriented restaurants may find that the combination of reasonable pricing and Square’s easy user interface make this a good option. Read our full Square Restaurant POS review.
- $0 for Square Restaurant’s free plan.
- $69 for Plus plan.
- $165 for Premium plan.
- For Free plan: $20 per month per display plus $599-$699 hardware purchase.
- For Restaurant Plus and Custom plans: $0 monthly fee, plus cost of hardware.
- $0 for Square magstripe-only card reader ($10 for each additional reader) or if using Tap to Pay for iPhone (iPhone not included).
- $59 for Square Reader contactless and chip card reader.
- $149 for Square Stand iPad POS or Square Stand Mount (iPad not included; monthly financing available).
- $299 for Square Terminal mobile card reader with built-in printer (monthly financing available).
- $799 for Square Register two-screen system (monthly financing available).
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions.
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
- 3.5% plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions.
TouchBistro
Best for offline mode functionality
Why we like it: Although TouchBistro is less transparent with its pricing than most of its competitors, its restaurant-specific POS solution stands out for its ability to continue most restaurant operations even during a temporary internet outage. Many POS systems today have some form of an offline mode, but while most other providers only enable you to continue taking payments while offline, TouchBistro’s system also allows you to continue sending orders to the KDS and printing tickets in the kitchen, among other offline capabilities, so you can largely continue business as usual. Note that additional costs may be involved in the setup and/or operation of the locally installed connection that enables this offline functionality. Read our full TouchBistro review.
- $69 for base plan.
- $25 for gift cards feature.
- $50 for online ordering feature.
- $99 for loyalty features or marketing features.
- $229 for reservations feature.
$19 per month and up; hardware pricing is quote-based.
Not disclosed. An iPad is necessary to run TouchBistro software. IPads, cash drawers, routers, printers, mini servers, keyboards and other accessories are available by quote only. You may also have the option to use your existing equipment.
Quote-based if you use TouchBistro Payments; can also choose from third-party payment processors.
The benefits of a kitchen display system boil down to two things: Replacing and improving paper-based processes, and providing new capabilities. Here are some ways kitchen display systems help restaurants run more smoothly:
- Everything’s digital. When a server inputs an order or modifies it, it’s routed to a digital display in the kitchen instead of being printed out as a paper ticket. That means no more lost, torn or burned tickets. Plus, the reduction in paper alone can lead to serious savings.
- It centralizes information. Having a single source of information everyone can access can help avoid miscommunications, bypassing the need to rely on verbal or handwritten order updates. You can also consolidate knowledge that might currently exist with a few longer-tenured employees, which can help shorten the time needed to train new employees in a high-turnover environment.
- Staff can easily access and change details. Kitchen display systems can display recipe details, photos, order substitution notes or allergy alerts, for instance.
- Difficult tasks are automated. Complex tasks such as dish sequencing and timing tickets — things once done by hand — are now completed instantly and prioritized automatically.
- It can make analysis easier. A kitchen display system can use the data generated over time to create reports that flag opportunities to improve efficiency. For example, you’ll be able to see if it’s taking longer than expected to get certain dishes out of the kitchen, or if certain days or times see drops in performance.
Using a kitchen display system can benefit many types of restaurants. But it might not make as much sense if the following scenarios apply to your business:
- Your kitchen display system options are limited by your POS system. If you don’t like the choices available, you might prefer to stick with paper (or look at other restaurant POS systems).
- Your kitchen doesn’t have a good place to mount a kitchen display system. In addition, the hardware might not suit your needs. Some kitchen display system setups operate exclusively on a touch screen, which could be difficult to use in some environments.
- You’re worried about investing in extra hardware. A kitchen display system will cost not only money, but also time to train employees on the new system. While these drawbacks are temporary, you’ll still want to make sure your restaurant can afford them.
If you use a newer, cloud-based POS system, such as Toast, your kitchen display system choices might be limited to a proprietary option from that company. Questions to ask include:
- Is the hardware included, or do you supply your own?
- Does the company supply or recommend mounting hardware?
- What are the costs? Many of these systems use subscription pricing.
- What would starting small look like? For example, could you set up a kitchen display system only in the central hub of your kitchen, likely where the printer is now?
- In what ways could you grow into the system?
- What types of reports can the kitchen display system generate?
If you use an older POS system, check with the manufacturer to see what options are available.
Last updated on June 28, 2024
