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Lightspeed Commerce Inc. has introduced a new kitchen display system it says will help restaurants address operational challenges, reduce operating costs, improve order accuracy, and enhance customer satisfaction.
A key feature of the new kitchen display system (KDS), which can be integrated with Lightspeed’s point-of-sale platform, is the ability to enable real-time updates to orders on any device, including displaying diner names for personalized service. Enabling real-time order updates ensures the wait and kitchen staff stay in sync, Lightspeed says.
Lack of communication between the wait and kitchen staff is a common problem. A recent Lightspeed survey of 400 restaurant workers in the United States and Canada revealed that 62% of respondents said miscommunication between wait and the kitchen staff was a persistent problem. In addition, 56% of restaurant workers say last-minute order modifications disrupt their workflow, while 43% cited misunderstood orders.
The new KDS supports so-called customizable workflows to help prioritize orders when managing dine-in and delivery business. Some 23% of respondents said difficulty with prioritizing dine-in and delivery orders in the kitchen is a problem, while 19% said the current technology they use makes it difficult to perform their jobs effectively.
Improving order accuracy was a key objective in developing the KDS, Lightspeed says. During the development process, Lightspeed found it can take as long as 10 seconds to move a paper order to the kitchen. That process is also prone to errors such as orders getting misplaced or lost and servers making order errors.
“Order-entry errors can be automatically updated on the KDS screen by the server,” a Lightspeed spokesperson says by email. “Orders are never lost, and can be reviewed even after they are made.”
To ensure up time, the Lightspeed KDS functions offline in case the restaurant loses its connection to Lightspeed or its Internet service provider, the company adds. In addition, the KDS has access to all POS information through its native connection to the POS data source.
“The deep integration between POS and KDS also enables Lightspeed to inform the POS about KDS updates to keep [front-of-house] staff informed about created orders,” says the Lightspeed spokesperson.
Restaurants using Lightspeed’s POS system include the Daniel Boulud Group in New York, The Alinea Group in Chicago, and Montreal’s Taverne Atlantic.
In related news, processor Fortis Payment Systems LLC is partnering with Quartile 3 Robotics to add Quartile’s Xina AI voice-ordering platform for restaurants and hotels.
Xina AI uses artificial intelligence and natural language processing to allow consumers to place voice orders. The platform also enables menu customization, personalized upsell suggestions, and real-time order tracking for customers.
In addition, the Xina platform generates data analytics to improve operations and customer satisfaction, the parties say.
