Using the Kitchen Display System (KDS)

Overview

The Kitchen Display System (KDS) is a digital ticket board that replaces printed kitchen chits. Orders from the POS and online channels appear instantly on a tablet or screen in the kitchen, organized by station, so your kitchen staff can see what to prepare, mark items ready, and keep service moving.

What you need before you start

• You have already created kitchen stations for the branch (for example, Grill, Salad, or Pastry). Kitchen stations are managed under Settings → Kitchen Stations.
• The device you will use as a KDS screen is paired to your tenant. See the Pairing and Modes article for how to pair a device in Kitchen Display role.

Opening the KDS

In the Tappya dashboard, go to Operations → Kitchen Display. The first time you open it, you will see the KDS Setup page.

Step 1: Pick the branch and station

• Select the branch you want to display tickets for.
• Select the kitchen station you want this screen to show. Choose "All Stations" to see every ticket, or choose a specific station (for example, Grill) to see only the items assigned to that station.

Click Open KDS Board. The dashboard remembers your choices, so the next time you visit Operations → Kitchen Display it will open the board directly.

The KDS board layout

The board shows a column for each kitchen station you selected. Each ticket card contains:

• The order number and channel (for example, Dine-in or Online).
• The table number, if the order is dine-in.
• Each line item with quantity, modifiers, and any special notes.
• How long the ticket has been on the board.

Actions you can take on a ticket

• Mark order ready: confirm the entire order is finished and send it to the expo or service area.
• Mark line ready: confirm a single item when different stations handle different parts of the same ticket.
• Bump: remove a ticket from the active board. Bumped tickets move to the Bumped History panel so you can still review them if needed.

Views and display options

• All Stations view: shows every open ticket across all stations in one place.
• Single-station view: shows only the tickets that contain items for the selected station.
• Fullscreen mode: hides the browser chrome so the board fills the entire screen. Use the fullscreen button in the header.
• Insights panel (All Stations and Unassigned views only): when enabled, shows AI-generated summaries such as which tickets are late, which station is the bottleneck, and recommended actions.

Changing the configuration

If you need to switch the board to a different branch or station, click the gear icon in the header and choose Change Configuration. This returns you to the setup page. The dashboard saves your new selection for next time.

Troubleshooting

• Board is empty: check that the branch and station are correct. Also confirm that orders are being placed with items mapped to that station.
• Tickets are not appearing in real time: refresh the page. The board updates automatically, but a browser refresh forces a full reload.
• Cannot find the station I need: make sure the station is created in Settings → Kitchen Stations for this branch.

Related articles

• Pairing and Modes
• POS Overview
• Offline and Troubleshooting

Key concepts

• Kitchen station: a prep area or zone in your kitchen (for example, Grill, Salad, Cold). Each item on your menu can be mapped to one or more stations so tickets route correctly.
• Ticket: a single order card on the KDS board. It shows what the customer ordered, where it came from, and how long it has been waiting.
• Bump: removing a finished ticket from the active board. Bumped tickets are kept in history for review.
• All Stations view: a master view that shows every open ticket across every station, useful for an expo or head chef.