First Essential
The kitchen display system for restaurants in the UK
Our kitchen display system sends every order straight to the screen, so your team can get food out hot and fast. UK based, plugs into your EPOS, and backed by real people you can actually call.
Built to keep the kitchen calm and quick
Swap the paper tickets for a clear screen that keeps every order moving, from the counter to the pass. UK based, and supported by real people who pick up the phone.
Orders direct to the kitchen
Every order lands on screen the moment it is placed, so the team can start straight away.
Learn moreFewer mistakes
No lost dockets or misread handwriting. Each order is clear, complete and easy to follow.
Learn moreFaster service
Prep flows in the right order so food goes out hot, fresh and on time, even at the rush.
Learn moreEasy EPOS integration
Connects straight to your till, so orders flow through with no extra steps for the team.
Learn moreKeep customers updated
Track each order through the kitchen and keep customers in the loop on where their food is.
Learn moreCut costs
Less waste, less paper and a smoother service that helps your kitchen run leaner.
Learn moreBuilt for the rush
Keeps service moving when it matters most, so the team stays on top even on the busiest nights.
Learn moreReal UK support
Friendly people on hand when you need them. Help is always just a phone call away.
Learn moreWhat is a kitchen display system (KDS) and how does it work?
A kitchen display system, usually shortened to KDS, is a screen in your kitchen that replaces the old paper docket. When an order is rung in at the EPOS till, taken at a self service kiosk, or placed online, it appears on the kitchen screen straight away. Your chefs see the full order, any notes and allergen flags, and the time it came in. As each dish is plated, the team bumps it off the screen, so everyone always knows what is on, what is next, and what has gone out.
In plain terms, it joins your front of house and your kitchen into one flow. No handwriting to read, no docket lost on the floor, and no need to retype anything. For a busy UK restaurant, takeaway or QSR, that means faster tickets, fewer mistakes, and a calmer pass when the orders stack up.
1. Order comes in
An order is placed at the till, a kiosk, or online. It lands on the kitchen screen the moment it is confirmed.
2. Kitchen sees it live
Each ticket shows the full order, notes, allergens and a timer, so chefs can prep in the right order.
3. Bump it off
As dishes go out, the team clears them off the screen. Front of house can see what is ready to run.
A clear view of every kitchen order, live
See orders move across the screen and keep the whole kitchen working as one team. Every ticket is clear, complete and easy to read at a glance.
Connect the kitchen display to your EPOS till system
Your tills and kitchen work together, so orders move smoothly from the counter to the pass without anyone retyping a thing. One screen, no paper, no missed tickets.
One stack, working as a team
The kitchen display runs on the same hardware and software as your front of house, so every order moves in step. Everything you need, from one UK supplier.
The kitchen display features that matter on a busy night
A screen is only useful if it holds up at the rush. Here is what ours does, in plain English, so you can picture it on your own pass.
Order timers and timing
Every ticket carries a timer so chefs can prep dishes to land together, and you can see at a glance which orders are running late.
Allergen and order notes
Special requests and allergen flags show on the ticket, clearly, so the kitchen never has to guess what a customer asked for.
Multi screen and station routing
Send the right items to the right station. Grill, fryer and cold prep can each have a screen, so nobody is reading orders meant for someone else.
Eat in, takeaway and online in one view
Orders from the till, self service kiosks and online ordering all land on the same screen, marked by type, so nothing slips through.
Bump, recall and reprint
Cleared a ticket too early? Recall it in a tap. Need a paper backup for a runner? Reprint it. Simple controls your team picks up fast.
Calm at the rush
Tickets queue in a clear order so the line keeps moving. The screen does the chasing, so your team can keep cooking.
Speed up service and cut mistakes
Prep flows in the right order so food goes out hot, fresh and on time, even at the rush. Less waste, less paper, and a smoother service that helps your kitchen run leaner.
One UK partner for the kitchen, the till and the whole front of house
A kitchen display works hardest when the rest of your setup talks to it. With First Essential, the same team that fits your screen also looks after your EPOS, your card payments, your kiosks and even your website and AI. One supplier, one number to call, no finger pointing between vendors.
EPOS and till systems
The Electronic Point of Sale that feeds your kitchen display every order, with reporting and stock built in.
Explore EPOSCard machines and payments
Take card payments at the counter and the table, with a free card machine when you take EPOS.
Card paymentsSelf service kiosks
Let customers order themselves. Kiosk orders drop straight onto the kitchen display, no extra steps.
See kiosksAI solutions
An AI assistant that answers calls and questions, books tables and captures leads, around the clock.
See AIWeb and app development
An online ordering site that sends orders to the same kitchen screen as your in house tills.
Web and appsFirst Essential One
Our all in one platform for bookings, marketing, reviews and customer messages, in one place.
First Essential OneWhat does a kitchen display system cost, and what is the catch?
The honest answer is that the price depends on your kitchen: how many screens you need, which stations you route to, and whether you are adding it to an EPOS setup or starting fresh. We would rather talk it through and quote you properly than print a number that turns out not to fit. Here is how we keep it straight, and where some providers are less open.
| What you want to know | First Essential | Some other providers |
|---|---|---|
| A clear price for your setup | Yes, quoted for your kitchen after a quick chat, no surprises at signup | Often a headline price that climbs once add ons and screens are counted |
| Card machine when you take EPOS | Free card machine with EPOS (rates from 0.3%, rates vary by card type and business, confirmed at setup) | Hardware and monthly fees often charged separately |
| Long lock in contracts | We explain the terms plainly before you sign, in writing | Long minimum terms are common and not always made obvious up front |
| Who you call when it breaks | UK based real people, 7 days, the same team that set you up | Overseas call centres or ticket queues are common |
| One supplier for the whole setup | Yes, kitchen display, EPOS, payments, kiosks, web and AI from one team | Usually one product only, so you juggle several vendors |
We will not pretend a kitchen display is the same price for everyone, because it is not. What we will do is give you a clear, written quote for your kitchen, explain every line, and never tie you into something you did not understand. Card payment rates start from 0.3%, and rates vary by card type and business, so we confirm yours at setup.
Kitchen display system questions, answered honestly
What is a kitchen display system for restaurants?
Does the kitchen display integrate with my EPOS till and card machine?
How many screens can I have, and can I route to different kitchen stations?
What does a kitchen display system cost, and is there a long contract?
Does the kitchen display work if my internet goes down?
Is the kitchen display system suitable for takeaways and QSR as well as restaurants?
Do you provide real UK support if something goes wrong?
Get food out faster
Book a free, no obligation demo and see how a kitchen display system works alongside your EPOS, kiosks and card payments to speed up service and cut mistakes.
Book a demo See it with our EPOS