TREEO What is a KOT in a restaurant?
KOT stands for kitchen order ticket. It is the slip that tells the kitchen what to cook, for which table, and in what order.
What a KOT shows
A KOT usually shows the KOT number, the table or token number, the time, the waiter, every dish with its quantity, and notes such as "no onion" or "extra spicy". It has no prices: the kitchen does not need them.
KOT vs bill
The KOT goes to the kitchen and has no prices. The bill goes to the guest and has prices, tax and the total. A table that orders three times gets three KOTs but only one bill.
Why restaurants use KOTs
Without a KOT, orders are shouted or written by hand, and dishes are missed or made twice. A printed KOT is a record: if a dish was never ordered, it should never leave the kitchen. Matching KOTs to bills is one of the simplest ways to stop food going out without being billed.
KOT printers for kitchen and bar
Bigger venues print KOTs at more than one place: food in the kitchen, drinks at the bar, tandoor items at the tandoor. A POS like Treeo POS sends each item to the printer of its category, so nobody has to sort slips.
Kitchen display instead of paper
A kitchen display system (KDS) shows the same KOTs on a screen. The chef taps when a dish is ready. Many restaurants use both: a screen for the line and a printed KOT for the pass.
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Questions people ask
What is the full form of KOT?
KOT stands for kitchen order ticket (also called kitchen order token).
Does a KOT show prices?
No. A KOT lists the dishes and notes. Prices are only on the bill.
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