Kitchen display or kitchen printer? How to decide for your restaurant
Every restaurant needs a way to get the order from the cashier to the kitchen. A printer is cheap and familiar; a screen cuts paper and tracks time. The decision depends on your size and your number of prep stations.
A quick comparison
There is no always-better option, only the one that fits your situation:
| Item | Kitchen printer | Kitchen display (KDS) |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Low | Higher (screen/tablet and stand) |
| Paper | Uses rolls | Paperless |
| Prep-time tracking | No | Yes |
| Changing an order in progress | A new ticket | Updates on screen |
| Best for | Small restaurant, one station | Several stations, high pressure |
Routing items to prep stations
Whichever you pick, what matters is that each item reaches its own station: grills to the grill, drinks to the bar, desserts to their section. Then the cook reads only what concerns them and orders are not delayed by one long mixed ticket.
In RAWA: both
RAWA supports a kitchen display (KDS) and kitchen printers over the network, with item routing to prep stations. Start with a printer if your restaurant is small and add a screen when rush pressure grows, without changing systems.
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Start a free 7-day trial — no cardCommon questions
Do I need a kitchen display from day one?
Not necessarily; a small restaurant with one station may be fine with a kitchen printer.
Does RAWA support both?
Yes, a KDS screen and kitchen printers with routing to prep stations.
Does printing need special hardware?
No, standard thermal printers work over the network or USB.
Can I change my choice later?
Yes, you add the screen later without changing systems.