x
Admin

[Beta] Kitchen Display System (KDS) for Android Has Arrived Globally. Are You Interested?

Hi Sellers! 👋

 

Back in 2020, we launched an iOS-based kitchen display system (KDS) as part of Square for Restaurants. This digital offering helped kitchens to keep track of all tickets and reduce missing paper tickets. It also empowered restaurant operators to see multiple tickets at once, in one place, with the ability to mark orders as complete, sending updates to diners and delivery partners. 

 

With this launch, we heard from many of you a desire for larger, cheaper, more durable hardware for your kitchen. 

 

Ryan_M_0-1674773152146.png

 

 

That’s why we built Android KDS and are excited to enter Open Beta. We invite you to join us and try out our new offering on a 10”, 15” or 22” device. 

 

  • Larger screen size desired for even more visibility, adding more tickets per screen or increasing font size on existing tickets. 
  • Cheaper than iPads by more than 40% for the same size screen
  • More durable devices to withstand grease, heat, and water in a kitchen environment

 

We’re also releasing new and exciting features that will be exclusive to Android, including: 

  • Routing by dining option 
  • Routing by kitchen category 
  • Other yet-to-be-announced upcoming releases

 

See what other sellers are saying so far: 

  • “This KDS app was so easy to set up on my new Android device”
  • "We love the big Android screens. Going from a 10" iPad to a 22" device helps our staff tremendously. For a restaurant that's busy and has the space, this is awesome."

Ryan_M_1-1674773162711.jpeg

 

Current limitations (when compared to iOS KDS)

  • Printing from KDS device (can be done from POS as a workaround)
  • 86-ing from KDS device (can be done from POS as a workaround)
  • Prioritizing tickets for Expos

 

If you absolutely need these features and are an iOS KDS user, you can continue using an iPad in the same kitchen while we add these features to Android in the upcoming months. 

 

Next steps to participate in beta:

 

Pricing Note: if you’re a new KDS user, you will get access to a 30-day free trial. We will also be granting all beta users an extension of two months’ free access through to the end of April 2023. 


Don’t forget to join our beta community and find out exactly how to participate.

 

Ryan_M_2-1674773173395.png

 

 

2,951 Views
Message 1 of 12
Report
11 REPLIES 11
Beta Member

Will these exclusive features be available on the iOS version of the app at any point? The biggest complaint I have with Square is how fractured their features and services are. Having to invest in a specific Operating System to use Square's product to only have exclusive features on another OS, forcing either the purchase of a new device or omitting use of said features is poor design. 

 

I hope Square for Restaurants and the accompanying KDS becomes more cohesive instead of fracturing out more. It's enough of a headache as is, and could potentially push people (myself included) to other more intuitive systems with complete feature sets.

2,674 Views
Message 2 of 12
Report
Beta Member

We've literally been waiting for routing by dining option forever! Why do I now need to trash my existing hardware for new hardware? It's not even square specific hardware. 

2,528 Views
Message 3 of 12
Report
Square Community Moderator

Hi @jsestby & @rendelven - 

 

We’re glad to hear that you’re excited about new features coming to KDS like routing by dining option and routing by kitchen category. At this time, these features will be exclusively available on Android KDS. While we understand your concerns about purchasing a new device, the new Android KDS gives your kitchen staff a better view of more incoming tickets on a large, durable, and configurable screen, ultimately decreasing your cost to replace over time with heat-and-grease proof hardware.

Michelle (she/her)
Senior Beta Manager, Square
Join the Beta Community
Evaluate | Influence | Engage
2,300 Views
Message 4 of 12
Report
Beta Member

These are features that your user-base has been requesting for a long time and now in order for us to use these features we have to spend more money and invest in more hardware after already having done so. The option to use an Android Device is nice, and while I understand there will be some feature-sets that may not be available due to restrictions in the Operating System -- these things are such high-level that to exclusively restrict it behind the launch of an entirely new line of devices is, again, bad customer service. It's not a great way to incentivize people to spend more money on Square's system. It in fact, does quite the opposite.

2,254 Views
Message 5 of 12
Report
Super Seller

Still No Auto-Print when Ticket is Completed? EDIT. This has been fixed. 

Feta Whisperer [ insta: 86feta ] [ fb: greekbelly ]
1,439 Views
Message 6 of 12
Report
Beta Member

IOS KDS was replaced with Android. The tablet is Samsung Galaxy A8.
There is a serious problem. It is difficult to distinguish between completed and unfinished items. In the IOS version, the color of the completed item was very light gray and a cross line appeared on the item, making it very easy to distinguish. However, in the Android version, it just turns gray, so it's hard to tell if you don't look closely. This is a very fatal drawback to KDS. I would appreciate it if you could update it.

565 Views
Message 7 of 12
Report
Square Community Moderator

Hello @Hanmaru

 

I'm sorry to hear about your experience. 

 

I'd like to look into this issue and escalate it to our team for review. 

Would you be able to send me a screenshot? 

 

Thank you.

Frances
Community Moderator, Square
Sign in and click Mark as Best Answer if my reply answers your question.
531 Views
Message 8 of 12
Report
Beta Member

 

PXL_20240126_011833913.jpg

 

In the photo, Scallion beef, Jok Bokum, Jokbal is completed,

Although it is marked as completed, it only turns slightly gray and there is no cross line on the item, so it is difficult to tell. If we have multiple tickets during busy times, the kitchen may accidentally re-create dishes that have already been completed. Like the existing IOS, completed items need to be updated to create cross lines in a very blurry color so they can be easily distinguished. Although it looks like they are distinguishable in the photo, it is really difficult to tell them apart when you look at them on a tablet in the kitchen. Current chefs are very dissatisfied. 

528 Views
Message 9 of 12
Report
Super Seller

I agree!

Feta Whisperer [ insta: 86feta ] [ fb: greekbelly ]
473 Views
Message 10 of 12
Report
Square Community Moderator

Thank you so much @Hanmaru

 

The color can vary significantly depending on the screen and settings you are using, but I agree that in a busy kitchen environment, the difference here isn't noticeable enough. 

 

I'm taking this directly to our KDS team and will report back once I get updates. 

Frances
Community Moderator, Square
Sign in and click Mark as Best Answer if my reply answers your question.
462 Views
Message 11 of 12
Report
Beta Member

thank you for reply. For reference, I adjusted all of the tablet's screen color-related settings and set the screen above to the most distinguishable color. As long as a line is drawn over the completed item, there will be no problem. I look forward to your updates. thank you !!

457 Views
Message 12 of 12
Report