Speed Matters: How to Improve Restaurant Ticket Times

Guests expect their food to be served within a "reasonable" amount of time. What's reasonable can depend on the meal period, occasion, type of concept, individual guest needs and other factors.

When actual restaurant ticket times don't conform to guest expectations, people get restless, the mood at the table fades, and the guest experience suffers, particularly during lunch when many guests are squeezed for time between work responsibilities.

For operators, longer than expected restaurant ticket times means fewer table turns, lower sales potential, less repeat business, and the risk of earning a reputation for slow service.

How to improve restaurant ticket times has been a topic on the RO.com Discussion Forum. Below are a few ideas our members came up that might help with improving your restaurant’s speed of service:

1. Examine your menu mix. Can any of the top sellers be pre-set and/or pre-portioned to reduce final prep steps?
2. Look at the kitchen layout and set up. Are there too many hands touching the same plate? Could a few changes improve production flow and efficiency?
3. Observe your expeditor(s). As you know, the expo can make or break your ticket times.
4. Too many menu items. More menu options mean more hands and pans going at once. Is it time to streamline some sections of your menu?

"A slow kitchen turns happy customers into angry Yelp reviews.."
- Author Unknown

5. Overburdened station/equipment. Do some stations/equipment tend to get backed up with too many orders at once? Create a menu matrix showing each item and the station/equipment needed for production. Could a change in the kitchen layout, production flow or steps help alleviate the bottleneck?
6. Add some items (lunch specials) that can be produced very quickly. Products that can be prepared ahead of time and held hot can become 'grab and go' or 'scoop and go' dishes that take minimal final prep time.
7. Prep ahead and do a pre-shift line check. The most important factor in achieving faster meal production is prepping and pre-portioning enough product before the shift begins. Use a line check form before each shift to ensure stations are properly stocked and ready for the rush.

Even if you're doing everything else right, it's hard to overcome the negative impact of slow ticket times on your guests' dining experience. Constantly monitor your restaurant ticket times then examine your menu, sales mix and systems and procedures if your times are inconsistent or excessive.

Shaving a few minutes may give you the opportunity to turn more tables and result in guests coming back more often for a quick or more leisurely meal.

Check the resources below for more strategies to improve restaurant ticket times.

Related Resources

How to Fine-Tune Your Kitchen Stations for Maximum Efficiency & Output: We provide insights into optimizing kitchen stations to enhance operational efficiency by emphasizing the importance of well-organized stations in improving workflow, reducing preparation times, and ensuring consistent food quality.

Station Setup & Line Check: Expo: We highlights the critical role of the expeditor (expo) station in a restaurant's kitchen and discuss the necessity of a well-stocked and organized expo station to manage the flow of orders effectively, especially during peak hours.

Kitchen Station Diagrams: This downloadable resource offers detailed diagrams for various kitchen stations, including grill, sauté, fry, expo, dessert, and garde manger (the cold-prep station responsible for salads, appetizers, and other cold dishes). These visual aids serve as valuable tools for training staff and maintaining consistency in station setups, contributing to a more efficient kitchen operation.

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The RestaurantOwner.com Team