Kitchen Order Ticket or Bar Order Ticket

A KOT or BOT is a written document of a guest or guest’s orders, which helps the kitchen or bar prepare the food and beverage, respectively, and also assist the cashier or server to prepare the bill. Presently, e-menu card is also available for the guests in tablets or in I-pads where they can have a look at all the dishes and get a brief knowledge about the dish which includes presentation, ingredients used, as well as cooking methods.

Purpose of a KOT or BOT

The purpose of a KOT or BOT is as follows:

• Helps servers remember any special specifications of the guests (e.g., less spicy and extra sauce)

• Provides a written or printed food order which helps in reminding the chef about the order

• Helps avoid chaos or confusion at the food pick-up counter

• Establishes accountability

• Facilitates proper control system

• Helps raise a bill for settlement

• A post analysis will give an exact idea about the high-selling and non-selling dishes on a menu card For the control system to be effective, it should be logical and adequate enough and may vary from one outlet to another, depending on their requirements. Various KOT systems are followed in hotels and are mentioned here.

Triplicate Checking System

As the name implies, it consists of three copies suitable for all types of menu such as à la carte and table d’ hôte menus.

An ideal KOT or BOT should have the following information:

• Name of the establishment

• Name of the outlet

• Serial number

• Date

• Time

• Number of covers

• Signature of the head chef

In a good class establishment, especially in large establishments, such a system is followed for better coordination and control. The orders from the guests are taken on a KOT pad in triplicate. The distribution is as follows:

Top copy or original copy goes to the kitchen, middle copy or first copy to the cashier, and the last/second copy is retained by the steward. After the order is taken by the captain, the top two copies are torn and given to the steward. The steward retains the second copy or the book copy for reference. Nowadays, KOTs are computer-generated. The server punches the dish either with the name or with the dish code. The system automatically puts the rate as fed in the software and as the quantity is entered, the amount is also displayed… A copy is generated in the kitchen with all details except the price and the information, which is stored or sent to the cashier for billing. If any cancellation is required, the same has to be informed to the kitchen as well as to the cashier. Usually, any cancellations could be done only by the manager with the password to avoid pilferage.

Supplement KOT

Sometimes, when the accompaniment served with the main course or a side dish or sauce is not enough and additional portion has to be ordered by the guest for which the guest may not be charged, a supplement KOT is prepared. The KOT is prepared on the same KOT slip/pad but the words ‘supplement KOT’ are mentioned on top of the KOT. The supplementary copy has to be countersigned by the manager in-charge and the reference KOT (previous KOT) number has to be mentioned.

Non-chargeable KOT

A non-chargeable KOT (NCKOT) is raised when a portion of a dish has to be served to a disappointed guest to maintain the goodwill for business. The KOT is made on the same KOT slip/pad or in a separate pad reserved for non-chargeable dishes. If the same KOT pad is used, it has to be mentioned above the KOT as non-chargeable. This KOT facility is intended for top executives of the hotel or managers who are authorized or provided allowance to either dine in the restaurant or order from the restaurant. For any reason if a dish has to be given complimentary to the guest, the same has to be countersigned by the manager in-charge at that time and the reason must be mentioned.

Duplicate KOT

If all the copies of the KOT get misplaced for some reason, a duplicate KOT is prepared with the same information or order. This KOT is made on the same KOT slip/pad but the word ‘Duplicate’ is mentioned on it. It has to be countersigned by the manager in-charge and the reference KOT number has to be written on it.

Mobile Ordering

New technology is changing how restaurant operators execute business, and mobile ordering is the new trend gaining popularity. With interactive design that looks and feels like an app, customers can enjoy accessing the menu directly from their smartphones. They can find nearby stores, place orders, and manage their accounts, all within their palms. In other words, ordering on a mobile device need not be limited. Today, large brands use mobile ordering as an attempt to appeal to the younger generation as most of them use

smartphones. Some fast food joints have reported mobile ordering between 15% and 20% of their sales. Even the average per customer sales has been higher in mobile ordering as compared to conventional outlet ordering by about 20%. ChowNow.com is an example of a website that helps restaurants in placing mobile orders.

Billing or Documentation of Sale

Each menu item ordered should be recorded. In the conventional method followed prior to computerization, the server used to record the menu selection by the guest in paper forms, which were known as guest checks or sales checks. The guest check is the backbone of manual billing system as it helps the server give an itemized bill with quantity to the guest, it helps to verify the cost of dishes for the guest, and also provides records for tax purposes.

The guest checks which are purchased from either printers or stationers are usually numbered sequentially. The bills generated are also sequentially numbered so that accountability is maintained. Earlier, billing was manual, which is now replaced by computers although all details of the bills remain constant. Earlier, bills generated were simple in operation as they were very cheap, and could also be used for charging dishes which were not present in the menu. Though there are a few benefits of manual billing, there are lots of disadvantages as there are high chances of error and fraudulence, and it is a time-consuming and laborious process. Manual billing is also not suitable when there is high volume of sales and transactions have to be done fast. 

Bills generated in manual and automated processes have a similar format with the following details:

• KOT number against which bill is made

• Table number

• Room number for resident guest

• Waiter or server number

• Date

• VAT number of the organization

• Columns for quantity, name, rate, and amount for the dish

• A line for total amount of items or dishes and then another horizontal line including service charge and taxes.

• Signature of the cashier

For effective control in the bar, it must ensure the following:

• Correct drinks are served at the right table.

• The service rendered is charged to the correct bill.

• A record is maintained for all the drinks which have been dispensed from the bar.

Computerization of Establishment

In the present era, the manual KOT and BOT have almost been replaced by computerized ones. There were totalling errors while preparing bill by the cashier and many times, the additional orders by the guest were not charged in the bill. Sometimes, even additional amount was charged to the guest which was not billed in the KOT and the serving staff pocketed the difference. Considering these errors, computerization with dedicated software was the best alternative where all data was stored as soon as the KOT was generated and the same would reflect in the bill.

Electronic Cash Register/Point of Sale

An electronic cash register (ECR) is an independent, stand-alone computer system. An ECR has all necessary components of a computer system—an input or output device, a CPU, and storage (memory) capacity.

A point-of-sale (POS) system can be a single or a number of terminals, which is interfaced with a remote central processing unit (CPU). A POS terminal can have its own input or output component and can even possess a small storage (memory) capacity but may also contain a CPU. The POS terminals should be interfaced with a CPU for transaction to be processed located outside the terminal board.

In latest POS designs, there is a microprocessor at each terminal’s location. The microprocessors are connected to each other to form a complete POS system, which may function without a large, remote CPU. If the main processor of a POS system is interfaced

with the property management system (PMS), data can be directly transferred from the POS to various front office and back office PMS modules for further processing. The time required to post the sales to a guest folio is reduced, and the number of times that the sets of data have to be managed is minimized.

At the end of the day, shift, or a meal period, a sales report could be generated. This report helps us know the different items, quantity, and the total value of all the items sold for a period which can be tallied with the KOT to check the quantity of each dish sold in the outlet.

TIPS TO REMEMBER TO INCREASING SALES

Upselling Consider an increase in the sales of each guest by raising the bill by 5%–10% through upselling. An additional soup, appetizer, or a dessert can make a difference. A carbonated drink or fries in a fast food outlet may also do the trick.

Opt for online ordering Various outlets are presently offering takeout or delivery and the average amounts range between 10% and 30% with online orders. As the guests have become technology-savvy, online ordering helps to order takeout and delivery more often and can increase guest loyalty.

Target your guest The current generation of youngsters use their smartphones frequently and if they have to be targeted, the message has to be conveyed either through apps or social networking sites.

Effective communication with employees Regular meetings help employees know the organization’s plans. Discuss and share the best performance of employees as every performance leads to the success of the organization.

Try to get guests back It is difficult to retain guests and more difficult to get a new guest. A repeat guest may increase the sales and profit by 25% to 40%. Emphasis should be given to first-time guests so that they get the best service and their order is perfect. If you have particularly identified a first-time guest, give them a discount couponfor their next order as this may lead to the guest coming back a second time.

Increase prices The process should slowly increase the prices on a regular basis to keep up with rising costs.

Another way is to raise prices on parts of the menu, rather than the whole menu. If a strategy is followed for raising

the prices, a few guests lost will be more than offset by the gain from the guest who spends more.