Course Management & Kitchen Timing
Control dish timing across multi-course meals, coordinate kitchen stations, and ensure synchronized food delivery with configurable coursing workflows.
Overview
Course management ensures every guest at a table receives their course together, with proper pacing between courses.
Key Capabilities
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Course Definition | Configure default and custom courses |
| Fire System | Manual and auto-fire controls |
| Standard Timing | Target cook times per item |
| Station Sync | Coordinate across kitchen stations |
| Expo View | Real-time course progress dashboard |
| Pacing Config | Adjust based on dining pace settings |
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ COURSE TIMING FLOW │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ ORDER FIRE COOK EXPO │
│ ENTRY → SYSTEM → TIMING → PLATING │
│ │
│ ┌─────┐ ┌─────┐ ┌─────┐ ┌─────┐ │
│ │ C1 │ → │FIRE │ → │ 8m │ → │PLATE│ │
│ │Apps │ │ C1 │ │ 12m │ │ ✓ │ │
│ └─────┘ └─────┘ │ 10m │ └─────┘ │
│ └─────┘ │
│ ┌─────┐ ┌─────┐ │
│ │ C2 │ → HOLD... ... → │WAIT │ │
│ │Entrée│ │ │ │
│ └─────┘ └─────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Course Configuration
Default Courses
Standard courses available out-of-the-box:
| Course | Display Order | Default Timing | Auto-Fire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appetizers | 1 | 8 min | Yes |
| Salads | 2 | 5 min | Yes |
| Soups | 3 | 4 min | Yes |
| Entrées | 4 | 15 min | No |
| Desserts | 5 | 8 min | No |
Setting Up Courses
- Go to Manager → Kitchen → Course Setup
- View or edit default courses
- Add custom courses if needed
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ COURSE CONFIGURATION │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ COURSE NAME ORDER DEFAULT TIME AUTO-FIRE ACTIONS │
│ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ Amuse-Bouche 0 3 min ✓ [Edit] │
│ Appetizers 1 8 min ✓ [Edit] │
│ Salads 2 5 min ✓ [Edit] │
│ Intermezzo 3 2 min ✓ [Edit] │
│ Entrées 4 15 min ☐ [Edit] │
│ Cheese Course 5 5 min ☐ [Edit] │
│ Desserts 6 8 min ☐ [Edit] │
│ Mignardises 7 3 min ✓ [Edit] │
│ │
│ [+ Add Custom Course] │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Custom Course Creation
- Click + Add Custom Course
- Enter course name
- Set display order
- Configure timing:
- Default Timing: Target time to table after fire
- Fire Ahead: Minutes before needed to auto-fire
- Auto-Fire: Fire automatically when previous course cleared
Course-to-Category Mapping
Link menu categories to courses for automatic assignment:
| Menu Category | Default Course |
|---|---|
| Starters | Appetizers |
| Small Plates | Appetizers |
| Greens | Salads |
| Mains | Entrées |
| Proteins | Entrées |
| Pasta | Entrées |
| Sweets | Desserts |
To configure:
- Go to Menu → Categories
- Select category → Edit
- Set Default Course dropdown
- Save
Fire System
The fire system controls when courses begin cooking.
Fire Types
| Type | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Manual Fire | Server triggers via POS | Fine dining, pacing control |
| Auto Fire | System fires when ready | Casual dining, fast turns |
| Timed Fire | Fire after set delay | Course pacing |
| Rush Fire | Immediate priority | VIP, complaints, mistakes |
Manual Fire Workflow
Server:
- Check with guests if ready for next course
- On POS, tap table → Fire Course 2
- Confirm fire
Kitchen:
- Fire notification appears on KDS
- All items in course begin prep
- Expo monitors station progress
Auto-Fire Settings
Configure auto-fire rules per course:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ AUTO-FIRE CONFIGURATION │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ Course: Entrées │
│ │
│ Auto-Fire Trigger: │
│ ○ Disabled (manual fire only) │
│ ○ When previous course cleared │
│ ● After delay from previous fire │
│ ○ At scheduled time │
│ │
│ Delay Settings: │
│ Fire Ahead: [5] minutes before estimated plate time │
│ Min Gap: [10] minutes between courses │
│ Max Wait: [30] minutes before alert │
│ │
│ [Cancel] [Save Configuration] │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Rush Course
For urgent needs:
- Tap table on POS
- Select Rush Course
- Choose course to rush
- KDS highlights items with 🔥 RUSH flag
Hold Course
To pause a course:
- Tap table on POS
- Select Hold Course
- Enter reason (optional)
- KDS shows HOLD status
- To release: Fire Course when ready
Kitchen Timing Logic
Target Cook Times
The system uses configured base times and modifiers to calculate targets:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ TIMING CALCULATION │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ Item: Ribeye 12oz │
│ │
│ Base Cook Time: 12 minutes │
│ Load Buffer: +2 minutes (configured) │
│ Modifier Impact: +3 minutes (well done) │
│ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ Target Time: 17 minutes │
│ │
│ FACTORS CONSIDERED: │
│ • Base Item Time │
│ • Modifier Adjustments │
│ • Station Capacity Limits │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Timing Factors
| Factor | Impact | Configurable |
|---|---|---|
| Base Cook Time | Menu item default | Yes |
| Modifiers | Temp, add-ons affect time | Yes |
| Kitchen Load | Queue length buffer | Yes |
| Day/Hour | Peak hour buffers | Yes |
| Equipment | Station capacity limits | Yes |
Station Synchronization
For a course with multiple items from different stations:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ TABLE 12 - COURSE 2 (ENTRÉES) │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ Station: GRILL Station: SAUTÉ │
│ ┌────────────────────┐ ┌────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Ribeye 12oz 17m │ │ Salmon 14m │ │
│ │ Started: 6:42pm │ │ Started: 6:45pm │ │
│ │ Ready: ~6:59pm │ │ Ready: ~6:59pm │ │
│ │ ████████░░░░ 70% │ │ █████████░░░ 85% │ │
│ └────────────────────┘ └────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Station: FRY Station: GARDE │
│ ┌────────────────────┐ ┌────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Fries 5m │ │ Caesar 3m │ │
│ │ HOLD until 6:57pm │ │ HOLD until 6:58pm │ │
│ │ ░░░░░░░░░░░░ 0% │ │ ░░░░░░░░░░░░ 0% │ │
│ └────────────────────┘ └────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Longest Item: Ribeye (17m) - pacing all others │
│ Target Plate Time: 6:59pm │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
The system:
- Identifies longest-cooking item
- Calculates fire time for each station
- Holds shorter items until optimal start
- Signals each station when to begin
Expo View
Dashboard Overview
The Expo (Expeditor) View shows all active tables and course progress:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ EXPO DASHBOARD 6:45 PM SAT │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ ACTIVE TABLES: 12 COURSES IN PROGRESS: 8 │
│ │
│ ⚠ ATTENTION NEEDED │
│ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ 🔴 TABLE 8 - Entrées 3m LATE - Grill backup │ │
│ │ 🟡 TABLE 15 - Apps ready, server not notified (2m) │ │
│ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ COURSE PROGRESS │
│ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ │ Table │ Course │ Status │ Timer │ Action │ │
│ │ 4 │ Apps │ Plating │ - │ [Call Runner]│ │
│ │ 7 │ Entrées │ Cooking │ 4:22 │ [View] │ │
│ │ 8 │ Entrées │ ⚠ LATE │ -3:15 │ [Rush] │ │
│ │ 12 │ Entrées │ Cooking │ 8:45 │ [View] │ │
│ │ 15 │ Apps │ ✓ Ready │ 2:10 │ [Runner!] │ │
│ │ 18 │ Desserts │ Cooking │ 3:30 │ [View] │ │
│ │
│ NEXT UP (by station) │
│ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ GRILL: T7 Ribeye (4m), T12 NY Strip (8m) │
│ SAUTÉ: T7 Salmon (3m), T12 Scallops (6m) │
│ FRY: T12 Fries (hold until 6:53) │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Expo Actions
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| View | See detailed course breakdown |
| Rush | Prioritize a table's course |
| Hold | Pause cooking for a course |
| Fire Next | Manually fire next course |
| Call Runner | Alert runner for pickup |
| Refire | Remake an item |
Late Course Alerts
When a course runs late:
| Delay | Alert Level | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 2+ min | 🟡 Yellow | Notify expo |
| 5+ min | 🟠 Orange | Manager alert |
| 10+ min | 🔴 Red | Auto-escalate, comp consideration |
Server Workflow
Course Assignment During Ordering
- Add items to order
- Items auto-assign to courses (by category mapping)
- To override: tap item → Change Course
- Select desired course
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ORDER - TABLE 12 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ COURSE 1 - APPETIZERS │
│ ├─ Calamari $14.00 │
│ ├─ Bruschetta $12.00 │
│ └─ [+ Add to Course 1] │
│ │
│ COURSE 2 - ENTRÉES │
│ ├─ Ribeye 12oz (MR) $48.00 │
│ ├─ Salmon (sub asparagus) $34.00 │
│ └─ [+ Add to Course 2] │
│ │
│ NO COURSE (fire immediately) │
│ ├─ Bread Basket $0.00 │
│ └─ Water (sparkling) $6.00 │
│ │
│ [Send Order] [Fire Course 1] Total: $114.00 │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Firing Courses
To fire from POS:
- Tap table in floor plan
- Tap Fire Next Course (or specific course)
- Kitchen receives notification
Voice command:
"Hey Maximus, fire course 2 for table 12"
Checking Course Status
- Tap table on floor plan
- View course progress indicator
- Or ask: "Hey Maximus, status of table 12's entrées"
Station Configuration
Setting Up Stations
Define kitchen stations for routing:
- Go to Manager → Kitchen → Stations
- Add stations (Grill, Sauté, Fry, Garde, Pastry, etc.)
- For each station:
- Station name
- Display position on KDS
- Default prep times
- Capacity (items at once)
Item-to-Station Mapping
Link menu items to stations:
- Go to Menu → Items → Select item
- Set Primary Station (required)
- Set Backup Station (optional)
- Set Base Prep Time
Station Capacity
Configure how many items each station can handle:
| Station | Concurrent Items | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Grill | 8 | 8 burner positions |
| Sauté | 6 | 6 pans maximum |
| Fry | 4 | 4 baskets |
| Garde | 10 | Cold prep, higher capacity |
| Pastry | 4 | Oven limited |
System uses capacity for timing predictions and load balancing.
Reports & Analytics
Course Timing Report
Manager → Reports → Kitchen → Course Timing
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Avg Course Time | Fire to table average |
| On-Time % | Within target timing |
| Late Courses | Count over target |
| Station Bottlenecks | Which stations cause delays |
| Peak Hour Impact | Timing degradation during rush |
Sample Report
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ COURSE TIMING REPORT Jan 15-21, 2026 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ COURSE PERFORMANCE │
│ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ Course │ Target │ Actual │ On-Time │ Late │ Trend │
│ Apps │ 8m │ 7.5m │ 94% │ 6% │ ↑ +2% │
│ Salads │ 5m │ 4.8m │ 97% │ 3% │ → same │
│ Entrées │ 15m │ 16.2m │ 82% │ 18% │ ↓ -3% │
│ Desserts │ 8m │ 7.1m │ 96% │ 4% │ ↑ +1% │
│ │
│ STATION BOTTLENECKS │
│ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ 1. Grill - 42% of late courses originate here │
│ 2. Sauté - 28% of late courses │
│ Recommendation: Add grill capacity or cross-train │
│ │
│ PEAK HOUR IMPACT (6-8 PM) │
│ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ Entrée timing: 15m → 19m (+27%) │
│ Late course rate: 18% → 31% │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Best Practices
Fine Dining
- Always use manual fire - Guest pacing varies
- Train servers on fire timing cues
- Longer gaps between courses (15-20 min)
- Expo communicates with servers on timing
Casual Dining
- Use auto-fire with short delays
- Target 30-40 min total dining time
- Rush mode for complaints
- Monitor late alerts closely
High Volume
- Simplify courses (2-3 max)
- Auto-fire everything except dessert
- Focus on throughput over pacing
- Station load balancing critical
Troubleshooting
Course Running Late
- Check expo view for bottleneck station
- Consider rushing low-complexity items
- Alert server to manage guest expectations
- Log cause for future prevention
Station Overloaded
- Fire system auto-throttles new orders
- Expo can manually hold tickets
- Re-route items to backup stations if configured
- Manager receives overload alert
Items Stuck in "Cooking"
- Verify item was actually completed
- Kitchen staff marks items done on KDS
- If stuck, expo can force-complete
- Check KDS connectivity
Guest Wants to Skip Course
- Server marks course as "Skipped" on POS
- System advances to next course
- Skipped items can be refired later if needed
Voice Commands
| Command | Action |
|---|---|
| "Fire appetizers table 12" | Fire course 1 for table |
| "Rush entrées table 8" | Priority fire entrées |
| "Hold desserts table 15" | Pause dessert course |
| "Course status table 7" | Get timing update |
| "What's running late?" | List delayed tables |
Related Guides
- KDS Overview - Kitchen display operation
- Table Management - Floor plan and tables
- Server Workflow - Taking orders
- Menu Items - Item configuration