What is Kitchen Order Ticket (KOT)?

KOT is a written document that is given to the kitchen in exchange for any dish or any item picked up from the kitchen. KOT is prepared by food service personnel to intimate the food order of the guest to the kitchen staff. It helps in serving the right order to the right person. The KOT consists of details such as table number, covers, name of the waiter, date, time, ordered items, and quantity. Usually, all the KOTs are serially numbered for control purposes. The food check may be duplicate or triplicate depending on the size and style of the organization.

A KOT is written as follows:

• The order is written along the lines and not up or down.
• An indication is given between the courses.
• If a few lines are left in KOT, that space is struck off.
• The quantity of each dish is written in words rather than numbers

Importance:

• Establishes appropriate coordination between the kitchen &service personnel.
• Helps to avoid chaos or confusion at the food pick-up counter.
• It establishes accountability.
• Facilitates a proper control system.
• Helps to 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.

Types of KOT (Bill Control System)

1) Triplicate Checking Method

This system is traditional and time-tested and very efficient and still in vogue. As the name implies, the food check has 3 copies. Each copy has the same serial number on them and is of different colours for easy identification and demarcation. Once the order is recorded on the KOT, the first copy goes to the kitchen or the dispense bar on the basis of which the order is prepared. Once the waiter picks up the order, the KOT copy is dropped into the control box, which is always kept locked. The control box is maintained by the food and beverage control department to prevent any kind of fraud and malpractice.

The second copy is given to the cashier and based on that the bill is prepared, which further has 2 copies. The first copy of the bill goes to the guest and another copy is retained by the cashier (KOT is attached to this copy of the bill). At the end of the day, the cashier submits it along with the sales summary to the food and beverage controls.

The 3^rd copy of KOT remains with the waiter in the KOT book for reference and for checking up on orders during service. It may be called for auditing at any time by the control department.

Flowchart of Triplicate Checking Method

2) Duplicate Checking Method:

This kind of checking method is used in small hotels, Cafés, and popular restaurants. As the name implies the KOT book has 2 copies. The first copy is sent to the kitchen on the basis of which the order is prepared. When the waiter picks up the order, the first copy is dropped into the control box for auditing by the control department.

The waiter retains the second copy as a reference during the service. When the guest requests the billing, the waiter or cashier sums up all the rates on the 2^nd copy of KOT and presents the same to the guest as the bill.

In a few organizations, the copy has four to five perforated slips. The waiter writes down the food order course-wise on different perforated slips. As and when each course is required that particular slip is torn off and given at the hot plate. Every slip has a waiter number, table number, serial number and date. When the food is ready, the Aboyer keeps the particular slip along with the food to avoid confusion.

3) Single Order Sheet:

This system is used in cafés, quick turnover restaurants, departmental stores, and take-away establishments; usually, the menu is very limited with little or no choice. Many organizations following this system may have an order sheet printed with the menu, after taking the order from the guests, the waiter writes it on KOT and calls for the order verbally over the hot plate. When the guest requests the bill, the waiter prices the order sheet and hands it over to them as a bill. While leaving the restaurant, the guest submits the bill to the cashier and pays the amount. The cashier retains the bill for control purposes.

4) Service With Order:

This system of ordering is used in fast food joints, taken away, cafeterias, etc. Here the menu offered in the establishment is displayed on wall-mounted boards. The guests choose what they want to eat and then order that. The person at the cash counter makes the bill collects the cash, stamps the “bill received” and hands it over to the guest. The guest goes to the respective food counter and collects the dishes against the bill. After delivering the order the person at the food counter stamps the bill “delivered” and hands it over to the guest.