Item routing lets a POS restaurant with more than one kitchen station send specific menu items to the right station automatically, for example salads and sandwiches to a Salad Prep station and drinks to a Drinks Prep station. Prep and expo stations then work together during service to complete each order.
Requirements
Owner POS
At least one Prep station
One tablet for each printer (printers and tablets connect 1:1)
⚠️ Each printer needs its own tablet. Right now, printers and tablets connect 1:1, so a printer can't be added as a standalone, independently routed prep-station printer. For every additional kitchen or prep-station printer, the restaurant also needs a tablet (sell an 11" tablet with each extra printer).
How it works
Prep stations mark individual items as completed.
Once all prep stations have completed every item on a ticket, the Expo station can complete the ticket and notify the guest.
Once routing is set up, the connected tablets and printers automatically receive only the tickets and items relevant to that station.
If you don't have Owner POS, use the Expo station type instead.
ℹ️ This article covers how routing works during service. To set it up, see Set up item routing on the Owner POS.
Glossary
Quick reference for the terms used in station routing:
Term | What it is | What it's used for |
Station | A configured device role in the Owner Dashboard. Every station has a type (Expo, Prep, POS, or Kiosk) and one or more associated tablets. Each printer must be connected to its own tablet (1:1). | Organizing how orders, tickets, and printing flow through the kitchen. |
Prep station | A station type that receives only the items it's responsible for making (for example, salads or drinks). Has two tabs: In progress and Ready. | Individual line-item preparation. Cooks mark items complete as they finish them. |
Expo station | A station type that sees every item on every ticket and is responsible for final order completion. Has up to six tabs: Requested, Scheduled, Not started, In progress, Ready, Completed. Requested and Ready only appear when they hold tickets. | Coordinating the full order, final assembly, and handoff to the guest or delivery driver. The expediter taps Complete to notify the guest. |
POS station | A station type used for point-of-sale operations (taking orders and payment). | Front-of-house order entry and checkout. Not relevant to kitchen routing. |
Recall | A button on a Ready or Completed ticket that moves it back to In progress. | Re-opening a ticket if an item needs to be remade or fixed. |
KDS | Kitchen Display System, the tablet screen at a station that shows tickets. | The screen where prep cooks and expediters work through orders. |
Expediter | The person working the Expo station who confirms the full order is ready and notifies the guest. | Final quality check and handoff to the guest or delivery driver. |
The prep station experience
A prep station shows only the items assigned to it, so staff don't see items that belong to other stations. It has two tabs:
In progress (default view)
Shows all active orders with items to prep at this station.
Each item has an empty circle that staff tap to mark it fulfilled.
Once all items on a ticket are tapped, the ticket automatically moves to the Ready tab, and the Expo station updates instantly.
⚠️ Orders with a red banner are overdue and need immediate attention.
Ready
Shows tickets completed at this station. Items appear with a green checkmark.
A Recall button moves a ticket back to In progress if needed, for example if an item has to be remade.
The expo station experience
The Expo station shows all orders across every item category and is responsible for final order completion.
When item routing is active, the Expo station reflects real-time updates from all prep stations.
When all prep stations have marked their items ready, the items on the Expo ticket show green checkmarks. The expediter then taps Complete to finalize the order and notify the guest.
Completed orders move to the Completed tab, where they can be recalled if needed.
The Expo station has up to six tabs: Requested, Scheduled, Not started, In progress (default), Ready, and Completed. Requested only shows when there are unconfirmed orders, and Ready only shows when tickets are in the prepared state. Not started is hidden when it's empty if auto-start in the prep window is on.
ℹ️ Note: The Expo screen is the same as the standard Owner KDS, except item statuses are also driven by prep station updates.
Order lifecycle example
A simple example with two prep stations, one for food and one for drinks:
An order comes in: Crispy Cauliflower Tacos and a Lemonade.
The order appears on the Expo station, the Food Prep station (tacos), and the Drinks Prep station (lemonade).
Food Prep marks the tacos ready, and the ticket moves to their Ready tab.
Drinks Prep marks the lemonade ready, and the ticket moves to their Ready tab.
Both items now show green checkmarks on the Expo station.
The expediter taps Complete on the Expo station, and the guest is notified their order is ready.