Ticket Time
Also called: kitchen ticket time, prep time
What is Ticket Time?
Ticket time is the elapsed time between an order reaching the kitchen and the food being ready to serve or dispatch. It is measured per ticket and reported as an average per station, channel or day-part.
Why Ticket Time matters
Ticket time drives both table turnover and delivery ratings. Aggregators penalise slow preparation, and diners judge a restaurant on the wait far more than on the plating.
How Ticket Time works in practice
Measure by station rather than as one restaurant-wide average, since a single slow section sets the pace for every mixed ticket. Look at the worst tenth of tickets, not the mean, because those are the ones customers complain about.
Frequently asked questions
It depends entirely on format — a QSR counts in minutes, a fine-dining kitchen paces courses deliberately.