What is ticket time? Definition for restaurants

Ticket time is the duration from when an order is placed until the food is served to the guest. For restaurants, this metric captures kitchen efficiency and directly affects guest satisfaction. A 20-seat restaurant with 30-minute ticket times serves fewer covers than one with 20-minute times, while guests waiting too long grow frustrated regardless of food quality.

Key facts

• Definition: Time from order entry to food delivery at the table
• Common benchmark: Fast casual 10-15 min, casual dining 15-25 min, fine dining 20-35 min per course
• What it measures: Kitchen efficiency, prep quality, communication, and timing
• Why it matters: Ticket time affects turnover, guest satisfaction, and revenue capacity

The quick definition

Ticket time tracks how long guests wait for their food after ordering. The clock starts when the server enters the order into the POS system and stops when the food reaches the table.

Average Ticket Time = Total Cook Time for All Orders / Number of Orders

Example: If 50 orders took a combined 1,000 minutes during dinner service, your average ticket time is 20 minutes.

Why ticket time matters

Guest experience

Long waits frustrate guests:

Guests forgive many things, but waiting too long for food creates lasting negative impressions.

Table turnover

Ticket times directly affect how many covers you can serve:

Every 5 minutes added to ticket time means fewer turns per night.

Kitchen stress

Inconsistent ticket times create cascading problems:

• Backed-up orders compound delays
• Stressed cooks make more mistakes
• FOH struggles to manage guest expectations
• Quality suffers as cooks rush to catch up

Consistent, predictable ticket times reduce kitchen chaos.

How to measure ticket time

Basic measurement

Most POS systems track ticket time automatically:

1. Server enters order (clock starts)
2. Kitchen receives ticket
3. Food hits the pass
4. Server picks up and delivers (clock stops)

What to track

Measure ticket times at multiple levels:

Setting targets

Set targets by dish type:

Adjust based on your concept and cooking methods.

What is a good ticket time?

Benchmarks by restaurant type

Concept alignment

Your ticket time should match guest expectations:

• Fast casual guests expect speed
• Fine dining guests expect courses paced properly
• Family restaurants need kid-friendly timing
• Business lunch crowds need efficiency

The goal is meeting expectations, not minimizing time at all costs.

How to improve ticket times

1. Perfect your prep

Most ticket time problems start before service:

Great prep is the foundation of fast, consistent ticket times.

2. Optimize station layout

Station design affects speed:

• Place high-use items within arm’s reach
• Organize by workflow sequence
• Minimize steps between tasks
• Keep backup ingredients accessible

A well-designed station can shave minutes off each ticket.

3. Stagger ticket firing

Do not fire all courses at once:

Proper sequencing prevents backed-up orders and ensures hot food arrives hot.

4. Cross-train cooks

When one station gets slammed, others should help:

• Train cooks on multiple stations
• Create clear protocols for helping neighbors
• Build flexibility into your team
• Cross-training reduces bottlenecks

5. Improve communication

Clear communication speeds everything:

A quiet kitchen is usually a slow kitchen.

6. Simplify complex dishes

Some menu items consistently lag:

• Identify slowest dishes through data
• Simplify prep or cooking steps
• Consider removing chronic bottlenecks
• Test changes during slow periods

If one dish slows down every ticket, it costs more than it earns.

Common ticket time mistakes

Overloading stations

Assigning too many tickets to one station creates inevitable delays. Balance the load or add support during peaks.

Ignoring the data

Many restaurants never analyze ticket time data. Track it, review it weekly, and act on patterns.

Rushing quality

Cutting cook times by undercooking or sloppy plating damages your reputation. Speed without quality is worthless.

Poor firing coordination

When apps and entrees fire together, one sits while the other cooks. Proper sequencing keeps food fresh and hot.

Inconsistent technique

Different cooks producing different ticket times for the same dish indicates training gaps. Standardize techniques.

Related terms

• Table turnover rate - Directly influenced by ticket times; faster tickets enable more turns
• BOH (Back of House) - Where ticket times are determined; kitchen efficiency drives this metric

Related: Table turnover rate | Capacity planning