Top 10 Best Kitchen Software of 2026

Toast is a leading cloud-based restaurant management platform with robust kitchen software capabilities, featuring an advanced Kitchen Display System (KDS) that handles order routing, prep management, and real-time synchronization across multiple stations. It streamlines kitchen workflows by supporting custom bump screens, expo views, timers, modifiers, and allergen tracking, integrating seamlessly with front-of-house POS, online ordering, and inventory tools. Designed for efficiency in fast-paced environments, Toast provides actionable analytics to optimize menu performance and labor in the kitchen.

Restaurant365 is a comprehensive cloud-based restaurant management platform with robust kitchen software capabilities, including inventory management, recipe costing, production planning, and waste tracking. It integrates back-of-house operations with accounting, payroll, and scheduling for seamless data flow across the restaurant. Designed for efficiency, it provides real-time insights to reduce costs and optimize kitchen workflows, making it ideal for scaling operations.

Lightspeed Restaurant is a cloud-based POS system with integrated kitchen management tools designed to optimize back-of-house operations in restaurants. It features a Kitchen Display System (KDS) for real-time order routing, customizable prep stations, color-coded tickets, and bump screens to streamline food preparation and reduce errors. The software supports multi-location setups, inventory tracking tied to kitchen workflows, and seamless integration with front-of-house ordering for efficient service.

TouchBistro is a comprehensive restaurant POS system with robust Kitchen Display System (KDS) capabilities designed to streamline back-of-house operations. It enables real-time order routing from the front-of-house to multiple kitchen stations, supporting customizable workflows, bump screens, and expediter views for efficient prep and plating. The platform integrates inventory tracking and menu modifiers directly into kitchen displays, reducing errors and improving order accuracy in busy restaurant environments.

Revel Systems is a cloud-based POS platform with integrated Kitchen Display System (KDS) capabilities designed for restaurants and foodservice operations. It enables real-time order routing from the front-of-house to multiple kitchen prep stations, customizable workflows, timers, and bump screens to optimize order fulfillment. The system supports scalability across locations and integrates with inventory and reporting tools for comprehensive kitchen management.

MarketMan is a robust inventory management platform tailored for restaurants, bars, and foodservice operations, automating purchasing, tracking stock levels, and optimizing costs. It offers real-time inventory visibility, recipe costing, vendor management, and integrations with POS systems like Toast and Square. The software helps kitchens minimize waste, ensure compliance, and improve profitability through data-driven insights.

Crunchtime is a robust enterprise-grade back-of-house platform tailored for restaurant chains and multi-unit foodservice operations, focusing on kitchen management essentials like inventory tracking, labor scheduling, recipe costing, and operational analytics. It leverages predictive intelligence to forecast demand, optimize staffing, and minimize waste, integrating seamlessly with major POS systems. Designed for scalability, it helps large organizations streamline kitchen workflows and drive cost efficiencies across locations.

7shifts is a restaurant-focused employee scheduling and labor management platform that helps kitchen and front-of-house teams create optimized schedules, track time and attendance, and control labor costs. It includes features like shift trading, mobile clock-ins, payroll integrations, and sales-based forecasting to predict staffing needs. Designed for quick-service and full-service restaurants, it streamlines communication and reduces overtime in high-volume kitchen operations.

Square for Restaurants is a point-of-sale system with an integrated Kitchen Display System (KDS) tailored for streamlining back-of-house operations in restaurants. It displays orders in real-time on kitchen screens, supports prep timers, station routing, and bump-to-clear functionality to keep the kitchen efficient. The platform integrates seamlessly with Square's front-of-house POS, payments, and online ordering, making it a unified solution for small to mid-sized eateries.

ChefTec is a longstanding recipe and menu management software tailored for professional kitchens, restaurants, and foodservice operations. It excels in recipe costing, scaling, nutritional analysis, inventory tracking, and purchase order generation to optimize food costs and operations. The platform supports compliance with labeling standards and offers tools for menu engineering and production planning.