Kitchen & Service
Back-of-house and front-of-house terminology
All Day
A kitchen term for the total count of a specific item needed across all active orders at any given moment.
Back of House
The areas of your restaurant that guests never see, including the kitchen, prep areas, storage, and offices.
Corkage Fee
A charge your restaurant applies when a guest brings their own bottle of wine to be opened and served at the table.
Dupe
A duplicate copy of an order ticket sent to specific kitchen stations so each cook knows what to prepare.
Expo
The person who coordinates orders between the kitchen and the servers, ensuring every plate goes out correctly.
Fire
A kitchen command meaning "start cooking this order now," used by the expo to control timing.
Front of House
The customer-facing areas of your restaurant, including the dining room, bar, and host stand.
Mise en Place
A French term meaning "everything in its place," referring to prepping and organizing all ingredients before service begins.
POS System
Point of Sale hardware and software used to process orders, accept payments, and track sales data in your restaurant.
Ticket Time
The total time between when an order is placed and when the finished food leaves the kitchen.
Turn and Burn
The practice of serving guests quickly and efficiently to maximize the number of parties seated at each table per shift.
Upselling
The practice of suggesting higher-priced items or add-ons to increase the total amount a guest spends.
Walk-In
A large refrigerated or freezer room used to store bulk ingredients and perishable items.