Waiter device and kitchen display
For whoever sets up the devices: why the restaurant runs on its local network, and how to pair each device with its role in five minutes.
On this page
How do restaurant devices talk to each other?
In the restaurant, devices work over the restaurant's local network (Wi-Fi), not over the internet: the main POS is the server, and the ordering device, kitchen display and queue display connect to it directly. So work continues in full, from ordering to kitchen to payment, even if the internet drops; when it returns, the main POS uploads the closed bills to the cloud (see How Sahl works offline).
Warning
The main POS must be an Android or Windows device; iPhone and iPad cannot be the main device, but they work as an ordering device or a kitchen display. On Android the app asks for the notification and foreground service permissions to keep the local network server alive.
Device roles
| Role | What it does | Takes a seat? |
|---|---|---|
| Main POS | The server: tables, orders, payment, the shift, printing, and uploading bills to the cloud. | Yes |
| Ordering device | In the waiter's hand: opening tables, adding orders, sending them to the kitchen, requesting the bill. | Yes |
| Kitchen display | Shows the tickets of one station or all stations; "Start" and "Ready" per ticket. | No |
| Queue display | A customer facing screen showing the numbers of ready orders. | No |
Pairing a new device
- On the main POS open "Restaurant devices", then "Add device". The pairing code and the POS address on the network appear. The code is valid for 5 minutes and for one device.
- On the new device sign in with the restaurant account and choose "Ordering or kitchen device? Pair it with the POS by code". The device searches for the POS on the network automatically; if it does not find it, enter the address by hand from "Enter the POS address manually".
- Enter the code and choose the role; for a kitchen display choose the station or "All stations".
- On the main POS a "Join request" appears with the requested role; press "Approve". The device downloads the menu and settings and starts working.
Paired devices appear in the panel under Restaurant setup, Devices, and on the main device under "Restaurant devices": connected, disconnected, or revoked. "Revoke device" stops it immediately and it needs a new pairing.
Who are you? PIN codes
One ordering device is shared by several waiters. On each use the "Who are you?" screen appears and the staff member enters their PIN, so their orders are recorded under their name and their own permissions apply. The device locks itself after the idle time set in "Auto lock device". PINs are set from each user profile in the panel (see Enabling and setting up the restaurant module).
Sensitive actions, such as a discount above the limit, cancelling an item sent to the kitchen, or removing the service charge, open a "Manager approval" dialog where the manager enters their PIN. If no manager has a PIN, a message asks to set one from the control panel.
Permissions are decided on the server from the staff member's role (restaurant.* and cashier.*) and reach the device with the settings, so they apply even offline. See Roles.
The kitchen display
Shows the incoming tickets for its station ordered by sending time, with the table or order number, the seat, the extras and notes. The cook presses "Start" when preparation begins and "Ready" when it ends; the status appears immediately on the waiter's device. If the station's output is "printer" or "display and printer", the ticket is printed too; when the printer fails, "Kitchen printer not responding" appears with "Reprint", and tickets are routed to the fallback station if one is set.
Items that run out are marked "Unavailable" by the kitchen and disappear from the waiter's device until "Mark available".
The queue display
A customer facing screen in a counter or fast food shop that shows "Ready orders" by number when the kitchen presses "Ready", and clears them when the order is handed over. Order numbers reset daily at the "Start of business day".
Tip
Give the main POS a fixed IP address in the router settings. Automatic discovery works on most networks, but a fixed address saves you the manual entry if the router restarts.
Frequently asked questions
The connection between the ordering device and the POS dropped. What happens?
A banner "Connection to the POS lost, reconnecting" appears and the device reconnects automatically when the network is back. Make sure both devices are on the same restaurant network and the app is open on the main POS.
Do I need the internet to pair a new device?
Pairing by code works over the local network. You need the internet once to sign in with the restaurant account on the new device.
How many ordering devices can I pair?
As many as the POS seats in your subscription, because each ordering device takes a seat. Kitchen and queue displays are unlimited.