Written by Jason Feemster, POS specialist with 15+ years of experience helping restaurants and retailers troubleshoot POS systems, payments, and hardware issues.
Common Issue: Toast KDS not showing orders, delayed tickets, or completely frozen screens.
Fast Fixes: Refresh the KDS app, restart the tablet, check Wi-Fi stability, confirm the KDS is logged into the correct Toast account, and power-cycle the router.
Need official help? See our Toast Customer Service Guide.
Want instant troubleshooting? Try the POSUSA POS Support Assistant (Free).
If your Toast KDS isn’t showing orders or the screen is frozen, delayed, or missing tickets, this guide will walk you through the fastest real-world fixes. These steps come from active restaurant environments—busy kitchens, food trucks, bars, and multi-station setups—where downtime isn’t an option.
Table of Contents
- 1 Common Causes of Toast KDS Not Showing Orders
- 2 How to Fix a Toast KDS That’s Not Showing Orders
- 2.1 1. Refresh the Toast KDS App
- 2.2 2. Restart the KDS Tablet
- 2.3 3. Verify the KDS Is Logged into the Correct Toast Account & Location
- 2.4 4. Check Wi-Fi & Network Stability
- 2.5 5. Make Sure the KDS Is Assigned to the Correct Kitchen Station
- 2.6 6. Update the Toast KDS App
- 2.7 7. Check for Device Overheating or Low Memory
- 2.8 8. Power-Cycle Your Router & Access Points
- 3 When to Contact Toast Support
- 4 Toast KDS Not Working – FAQs
- 5 Try the POSUSA POS Support Assistant
- 6 Thinking About Switching POS Systems?
Common Causes of Toast KDS Not Showing Orders
- Poor or unstable Wi-Fi connection
- KDS tablet frozen or running out of memory
- Toast app not synced or logged into correct restaurant location
- Order routing rules misconfigured
- Printer/KDS settings not assigned correctly
- Outdated Toast KDS app
- Router or network equipment issues
- Too many apps running on the tablet
How to Fix a Toast KDS That’s Not Showing Orders
1. Refresh the Toast KDS App
The simplest fix is often just refreshing the KDS app. This clears temporary glitches and forces the tablet to re-sync with Toast servers.
- Tap the three-dot menu (⋮)
- Select Refresh
- Wait 5–10 seconds for orders to reappear
2. Restart the KDS Tablet
If refresh doesn’t help, restart the tablet completely. This clears memory issues that commonly cause frozen or delayed tickets.
- Hold the power button
- Select Restart
- Reopen the Toast KDS app after reboot
Old or low-RAM tablets tend to freeze during dinner rush, making this step especially important.
3. Verify the KDS Is Logged into the Correct Toast Account & Location
This is one of the most common causes of orders not appearing—especially in multi-store or multi-station restaurants.
- Open the Toast KDS login screen
- Confirm you’re using the correct Toast account
- Confirm the restaurant location matches the POS terminal
If the KDS is logged into a different restaurant or employee account, tickets will never show up.
4. Check Wi-Fi & Network Stability
Toast heavily depends on stable Wi-Fi. Weak or dropping Wi-Fi connections cause delayed or missing tickets.
- Make sure the tablet is connected to the correct Wi-Fi network
- Move the tablet closer to the router
- Restart your router/modem if possible
- Avoid public or guest Wi-Fi networks
If other devices (POS terminals, handhelds) are also lagging, it’s likely a network issue.
5. Make Sure the KDS Is Assigned to the Correct Kitchen Station
Incorrect station routing is a very common issue.
- Login to Toast Admin
- Go to Kitchen Setup → Kitchen Display Screens
- Select the KDS in question
- Confirm orders are routed to that screen
If routing is wrong, orders will appear on another screen—or nowhere at all.
6. Update the Toast KDS App
Outdated builds of the Toast KDS app often cause freezing, crashes, or missing tickets.
- Open Google Play Store
- Search “Toast KDS”
- Tap Update if available
7. Check for Device Overheating or Low Memory
Kitchens get hot—really hot. Overheating tablets throttle performance or shut down background processes.
- Move the tablet away from hot equipment
- Close all unused apps
- Look for overheating warnings
If the tablet is old or frequently overheating, it may freeze during peak hours.
8. Power-Cycle Your Router & Access Points
If all screens are lagging or missing tickets, it’s likely a network-side issue.
- Unplug router for 10–20 seconds
- Plug back in and allow it to reboot fully
- Restart your POS terminals afterwards
When to Contact Toast Support
If your Toast KDS still isn’t working and none of the above steps help, you may be dealing with:
- A corrupted Toast KDS installation
- Broken routing configuration
- Hardware failure on the tablet
- Toast server-side issues
Get official help here:
Toast Customer Service – Phone, Chat & Support Center
Toast KDS Not Working – FAQs
Why isn’t my Toast KDS showing any orders?
Why are orders delayed on my Toast KDS?
How do I refresh the Toast KDS?
Why does my Toast KDS freeze during rush hours?
Do I need a new tablet for Toast KDS?
Try the POSUSA POS Support Assistant
Get step-by-step help based on your exact issue:
- POSUSA POS Support Assistant
- Select Toast
- Type: “Toast KDS not working”
- Follow the guided troubleshooting
Thinking About Switching POS Systems?
If you’re dealing with repeated POS issues, it might be time to compare more reliable options built for restaurants and retail businesses.
Takes 30 seconds • No sales pressure
