Use Schedule Send on the Workstation for Shift4 Dine

Description: Learn how to set a timer on held items so they automatically fire to the kitchen at the right time, no manual follow-up needed.

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Note: This feature is currently available only for Pilot users.

Overview

Schedule Send lets servers set a timer on held items during order entry. When the timer expires, those items are automatically sent to the kitchen without any further action.

This is especially useful in paced dining environments where courses need to reach the kitchen at a specific moment. Rather than returning to a ticket and manually un-holding items, servers can set the timing upfront and focus on the table.

Before You Begin

• Permission required: Schedule Send is controlled by the existing Hold Kitchen Items employee permission. No separate permission is needed.
• Compatibility: Schedule Send is not compatible with Quick Coursing. If Quick Coursing is enabled at your location, Schedule Send will be unavailable. Disable Quick Coursing first to use this feature.

Set a Schedule Send Timer During Order Entry

1. On the Workstation with unsent items on the ticket, select the Schedule Send button to open the Schedule Send dialog.
   
2. Use the arrow keys or preset buttons (+5 min, +10 min, etc.) to set how long after order entry the kitchen receives the ticket.
   
3. Select Done to apply the timer.
4. Send the ticket as usual. The held items will remain held until the timer expires, then fire to the kitchen automatically.

View a Schedule Send Timer

Once set, the timer is visible in two places:

Open ticket: A status badge on the held items shows the scheduled send time.

Ticket Grid: A timer icon on the ticket card indicates an active Schedule Send. Selecting the ticket displays the Schedule Send time(s) in the Ticket Preview.

Update or Cancel a Timer

To update the timer: Open the ticket, select the item(s) you want to adjust, then select the Schedule Send button.

• If all selected items share the same original timer, that delay time is displayed and can be adjusted.
• If selected items have different timers, the dialog displays zeros, and a new delay time can be entered.
• To remove the timer entirely, select the trash can icon. The items will return to a standard held state.

Select Done to save.

To cancel the timer and fire immediately: Open the ticket, select the item(s), then select Unhold Item(s). This cancels the timer and sends the items to the kitchen immediately when you send the ticket.

How Schedule Send Appears in the Kitchen

Items fired via Schedule Send arrive exactly as they would from a manual un-hold, the kitchen printer prints the ticket, or the Kitchen Display System displays the items as normal. No special indicator is shown to the kitchen staff.

Special Cases

What if a terminal goes offline when the timer is set to fire? Offline terminal behavior is not supported in this release. Keep terminals connected to ensure timers fire reliably.

What happens to the timer if a ticket is transferred to another server? The timer stays active on the ticket regardless of server ownership changes. Items will still fire automatically at the scheduled time.