Free Canteen Pre-Ordering
with Exact Kitchen Prep Sheets Included
Use KitchenPrep's free menu scheduling tools to collect customer selections and paid pre-orders upfront. Eliminate food waste and queue times entirely.
Start For Free NowEverything's Free. Seriously.
Optimize your professional kitchen operations without any software cost
Unlimited Menu Plans
Schedule as many daily or weekly canteen plans as you want without any restrictions or volume limits.
Unlimited Customers
Whether you serve 5 daily corporate lunches or cater to 500 students — our server scales smoothly.
Menu Libraries
Build your menu item library with dish descriptions, distinct pricing, and customizable options.
Upfront Paid Checkouts
Connect Stripe securely. Diners pay via credit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay directly as they pre-order.
Aggregated Prep Sheets
View cross-tabulated daily or weekly kitchen prep summaries. Know exactly what quantities to prep before service.
No Diner Accounts
Zero app downloads or registration gates for customers. They open your custom link, select, pay, and are done.
KitchenPrep vs. Alternatives
| Feature | KitchenPrep | Manual Sheet / Text | Standard POS Software |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Software Cost | Free | Free | $49 - $150+ / mo |
| Aggregated Prep Sheets | ✓ (Automatic) | ✗ (Manual count) | Limited (No aggregates) |
| Upfront Payments | ✓ (Via Stripe) | ✗ (Manual cash/card) | ✓ |
| No Customer App Needed | ✓ (Browser only) | ✓ | ✗ (Often forces apps) |
| Food Waste Reduction | ✓ (Exact counts) | ✗ (Wild estimates) | ✗ (No strict cutoffs) |
How to Set Up Canteen Pre-Ordering: Step-by-Step
Register your kitchen and start gathering pre-orders in under 5 minutes.
Build Your Menu Offerings
Enter your dishes, pricing, description, and dietary notes (vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free). This forms your reusable menu library.
Schedule Your Daily or Weekly Plans
Create scheduled services for the week, mapping specific menu dishes to specific weekdays. Set order cutoff times so customer order submissions close automatically when you need to start ingredient prep.
Share the Menu Link
Post your customized, shareable link on corporate Slack channels, student forums, or print QR codes to place on canteen tables. Customers browse and purchase meals securely upfront via Stripe in their browser.
Print Kitchen Prep Sheets
Once order cutoffs pass, open your aggregated kitchen prep sheet to see exact portion matrixes day by day. Hand it over to your prep staff and cook with 100% precision and zero food waste.
Free Canteen Pre-Ordering FAQ
How is KitchenPrep completely free?
KitchenPrep is 100% free to register and use. There are no monthly subscription fees, no per-order service charges, and no feature limits. If you choose to collect upfront payments from customers online, standard Stripe processing fees apply, but KitchenPrep itself does not take a cut.
Can I use KitchenPrep for a small local cafe or deli?
Yes! KitchenPrep works beautifully for kitchens of all sizes — from neighborhood cafes and office delis to large institutional cafeterias. You can set up your kitchen details, create a custom menu, and take pre-orders without any setup cost.
Do my customers need to create a KitchenPrep account?
No! Only you (the vendor) need a free account to schedule and manage menus. Diners simply click the shared link, select their dishes, pay securely upfront, and complete their pre-order in seconds — entirely without the hassle of downloading apps or registering accounts.
Ready to optimize your kitchen prep?
Register your canteen/kitchen in 60 seconds and simplify pre-orders. Absolutely free!