# Internal Cooking Time vs Preparation Time

There can be a difference between the **customer-facing cooking time** (what is communicated externally) and the **internal cooking time** (what the kitchen actually requires). This ensures the customer expectation is managed while the kitchen operates efficiently.

## Example Scenarios

### Case 1: Internal Cooking Time matches Preparation Time

For this example, let's say the current time is 15:00 and the workload values are defined as:

* Internal Cooking Time: 20 minutes
* Preparation Time: 20 minutes
* Delivery Duration: 15 minutes

Since the Internal Cooking Time matches the Preparation Time at 20 minutes, the order will show on the KDS **immediately**.

### Case 2: Internal Cooking Time is different from Preparation Time

For this example, let's say the current time is 15:00 and the workload values are defined as:

* Internal Cooking Time: 15 minutes
* Preparation Time: 20 minutes
* Delivery Duration: 15 minutes

What this means is that the customer is told that the preparation takes 20 minutes, but the kitchen only needs 15 minutes. The order will not appear on the KDS until 15:05 (i.e., the Start Preparing At timestamp is 15:05).

{% hint style="info" %}
The **Start Preparing At** timestamp controls when the order appears on the KDS.
{% endhint %}


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