Troubleshooting: Online Orders Not Reaching the Kitchen

When a guest says "I've ordered but you haven't received the order" it's usually one of a few common problems. This article helps you diagnose and resolve.

Step 1: Find the order

1. Go to Admin → Orders
2. Filter on status All (not just Paid)
3. Search by guest's phone number or name
4. Or filter on Pending to see pending orders

If you find the order: check its status to understand what went wrong.

Status-based problems

Status: "awaiting payment" – the order was never paid

Cause: Guest closed before payment, or payment failed.

Solution:

• Send payment link via SMS to guest
• Call the guest and help them complete
• Cancel the order if the guest no longer wants to buy

Status: "paid" but the order isn't on KDS

Cause: Realtime update failed or KDS was offline at the time.

Solution:

• Reload the KDS view (F5)
• Check that the KDS device has internet
• Check in POS if the order is there (go to POS → All orders tab)

Status: "paid" but receipt never printed

Cause: Receipt printer is offline or the printer service has issues.

Solution:

• Check the printer's status in Admin → Settings → Printers
• Restart the printer
• Manually print the receipt from POS (click the order → "Print receipt")

Status: "cancelled"

Cause: Someone has manually cancelled the order.

Solution:

• Check the audit log for who cancelled
• If it was a mistake: ask the guest to place a new order

Error messages the guest may see

"We can't find the restaurant"

• The restaurant's ordering link is not set or misspelled
• Action: check your setting in Admin → Settings

"Too many requests – wait a minute"

• The guest has reached the limit of 30 messages per minute
• Action: guest waits 60 seconds and continues
• If it happens often: contact support – may be a bug

"Your session has expired"

• The payment link is too old to use (> 24h)
• Action: guest starts a new order from the QR code

"Couldn't add product"

• Product is out or hidden in the menu
• Action: activate the product in the menu, or choose another

"Payment failed – try again"

• The card was declined by the bank
• Action: guest tries another card, or contacts their bank

"Couldn't send SMS"

• The SMS provider has issues or the number is blocked
• Action: guest continues without SMS verification, or uses another number

Limits that can cause problems

If multiple guests use the same WiFi (e.g., the restaurant's), the limit can be reached faster. Ask the guest to switch to mobile network as a temporary solution.

Network problems

Guest is on slow 3G

• Chat can feel slow
• Images can take time to load
• Action: use Wi-Fi if possible

Restaurant's WiFi is slow or down

• Online orders still go through (happens via the guest's phone)
• But KDS realtime can get stuck
• Action: fix WiFi, or switch KDS to 4G hotspot

Printer service is down

• Printers don't work
• Online orders are still created but receipts don't come out
• Action: contact support@vendion.com

How to verify what happened

Check server logs

Vendion support has access to server logs for all online orders with error codes and timestamps. Contact support@vendion.com with the order ID for help.

Check the guest's browser console

If the guest is technically skilled, they can open the browser console (F12) and show the network log. Error messages there help diagnosis.

Preventive measures

• Test your ChatOrder every week – discover problems before guests do
• Have backup KDS device – if primary KDS crashes
• Monitor printer status – an orange light = error
• Think about WiFi stability – connect KDS via Ethernet if possible

When should you escalate to Vendion support?

Contact support@vendion.com if:

• Multiple guests report the same problem
• You see server errors repeatedly
• Orders disappear between paid status and KDS
• The control unit gives errors on receipt printing

Include:

• Restaurant ID
• Order ID
• Timestamp when the problem happened
• Screenshot of the error message

We respond within 24 hours (priority for production issues).