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Prep delay and lead times

The three timing dials that keep promised times honest — per-order prep delay, same-day lead hours, and large-order lead hours.

Updated July 4, 2026

Nothing burns a customer like a promised time you can't hit. Three settings in the Operations area keep the times your website offers honest:

  • Order Prep Delay — the minimum minutes between an order landing and it being ready. If you need 25 minutes on a normal night, set 25 and the earliest pickup slot moves accordingly; ASAP stops meaning "instantly".
  • Same-day lead hours (default 4) — the same-day notice you need for a normal-size order. This shifts the earliest slot customers can pick, so it affects everyday pickup and delivery orders, not just catering.
  • Large-order lead hours (default 48) — the notice required for genuinely big orders. Checkout enforces it, so a ten-tray order physically can't be scheduled for tonight.
Note: Raise the prep delay before a rush you can see coming (game day, a holiday weekend) and drop it back after — it's the quickest pressure valve you have.
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Frequently asked questions

Questions about prep delay and lead times

Practical answers about prep delay and lead times in KitchenRush.

How does prep delay affect the earliest pickup time?

Order Prep Delay — the minimum minutes between an order landing and it being ready. If you need 25 minutes on a normal night, set 25 and the earliest pickup slot moves accordingly; ASAP stops meaning "instantly".

Are same-day lead hours only for catering orders?

Same-day lead hours (default 4) — the same-day notice you need for a normal-size order. This shifts the earliest slot customers can pick, so it affects everyday pickup and delivery orders, not just catering.

How can I require more notice for large orders?

Large-order lead hours (default 48) — the notice required for genuinely big orders. Checkout enforces it, so a ten-tray order physically can't be scheduled for tonight.