# Order Lifecycle Stages & Statuses

Your order progresses through five verified operational stages:

```mermaid
stateDiagram-v2
    [*] --> Placed: Customer Checkout
    Placed --> Confirmed: Restaurant Accepts KOT
    Confirmed --> Preparing: Kitchen Cooking Food
    Preparing --> Dispatched: Rider Picks Up & Verifies
    Dispatched --> Delivered: Handover with 4-Digit OTP
    Delivered --> [*]
```

## 1. Stage 1: Order Placed
- Payment is authorized and the order ticket is transmitted to the restaurant's live POS terminal.

## 2. Stage 2: Order Confirmed
- The kitchen manager acknowledges the ticket and sets an estimated cooking time (e.g. 20 minutes).

## 3. Stage 3: Food Preparing & Driver Assigned
- Chefs are preparing your dishes. Simultaneously, a nearby delivery partner is dispatched to the restaurant.

## 4. Stage 4: Out for Delivery (Dispatched)
- The rider collects the sealed food package, checks the tamper seals, and begins driving toward your location.

## 5. Stage 5: Delivered
- The driver arrives, verifies the 4-digit Delivery PIN with you, and completes the handover. You receive a final delivery confirmation alert!