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Order Accuracy: The Best Kitchen Printers for Restaurants
Updated: February 28th, 2024.
Restaurant owners and managers understand the importance of smooth communication between the wait staff and the kitchen in ensuring customer satisfaction, and the kitchen printer plays a crucial role in enabling this communication. When the staff enters meal orders into the point-of-sale (POS) system, the printer takes center stage, allowing the cooks to prioritize and promptly prepare the orders.
Purchasing the perfect kitchen printer for your business can be challenging. In this blog, we’ll discover the world of kitchen printers, their features, and the top models to find the best fit for your business needs because satisfied return customers are the ultimate reward.
Specific Needs of Kitchen Printers for Restaurants
Without a doubt, restaurant operators demand a lot from their kitchen printers. Because they're located within the cooking area, these devices must withstand humidity, heat, and busy hands daily. Workers pull receipts from the roller; consequently, devices may be subject to impacts or spills; therefore, durability is crucial when choosing a kitchen printer.
In addition, these printers must be centrally located for the entire kitchen staff. According to Hewlett Packard, today's printers offer wireless or wired options to be integrated and placed where needed. As these options continue to vary with available models today, operators must weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each feature. Ultimately, some features are more important than others, depending on the business's size and customer volume.
Additionally, operators must consider their POS system and its compatibility with a new printer. Although many printers advertise universal compatibility, there are exceptions. Truthfully, incompatible printers may not connect at all or operate at a slower speed, causing the entire kitchen operation to slow down, resulting in a negative customer experience. Therefore, enhanced speed must be a part of the kitchen printer’s features.
A durable model can last for years with proper maintenance, and with these factors in mind, operators must narrow their search for a kitchen printer. Solid research can result in a practical purchase that improves the business's bottom line.
The Importance of Kitchen Printers in Restaurants
Historically, handwritten orders passed back to the kitchen staff were the norm. Understandably, order accuracy and speed were compromised throughout the industry until POS systems and kitchen printers were integrated into most prominent restaurants. Today, operating without a kitchen printer is only possible in smaller establishments.
With a kitchen printer, every order has the exact details of each request. For instance, restaurants can prepare and serve guests their customized orders at record speeds, including large groups. As a result, your restaurant pleases customers and encourages them to return.
Furthermore, kitchens with specialized stations would struggle without printers, as divided orders of entrees, appetizers, and desserts may make it challenging for the wait staff to communicate with the backend about these complex orders. By using the kitchen printer, each station understands its contribution to the order in its entirety.
In addition, the connection between the printer and the POS system assists with inventory levels. As the kitchen staff prepares the food, inventory can be automatically reordered as the supply dwindles. Furthermore, seeing the printed words on each receipt also prompts the kitchen staff to reorder those popular items before the system allocates quantities. For instance, if more customers are ordering potato-based foods, reordering potatoes sooner rather than later may be necessary.
Overall, the importance of kitchen printers cannot be overstated because they create an instant connection between the wait staff and kitchen cooks. Customers can enjoy their meals and leave on time as the printer keeps orders moving through the system. Ultimately, your establishment's table turnover can improve while pleasing your customers.
Printing speed and efficiency
A printer's speed is a key element of a successful restaurant, as it should print out legible characters for every order, especially during peak hours when it is in constant use. Remarkably, the printer might print orders from a POS station and mobile devices among the wait staff. Look for a few features that can contribute to a rapid-speed printer in your kitchen.
Printer-head style
Generally, two printer heads are available today: impact, which is ink-based, and thermal, which is heat-based. Even though thermal printers are incredibly fast, they're incompatible with most kitchens since thermal paper can blacken when exposed to heat. Therefore, an impact printer with ink and standard paper will be better if you run a hot kitchen.
Connectivity options
Your restaurant's ordering speed can be quickly hindered if limited connectivity occurs. Look for printers with several connection types, such as Wi-Fi and USB. If one connection goes down, you have a backup option.
Paper-load style
Fumbling with a poorly designed paper roll can cost time and money in the restaurant industry. Choose a printer with a front-loading design because, when necessary, simply press a button, pull the dowel out, and pop in a new roll to keep going.
Comparison of Top Kitchen Printers for Restaurants
Star Micronics SP700
As a leader in the printer industry, Star Micronics offers a tough product with simplicity as the main feature of the SP700. A durable, black housing offers a touch button panel, topside printout area, and plug-in features along the side. Simply plug your Ethernet wire into the unit and start printing orders.
Printing up to 13 receipts per minute, this printer has a reasonable price of under $300. Additionally, it's an impact printer, which means it uses a standard ink ribbon and pins to create words or graphics on the receipts. This model also comes with a front-loading design when you need to replace the paper; this feature is particularly important for busy kitchens.
Most importantly, the SP700 is compatible with most POS systems, including Square’s services. All that is required is to use the setup instructions to connect your POS system to the printer. However, the printer doesn't have wireless or Wi-Fi capabilities, so your Ethernet connection is the only way to communicate with the printer.
In addition, restaurant operators will appreciate the SP700's design, which withstands the hot and humid conditions inherent to the industry. Spills, moisture, and grime are no match for the housing that can be easily wiped down. Remarkably, this printer has a small footprint but an internal power supply. As a result, you can mount it on a wall or place it on a corner table without hindering the kitchen's logistics.
Epson TM-U220
Epson is a trusted name in the industry, and it has created an impact printer worthy of the busiest kitchens. Amazingly, the TM-U220 has a built-in processor when connectivity with your main system is spotty. The extra processing speed doesn't create a bulky product, either.
Its small size means it requires an external power supply. However, once you install the system, the power supply can remain hidden against a wall. With this extra power, you can also program your POS system and printer to work with apps or online orders.
Your kitchen staff will appreciate the right-side-up printing so that orders can be easily seen before grabbing them from the printer. Also, your staff can see any highlights directly on the receipts for those special orders since two-color printing is available. If you need order copies, the printer can create an original receipt and a copy. As a result, customers who order takeout have an instant receipt, which improves order accuracy and customer satisfaction.
Regardless of your POS system, the Epson is compatible. The printer also supports Apple, Android, and Windows applications through the use of USB connections.
POS-X EVO
With a compact shape, the POS-X EVO printer measures roughly six inches wide by six inches long. Although the manufacturer may not be a well-known name, customers commonly praise this sturdy product.
Get your kitchen cooking with five lines printed per second. Along with the AutoCutter feature, paper jams are rare, and refilling is simple with the drop-in tray. Unlike thermal products, this model is an impact design, which means heat won't damage the receipts.
The EVO has swappable interfaces for restaurants with varying connections, including USB, Parallel, Serial, and Ethernet.
With this device, you can connect your printer to your POS system, and the device produces one original receipt and two extra copies. With an ink ribbon that includes black, red, and purple, your kitchen staff can easily see every order and prepare it as necessary.
For your convenience, this printer is compatible with Windows-based operating systems. Since most restaurants utilize these platforms, integrating the system with the printer can be done quickly.
Conclusion
Utilizing kitchen printers substantially improves the precision and effectiveness of restaurant order processing. These devices function as an essential connection between the front-desk workers and kitchen operations, guaranteeing uninterrupted communication and the prompt preparation of meals. To meet the specific requirements of your business, durability, compatibility with POS systems, and printing speed are all essential considerations when selecting the ideal kitchen printer for your establishment.
From splash guards to easy-loading features, today's kitchen printers serve nearly any restaurant with practical options. Ideally, restaurant operators should research printer models that fit their unique settings.
After reading about the importance of kitchen printers, take a look at our reviews of the best POS system providers and compare each one, as many, if not most, provide solid kitchen printers with their hardware packages. Additionally, we recommend reading our blog page about the POS systems industry for valuable insights and educational information.