Thermal Printers In Restaurants

Thermal printing takes place when a heated printhead contacts thermal paper. As the paper passes over the heated printhead the paper turns black at each place it is heated, creating words or images. Other colors are sometimes possible by applying heat at different temperatures to specially designed paper.
In 1993 only 5% of POS printers were thermal printers. By 2007 that percentage increased to over 34%. Today, almost all receipt printers are thermal and the number of thermal printers in the kitchen is growing fast.
Why use a thermal receipt printer in your restaurant?

• Speed. Thermal printing is up to seven times faster then impact printing.
  
• Moves the checkout line quicker.
  
• May eliminate the need for two ply paper since the printer can print a second receipt while the customer is signing the first.
  
• Faster transactions lead to better customer service.
  
• Faster print speeds allow large volume restaurants to reduce the number of servers/cashiers used, saving payroll costs.
  
• Most POS software can buffer the entire transaction and print the customer receipt at the end of the sale with all products organized with discounts. Impact printers would take too long to print out that information at the end of a sale.
  

Noise level - Thermal printheads have no moving parts and are therefore quieter then impact printers. With the terminals of your restaurants POS system generally located in the customer area, a quiet receipt printer leads to a better customer experience.
Reliability - Thermal receipt printers use printheads that are about three inches wide and have no moving parts, on the other hand impact printers have about twenty or more moving parts and electrical devices. The printhead covers the whole width of the paper therefore printing one full line at a time. With no moving parts thermal printers are less likely to wear out. Less down time and fewer repairs directly affect your bottom line profitability.
Thermal printers are durable and easy to use. Because there is no ribbon, thermal printers cost less to operate than impact printers. Most mobile printers are thermal
High Quality Printing

• Prints crisp bar codes for coupons and or to simplify returns.
  
• Use of 2 color printing to emphasize certain information on the receipt.
  
• Use of font enhancements to generate customer loyalty from target markets, like using larger print for seniors
  
• Build brand identity by printing logos on customer receipts
  

When thermal technology first began the paper's short shelf life was a problem. Some customers needed to keep receipts for an extended period of time and restaurants needed to keep credit card receipts in case of chargebacks. The thermal paper that is produced today can print receipts after being stored for up to five years and the printed receipts, when properly stored in closed containers and in normal indoor temperatures, can last for seven years or more. Thermal printing results from heat and therefore should be protected from high temperature both before and after it is printed.
In today's economy printer choice contributes to your restaurant's profitability. By choosing a thermal printer for the customer areas of your restaurant you will most likely see a decrease in total cost of ownership and an increase in customer service.