Kitchen Printers for Dummies
Impact printers are still one of the most important printer types in restaurant POS environments because they are built for order tickets, kitchen routing, bar printing, prep stations, and hot back-of-house workflows. Unlike most thermal receipt printers, an impact printer prints by striking an ink ribbon against paper, making it a common choice for kitchens where heat, steam, humidity, and grease can make thermal paper a poor fit.
This guide explains what impact printers are, when to use them, how they compare with thermal printers and label printers, what paper and ribbons they require, and how to choose the right impact printer for restaurant kitchen tickets, bar orders, expo stations, takeout, and online ordering workflows. Spartan POS is an authorized dealer and supports the impact kitchen printers, receipt printers, paper, ribbons, and accessories it sells.
Quick Answer: What Is an Impact Printer?
An impact printer is a printer that creates text by physically striking an ink ribbon against paper. In restaurants, impact printers are commonly used as kitchen printers because they can print order tickets on bond paper instead of heat-sensitive thermal paper. They are often used for grill stations, fry stations, pizza stations, bar tickets, prep areas, expo lines, and high-volume kitchen routing.
For most restaurant kitchens, an impact kitchen printer is the safer choice when tickets need to survive heat, moisture, and busy service conditions. For customer receipts at the front counter, a thermal receipt printer may be better. For pickup bags, drinks, containers, and online orders, a label printer may be the better fit.
Impact Printer vs Thermal Printer vs Label Printer
| Printer Type | Best For | Media Used | Common Restaurant Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impact printer | Hot kitchens, prep stations, bar tickets, kitchen routing, multi-part copies | Bond paper and ink ribbons | Kitchen tickets, grill tickets, fry station tickets, bar tickets, expo tickets |
| Thermal receipt printer | Front counter, checkout station, cashier receipts, service counter printing | Thermal receipt paper | Customer receipts, order slips, payment receipts, front-of-house printing |
| Label printer | Pickup labels, bag labels, drink labels, barcode labels, product labels, shipping labels | Labels, barcode labels, or linerless labels | Takeout labels, delivery labels, food labels, customer-name labels, allergy labels |
For a broader comparison, see the kitchen printer vs receipt printer vs label printer guide. For restaurant station planning, see the restaurant kitchen printer setup guide.
Why Restaurants Still Use Impact Printers
Restaurants use impact printers because kitchen printing is different from customer receipt printing. A kitchen ticket may sit near heat, steam, grease, moisture, and busy prep equipment. Thermal paper can darken or become hard to read when exposed to heat. Impact printers avoid that issue by using a ribbon and non-thermal bond paper.
Impact printers are best for:
- Hot restaurant kitchens
- Grill stations
- Fry stations
- Pizza make lines
- Bar drink tickets
- Expo stations
- Prep stations
- Kitchen ticket routing
- Online order prep tickets
- Takeout and delivery order routing
- Multi-part or carbonless paper workflows when supported by the printer
Restaurants that rely on online ordering should also review the restaurant online ordering kitchen workflow guide, because online orders often require more than one printer station.
Impact Printers for Kitchen Tickets
An impact kitchen printer receives order information from the POS system and prints the ticket at the correct station. The POS software may route burgers to the grill printer, fries to the fry printer, drinks to the bar printer, desserts to a prep printer, and takeout orders to an expo or pickup station.
| Kitchen Area | Why Impact Printing Helps | Related Links |
|---|---|---|
| Hot cook line | Bond paper and ribbon printing are commonly preferred where heat can affect thermal paper. | Impact kitchen printers |
| Bar station | Drink tickets can print separately from food tickets so bar staff do not rely on kitchen routing. | Star receipt printers |
| Expo line | Expo tickets help staff verify orders before packaging, pickup, or delivery handoff. | Pickup order label printing guide |
| Online ordering station | Online orders may need prep tickets, packing tickets, bag labels, pickup labels, and delivery-app identifiers. | Online ordering kitchen workflow guide |
Popular Impact Printer Options
Two of the most common restaurant impact printer families are Epson TM-U220 kitchen printers and Star Micronics SP700 impact printers. The right choice depends on your POS software, required interface, printer language support, paper requirements, cutter configuration, power supply, cable setup, and kitchen routing needs.
| Printer Family | Common Fit | Useful Links |
|---|---|---|
| Epson TM-U220 | Restaurant kitchen tickets, bar orders, prep stations, and Epson-compatible POS environments | Shop Epson TM-U220 printers, Epson TM-U220 ribbon guide, Epson ERC-38BR ribbon |
| Star Micronics SP700 | Kitchen printing, bar tickets, impact receipt workflows, and compatible Star restaurant POS setups | Shop Star SP700, Star SP700 ribbon guide, Star Micronics POS hardware |
Impact Printer Paper and Ribbons
Impact printers require different supplies than thermal receipt printers. Most impact kitchen printer setups use bond paper and an ink ribbon. Some compatible impact printer workflows may also support multi-ply or carbonless paper when duplicate copies are required.
| Supply Type | Used For | Where to Shop or Learn More |
|---|---|---|
| Bond paper | Kitchen tickets, bar tickets, prep tickets, and impact receipt printing | Receipt paper and printer ribbons, thermal vs bond receipt paper guide |
| Ink ribbons | Impact printer text, black printing, black/red kitchen ticket printing when supported | Printer ribbons, Epson ERC-38BR ribbon, printer ribbons guide |
| Thermal receipt paper | Thermal receipt printers, front counter receipts, lower-heat receipt workflows | Thermal paper, receipt paper, receipt paper size guide |
| Labels | Pickup labels, food labels, barcode labels, bag labels, delivery labels, item labels | Labels, barcode labels, Star desktop label printers |
Do not assume thermal paper, bond paper, and label rolls are interchangeable. Printer media must match the exact printer model, paper width, roll diameter, core size, printer technology, and POS workflow.
Impact Printer vs Thermal Printer
The main difference between an impact printer and a thermal printer is the print method. An impact printer uses a ribbon and mechanical print action. A thermal printer uses heat-sensitive thermal paper and does not require a ribbon.
| Feature | Impact Printer | Thermal Printer |
|---|---|---|
| Print method | Ink ribbon and impact mechanism | Heat applied to thermal paper |
| Best environment | Hot kitchens, prep stations, humid or heat-prone areas | Front counter, checkout, service counter, lower-heat areas |
| Requires ribbon? | Yes | No |
| Common paper | Bond paper or compatible impact paper | Thermal receipt paper |
| Common use | Kitchen tickets, bar tickets, prep routing | Customer receipts, transaction slips, front-of-house receipts |
For a deeper paper comparison, read the thermal vs bond receipt paper guide. For customer receipt printing, browse receipt printers, Epson receipt printers, Star Micronics receipt printers, and receipt paper.
Impact Printer Connection Types
Impact printers can be available in different interfaces depending on the model. The connection type must match your POS software and installation plan.
| Connection Type | Best Use | Setup Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ethernet / LAN | Restaurant kitchen routing, shared printer stations, bar printers, expo printers | Often preferred for kitchen printers because multiple POS stations may need to route tickets to the same printer. |
| USB | Single-station POS setups and directly connected printers | Simple for one workstation, but less flexible for shared kitchen routing. |
| Serial | Legacy POS systems and older restaurant installations | May be required in older POS environments; confirm cables, adapters, and POS support. |
| Parallel | Older printer deployments and legacy systems | Confirm interface support before replacing or ordering a printer. |
| Cloud or network-enabled configurations | Cloud POS, online ordering, and modern restaurant workflows when supported | Confirm exact model, firmware, POS support, network setup, and configuration requirements. |
For network printer setup help, see the Star Micronics Ethernet printer setup guide. For manufacturer driver resources, use the POS printer drivers and manufacturer download links, Epson POS printer drivers, and Star Micronics printer drivers.
How Impact Printer Routing Works in Restaurants
Impact printer routing is controlled by the POS system. The printer hardware prints the ticket, but the POS software decides which printer receives each item, category, modifier, order type, or station ticket.
| Order Type | Possible Print Destination | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Grill items | Main kitchen impact printer | Food goes directly to the cook station that needs it. |
| Fried items | Fry station impact printer | Side items and fryer items can be separated from grill tickets. |
| Drinks | Bar printer | Drink tickets do not get buried with kitchen food orders. |
| Pickup or delivery orders | Kitchen printer plus label printer or expo printer | Prep staff see the ticket, while pickup staff can label bags, containers, and orders. |
| Allergy notes and modifiers | Kitchen, expo, and label printer when needed | Important details should appear where the food is made, checked, packed, and handed off. |
Restaurants that handle takeout, delivery, and online orders should connect impact kitchen printing with a complete pickup workflow. See the restaurant pickup order label printing guide and restaurant personalization and sticky label printing guide for label-based order identification.
When an Impact Printer Is the Wrong Choice
Impact printers are excellent for many kitchen ticket workflows, but they are not the right printer for every job.
| Need | Better Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Fast customer receipts at checkout | Thermal receipt printer | Thermal printers are fast, quiet, and widely used for customer receipts. |
| Barcode labels or product labels | Label printer | Labels require adhesive label media, label sizing, and label printer support. |
| Pickup bag labels or drink labels | Restaurant label printer | Labels can stay attached to bags, cups, containers, and pickup shelves. |
| Warehouse shipping labels | Barcode label printing setup | Shipping and inventory workflows usually need label printers, barcode labels, scanners, and software. |
Common Impact Printer Buying Mistakes
- Buying thermal when the kitchen needs impact: Thermal paper can darken from heat, making impact printing a better choice for many hot kitchen stations.
- Buying the wrong interface: Ethernet, USB, serial, and parallel versions are not interchangeable. Confirm the exact connection type your POS system supports.
- Forgetting ribbons: Impact printers need ink ribbons. Epson kitchen printer users should review the Epson TM-U220 ribbon guide and compatible Epson ERC-38BR ribbon.
- Ordering the wrong paper: Impact printers use bond paper or compatible impact paper, not standard thermal paper. Review thermal vs bond receipt paper before ordering.
- Ignoring POS support: A printer can be popular in restaurants and still be unsupported by a specific POS software platform.
- Routing every item to one printer: Busy kitchens often need separate printer routing for grill, fry, bar, expo, pickup, and delivery.
- Not planning labels for online orders: Impact printers print kitchen tickets, but label printers are often better for bags, drinks, containers, and customer-name labels.
What You May Need to Order With an Impact Printer
An impact printer setup may require more than the printer itself. Depending on your POS software and station layout, you may need:
- Impact kitchen printer for the kitchen, bar, prep station, or expo line.
- Bond paper and printer ribbons for compatible impact printer workflows.
- Epson ERC-38BR ribbon for compatible Epson TM-U220 and Epson impact printer setups.
- Thermal paper if you also use thermal receipt printers at the front counter.
- Receipt paper for compatible POS receipt printing workflows.
- Label printers and labels if you need pickup labels, food labels, barcode labels, or delivery labels.
- Cash drawers if the printer will be part of a checkout station that opens a drawer.
- Ethernet cables, USB cables, serial cables, power supplies, interface cards, or printer buzzers depending on your printer model and POS setup.
Impact Printers for Online Ordering Restaurants
Online ordering can increase kitchen printer demand because orders may arrive from the POS, website, delivery apps, phone orders, kiosk orders, and third-party platforms. A good impact printer setup helps route online orders clearly to the kitchen, bar, expo line, and pickup area.
However, online ordering workflows often need more than an impact printer. Many restaurants also use desktop label printers such as the Star mC-Label2 or Star mC-Label3 to print pickup labels, bag labels, customer names, delivery app names, order numbers, pickup times, allergy notes, and modifier labels.
For more planning help, start with the restaurant online ordering kitchen workflow guide, restaurant pickup order label printing guide, and restaurant kitchen printer setup guide.
Compatibility Guidance
Impact printer compatibility depends on the exact printer model, interface, printer language, POS software, operating system, driver, cable, power supply, paper size, ribbon type, and kitchen routing configuration. A printer that works with one restaurant POS system may not work with another, even if both systems use kitchen printers.
Compatibility depends on your POS software, operating system, connection type, drivers, accessories, and configuration. Confirm compatibility before ordering.
Before ordering an impact printer, confirm the exact model, connection type, supported printer role, paper size, ribbon requirements, cash drawer requirements, and POS routing support. Spartan POS can help review compatible printer, paper, ribbon, label, and accessory options before you order.
Related Impact Printer and Restaurant Printer Guides
- Shop Impact Kitchen Printers
- Shop Receipt Printers
- Shop Receipt Paper and Printer Ribbons
- Shop Label Printers
- Restaurant Kitchen Printer Setup Guide
- Kitchen Printer vs Receipt Printer vs Label Printer
- Restaurant Online Ordering Kitchen Workflow
- Restaurant Pickup Order Label Printing
- Thermal vs Bond Receipt Paper
- Receipt Paper Size Guide
- Epson TM-U220 Ribbon Guide
- Star SP700 Ribbon Guide
- Printer Ribbons Guide
- Star Micronics Ethernet Printer Setup
- POS Printer Drivers and Manufacturer Download Links
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an impact printer?
An impact printer is a printer that prints by striking an ink ribbon against paper. In POS and restaurant environments, impact printers are commonly used for kitchen tickets, prep tickets, bar orders, and back-of-house order routing.
Why do restaurants use impact printers?
Restaurants use impact printers because they are often a better fit for hot kitchen environments than thermal printers. Impact printers use bond paper and ink ribbons, while thermal printers use heat-sensitive thermal paper.
Is an impact printer the same as a kitchen printer?
Not always, but many kitchen printers are impact printers. A kitchen printer is defined by its job: printing order tickets for staff. An impact printer is defined by its print method: using an ink ribbon and impact mechanism. Many restaurants choose impact printers for kitchen printer roles.
What paper does an impact printer use?
Most impact printer setups use bond paper or compatible impact paper, not thermal paper. Always confirm the correct roll width, roll diameter, core size, ply, and printer model before ordering receipt paper and printer ribbons.
Do impact printers need ribbons?
Yes. Impact printers use ink ribbons. Epson TM-U220 users should review the Epson TM-U220 ribbon guide and compatible ribbon options such as the Epson ERC-38BR ribbon. Star SP700 users should review the Star SP700 ribbon guide.
What is the difference between impact and thermal printing?
Impact printing uses a ribbon and mechanical print action. Thermal printing uses heat on thermal paper. Impact printing is commonly used for kitchen tickets, while thermal printing is commonly used for customer receipts and lower-heat checkout workflows.
Can I use thermal paper in an impact printer?
No. Impact printers require compatible impact paper or bond paper and an ink ribbon. Thermal paper is for compatible thermal printers. Review the thermal vs bond receipt paper guide before ordering paper.
What is the best impact printer for restaurants?
The best impact printer depends on your POS software, connection type, kitchen routing needs, and installation environment. Common restaurant impact printer families include Epson TM-U220 models and Star Micronics SP700 models. Confirm exact compatibility before ordering.
Should an impact kitchen printer be Ethernet or USB?
Ethernet is often preferred for restaurant kitchen routing because multiple POS stations may need to print to the same kitchen printer. USB can work for a directly connected single station. Confirm your POS software requirements before ordering.
Can an impact printer open a cash drawer?
Some POS printer setups can trigger a compatible cash drawer, but this depends on the printer model, drawer cable, POS software, configuration, and whether the printer is being used at a checkout station. Many kitchen printers are not used for cash drawer control.
Do I need a label printer if I already have an impact kitchen printer?
Maybe. An impact printer prints internal kitchen tickets. A label printer prints adhesive labels for pickup bags, drinks, containers, delivery orders, food prep, barcode labels, and customer-name labels. Restaurants with takeout and delivery workflows often benefit from both.
Where can I buy impact printer paper and ribbons?
Browse receipt paper and printer ribbons for compatible POS paper and ribbon supplies. Also review the thermal vs bond receipt paper guide, Epson TM-U220 ribbon guide, and Star SP700 ribbon guide before ordering.
Bottom Line
Impact printers remain a strong choice for restaurant kitchen tickets, bar routing, prep stations, and hot back-of-house workflows because they print with ribbons on compatible bond paper instead of relying on heat-sensitive thermal paper. For customer receipts, use a receipt printer. For pickup labels, food labels, barcode labels, and delivery labels, use a label printer. For hot kitchen ticket routing, start with an impact kitchen printer.
Spartan POS can help restaurants and POS operators choose supported impact printers, receipt printers, label printers, paper, ribbons, labels, cables, and accessories for kitchen printing, online ordering, takeout, delivery, bar routing, and front-of-house checkout workflows.