A receipt printer is the printer attached to a POS system that produces customer receipts, tax invoices and, in hospitality, kitchen or bar dockets. Most are thermal printers, which heat special paper rather than using ink or ribbon.
The POS sends print data over USB, Ethernet, serial or Bluetooth. Thermal paper comes in common widths such as 58 mm and 80 mm. Many printers include an auto-cutter and a drawer port, so a cash sale can print the receipt and open the cash drawer in one step.
Cafes and restaurants often use network printers in the kitchen and at the bar, with order routing deciding which items print where. Retail counters use compact printers, and some stores use label printers for tickets. Mobile and tablet POS can use Bluetooth printers.
Check paper size and quality, printer speed, whether the model is supported by your POS, and ink-free thermal paper fading over time, which can matter for records. Heat, grease and steam shorten life in kitchens, so choose models suited to the environment and keep spare rolls on hand. A fixed IP address helps network printers stay connected.
A printer that fails during a rush stops service, so reliability matters more than features. Many venues are also adding emailed receipts to cut paper use.