Plain-English summary#
Foodops works with receipt printers (for customer receipts at the counter) and kitchen printers (for order tickets in the kitchen). Printing runs through a Foodops print program on a computer at your venue that connects to your physical printers; the counter app sends print jobs to it. You choose which printer a station uses in that print program. In the admin backoffice, each outlet's Printing section shows its printers and lets you assign them to kitchens and registers.
When you'd use this#
- Setting up an outlet — connect the thermal receipt printer at the counter
- Adding a kitchen station — send food items to the hot-kitchen printer, drinks to the bar printer
- Troubleshooting "receipt didn't print" — check the printer setup, network, and kitchen assignments
- Replacing hardware — swap the old printer for a new one and choose it in the print program
How to access#
Printers in the admin backoffice Open Settings > Outlets, choose the outlet, then open its Printing section. The Printers list shows each printer's name, how it is connected, and whether it is Online, Offline or Unknown. For each printer you can tick what it prints (Kitchen and/or Receipt) and choose which kitchens and registers it serves. You can't add a printer from here; printers are registered by the print software at your venue. The outlet form also has a "Use local broker for printing" switch with a Broker URL.
The outlet's Kitchen form has just a Name. The Register form has a Name plus auto-print toggles (KOT / receipt / receipt on new order), invoice, credit-note and payment-receipt template choices, receipt footer text, and a "use receipt printer template" toggle.
Printers themselves are chosen in the print program on your venue's computer:
- Print program (desktop): links each station to a printer on that computer.
- Counter app: sends jobs to the print program.
Prerequisites#
- A printer connected to the network (IP-based) or by USB
- For the print program: the printer is installed on the venue's Windows computer
- For kitchen printers: at least one kitchen station set up in the outlet
Key concepts#
- ESC/POS: the industry-standard language for thermal receipt printers. Most commercial POS printers use it.
- Kitchen routing: which kitchens each menu item goes to. You tick the kitchens on each item (in its Kitchens section), and assign each printer to kitchens in the outlet's Printing section. If the shawarma item is set to Hot Kitchen and the hot-kitchen printer serves Hot Kitchen, orders containing shawarmas print there.
- Receipt printer vs kitchen printer — the receipt is for the customer (at the counter, after payment); the kitchen ticket is for staff (in the kitchen). Different formats, different printers, different triggers.
- Auto-print — kitchen tickets print automatically only if the register's Print KOTs automatically as orders are placed switch is on. It is a per-register setting and can be off. You'll find it in the register's settings (Settings > Outlets > the outlet > Registers & kitchens). Receipts print on demand (the cashier clicks "Print Receipt") or automatically, depending on outlet settings.
Common questions#
Q: What printer brands work with Foodops? A: In the print program, any printer installed on the venue's Windows computer can be chosen. Commonly tested: Epson TM-series, Star TSP-series, Bixolon SRP-series, and most generic 80mm Ethernet/USB thermal printers.
Q: Can I use a regular office printer for receipts? A: In the print program, any printer installed on the venue's Windows computer can be chosen. For emailed/PDF receipts, use PDF Templates instead.
Q: My receipt isn't printing — what's the most common cause? A: In order: (1) the printer is off or disconnected, (2) its IP address changed (the network gave it a new one), (3) the paper roll is out, (4) the printer isn't assigned to the register.
Q: Can one kitchen station have two printers? A: One station = one printer. If you need a backup, create a second station with the same items assigned to it, pointed at the backup printer.
Q: Do kitchen tickets show modifiers? A: Yes — each item on the kitchen ticket includes its modifier choices (e.g., "Chicken Shawarma — Spice: Hot, Extra: Cheese"). Important for kitchen accuracy.