Advantages of thermal paper

Thermal Paper Delivers More, Costs Less

There are a myriad of choices every business owner must make when outfitting their restaurant, convenience store, retail establishment, or other enterprise. One critical decision every proprietor will make early on is which point of sale (or “checkout”) system will best serve their customers and meet the needs of the business. Fortunately, this selection is an easy one. The advantages of thermal paper point of sale (POS) systems are well known and undisputed, making them the easy choice for businesses of all types and size.

Among the many advantages of thermal paper POS systems are reliability, durability, silent operation,  speed, print quality, and low cost of operation.

Reliability & Durability

Thermal paper printers are more reliable and durable by merit of having very few moving parts, relative to comparable POS printers. Fewer moving parts equates to fewer opportunities for failure on a day-to-day basis and less wear and tear on the printer over the long term. That long-term durability is further enhanced because thermal paper printers are “non-impact” printers. In other words, there is no printer head striking against a ribbon. 

Thermal paper printers work by selectively applying heat to the paper, which is impregnated with heat-sensitive ink that essentially “melts” to create text, numbers, and images on the receipt. Because there is no impact between the printhead and the paper or ribbon, there is virtually no wear on the printhead and fewer paper jams.

Silent Operation  

Additionally, the absence of a hammering printhead means thermal paper printers are noticeably quieter than other alternatives. Restauranteurs, spa owners, book store curators, and other principals with businesses that rely on ambience are especially appreciative of the silent operation. No one wants to distract patrons from a good meal or a gripping book with the grating buzz of a noisy receipt printer. That said, even bustling retail environments can benefit from having one less thing contributing to the white noise in their business environment.   

Print Quality

Atmosphere notwithstanding, one thing all business owners can appreciate is the importance of print quality in the receipts they hand to their customers. First impressions may be everything, but last impressions are everything else. A receipt is your last impression. Receipts that are crisp, clear, and easy to read leave a positive last impression. Receipts that smudge, fade, or are otherwise illegible when your customer wants to record a transaction are frustrating and annoying. Not the impression you want to make.

The print quality of thermal paper is unmatched, so you can rest easy that your customers will be as happy with their purchase when it comes time to record it as they were when they decided to make it. And, because thermal printing makes it easy to add logos and other images to your receipts, you'll know that each receipt you send out the door will serve to reinforce your brand affinity. 

High Speed, Low Cost

With all this talk about quality, it would be easy to conclude that thermal paper printers are slower or more costly to operate than their counterparts. After all, quality takes time, and you get what you pay for, right? Yes, most of the time. But thermal paper is one of those exceptions that proves the rule. Despite the superior reliability, durability, and print quality of thermal paper printers, they actually operate faster than other printers and cost less to maintain. Again, that goes to fewer moving parts, fewer consumables (no ribbons or ink cartridges to buy), and fewer breakdowns and service calls.

Considering all of this, it's easy to see why more business owners and shop keepers choose thermal paper for their POS systems than any other alternative.