What is a Square order printer?

A Square order printer is a receipt or ticket printer connected to your Square POS that automatically prints a ticket for each incoming order. Square supports Star Micronics and Epson printers. These are designed for made-to-order kitchens where each ticket represents one order to prepare.

Can Square print a combined list of all orders?

No. Square's built-in printing always shows individual orders, whether through the Dashboard or a connected printer. To get a combined production list showing total quantities per item across all orders, you need a tool like CafeKit that aggregates your Square orders into a single list.

Why don't ticket printers work well for bakeries?

Ticket printers are built for restaurants that prepare each order individually as it comes in. Bakeries produce in batches — you bake 50 croissants at once, not one per order. With a ticket printer, you end up with a stack of individual tickets that you have to manually count and tally. CafeKit does this math for you, showing one aggregated production list.

Does CafeKit replace my receipt printer?

No, CafeKit complements your existing setup. Many bakeries keep a receipt printer at the counter for customer receipts and use CafeKit in the kitchen for production planning. CafeKit is not a printing tool — it is a production planning tool that turns your Square orders into actionable production lists.

How does CafeKit handle preorders from Square Online?

CafeKit separates orders by fulfillment date. If you have 10 preorders for next Friday, they appear on Friday's production list. Walk-in sales and preorders are listed separately so you can plan your bake schedule ahead of time. Square's ticket printer prints each preorder when it is placed, not when it is due.

Comparison

Square Order Printer

From Ticket Printing to Production Planning

A Square order printer is a receipt or ticket printer connected to your Square POS that prints one ticket per incoming order. Square supports Star Micronics and Epson printers. It works for made-to-order kitchens, but bakeries that batch-produce need aggregated totals across all orders. CafeKit provides that: a single production list showing exactly how many of each item to make.

Written by Zech Campbell, founder of CafeKit and former Square engineer. Read his story. · Published Feb 25, 2026

What Square's Order Printer Does

Square supports three ways to handle order tickets in your kitchen:

Kitchen Display (KDS)

Orders appear on a screen. Your team marks items as done. Works well for busy kitchens with a counter workflow.

Ticket Printer

A receipt printer automatically prints a ticket for each new order. Star Micronics and Epson printers are supported.

Dashboard Printing

Open individual orders in the Square Dashboard and use your browser's print function. Manual and one-at-a-time.

All three methods share the same limitation: they show one order at a time. For a deeper look at all three methods with step-by-step instructions, see our how to print Square orders guide.

The Problem for Bakeries

Ticket printers and kitchen displays are designed for made-to-order kitchens. A sandwich shop makes each order as the ticket prints. A pizza place works through tickets one by one.

Bakeries work differently. You bake 50 croissants at once, not one per order. You need to know the total across all orders before you start mixing dough.

With a ticket printer, you end up with a stack of tickets that you manually count and tally on a whiteboard or notepad. That's the gap between order printing and production planning.

The manual tally problem

Ticket #1

2x Croissant, 1x Muffin

Ticket #2

3x Croissant

Ticket #3

1x Croissant, 2x Muffin

... 20 more tickets ...

Manual tally needed:

Croissants: 6 + ... = ??

Muffins: 3 + ... = ??

The Solution

CafeKit: From Tickets to Production Lists

CafeKit connects to your Square account and does the math for you. Instead of counting across individual tickets, you get a single production list with exact quantities per item.

Aggregated Production Lists

All your orders for a given date, combined into one list. "Croissants: 47" instead of counting 47 across 23 separate tickets.

Tuesday Production List

Croissants: 47

Cinnamon Rolls: 23

Sourdough Loaves: 12

Preorder Separation

Orders are organized by fulfillment date. Preorders for next Friday show up on Friday's list, not today's. Walk-in sales stay separate.

Today (walk-in sales)

Croissants: 12, Muffins: 8

Friday (preorders)

Croissants: 35, Muffins: 15

Side-by-Side

Feature Comparison

Square's built-in printing versus CafeKit's production lists.

Square's KDS and ticket printer both display one order at a time and require manual tallying. CafeKit aggregates all orders into a single list with automatic totals, preorder separation by fulfillment date, and built-in demand forecasting. No hardware required.

Feature	Square KDS / Printer	CafeKit
Order view	One ticket per order	Aggregated totals per item
Production totals	Count manually	Calculated automatically
Preorder handling	Prints when placed	Shows on fulfillment date
Multi-location	Per station only	Combined or filtered
Demand forecasting	Not available	Built-in with day-of-week trends
Designed for	Made-to-order kitchens	Batch production (bakeries)
Hardware needed	Receipt printer or tablet	None (web-based)

Simple Process

How It Works

Three steps from Square orders to production list.

Connect Square

Link your Square account in one click. Read-only access, no passwords shared.

Orders Sync

Your orders sync every night automatically. Refresh anytime for real-time data.

View Your List

Pick a date and see exactly what to make. Total counts per item, ready for your kitchen.

Move Beyond Ticket Printing

Your kitchen needs production totals, not a stack of individual tickets. CafeKit turns your Square orders into a clear production list.

Free early access. No credit card required.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Square order printing and production planning.