When to Use Direct Printing
Connect a printer if:- You’re not POS-integrated - Orders need to reach your kitchen somehow
- You want fallback reliability - Print orders automatically when your POS integration fails (see Fallback Printing)
If you’re POS-integrated, your POS typically handles printing. But connecting a storekit printer as a fallback ensures you never miss an order if the POS connection drops.
Using Printers from a Third-Party POS or EPOS
If you already run a third-party POS or EPOS system that came with its own receipt or kitchen printers (for example, hardware supplied alongside an order-aggregator integration), you don’t connect those printers to storekit directly. When you’re POS-integrated, storekit injects each order straight into your POS, and your POS drives its own printers and kitchen displays. Non-Star printers stay on the POS side and keep printing exactly as they do for your other channels — there’s nothing to set up in storekit’s Settings → Printers for them.Only Star Micronics CloudPRNT printers can connect directly to storekit (see Supported Printers below). Printers from other brands, such as Epson, must be driven by your POS/EPOS. You can still add a Star CloudPRNT printer to storekit as a fallback if you’d like a backup for when the POS connection drops.
Supported Printers
storekit supports Star Micronics CloudPRNT printers only for direct auto-printing. The models below are the ones you can select in Settings → Printers. Epson and other printer brands cannot connect directly to storekit — if you use a different brand, it must be driven by a POS/EPOS system (see Using Printers from a Third-Party POS or EPOS above).What You’ll Need
Before starting, make sure you have the following:- A Star Micronics printer — one of the supported models listed above
- An ethernet (LAN) cable — for connecting the printer to your router
- A router with internet access — the printer connects to storekit via the cloud
- The Star Quick Setup Utility app on your phone or tablet:
Before You Start
Run through this checklist to avoid common setup problems:1
Printer is plugged into the router
Connect one end of the ethernet cable to the printer’s LAN port and the other end to a spare port on your router (or network switch).
2
Printer is powered on
Plug in the power cable and switch the printer on. You should see a blue or green light on the front panel.
3
Your phone/tablet is on the same network
Make sure the device running the Star Quick Setup Utility is connected to the same WiFi network that your router provides — not a guest network or mobile data.
Setup Steps
Step 1: Connect Printer via Ethernet (LAN Cable)
- Plug one end of the ethernet cable into the LAN port on the back of your printer
- Plug the other end into a spare port on your router
- Power on your printer — wait for the light to turn blue or green
- Open the Star Quick Setup Utility app on your phone or tablet
- Select your printer model from the list
- Follow the on-screen prompts to finish the network connection
Step 2: Get the MAC Address
The MAC address is a unique identifier for your printer. You’ll need it to register the printer with storekit. To perform a self-print test:- Turn off the printer
- Hold down the FEED button
- While holding FEED, turn the printer back on
- Release the button when the test page starts printing
00:11:62:XX:XX:XX.
For detailed self-print instructions for your specific model, see the Star Micronics documentation.
Step 3: Add Printer in storekit
- Open your storekit dashboard
- Select your store from the list
- Go to Settings → Printers
- Click Connect new printer
- Select your printer model
- Enter a name (e.g., “Kitchen Printer”, “Bar Printer”)
- Enter the MAC address from the test print
- Configure your print settings (see below)
- Click Add printer
Step 4: Confirm Connection
Once the printer connects:- Click Connect printer next to the pending printer
- The printer will print a confirmation receipt
- Status will change to Online
Printer Settings
Auto vs Manual Printing
Auto Print
Orders print automatically as soon as they’re accepted. Best for:- High-volume venues
- Kitchens that work from printed tickets
- Reducing manual steps in order flow
Manual Print
Orders only print when you click the print button in the dashboard. Best for:- Low-volume venues
- When you prefer to review orders on screen first
- Venues using tablets as the primary order display
Pre-Order Buffer
The buffer setting delays printing for pre-orders until closer to the collection/delivery time. Example: A customer places an order at 10am for 2pm collection.- Buffer = 0: Prints immediately at 10am
- Buffer = 30: Prints at 1:30pm (30 minutes before collection)
- Buffer = 60: Prints at 1pm (60 minutes before collection)
If pre-orders aren’t printing as expected, see the Pre-Order Printing troubleshooting guide for common issues and solutions.
Printer Status
The dashboard shows real-time printer status:- 🟢 Online - Printer connected and ready
- 🔴 Offline - Printer not reachable
- Check the printer is powered on
- Verify it’s connected to WiFi (check printer’s network light)
- Ensure the printer is on the same network as when it was set up
- Try power cycling the printer
Common Issues
For more advanced troubleshooting — including LED status codes, network diagnostics, and pre-order printing issues — see the full Printer Troubleshooting Guide.
Need Help?
If you’ve tried the steps above and your printer still isn’t working, our support team can walk you through it over the phone.Phone Support
Call 020 3318 9890 — available 8 AM – 1 AM GMT, 7 days a week.