Tickets not printing according to item prep time

southforkbake — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 11:43:36 GMT

I have a bakery and some items have a longer prep time (48 hrs) and I cannot get the tickets to print correctly.

We have our normal food and drinks set to a 15 min prep time and bakery pre-order items set to a 48 hr prep time.

Order scheduling is working well and folks can pre-order items fine.

I have our online order tickets set to print according to prep time.

All tickets have been printing only 15 minutes ahead of when orders are due for pickup - even items set for 48 hrs prep time.

Is this a glitch? Or something I can troubleshoot on my end?

Re: Tickets not printing according to item prep time

Summer2024 — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 15:12:15 GMT

This sounds like it could be related to your printer settings configuration rather than a glitch. Let's verify your setup and make some adjustments:

First, Let's Check Your Current Settings:
- Go to Items > Modifiers & Categories
- Verify that your bakery items indeed show 48 hours prep time
- Check Online > Site Settings > Fulfillment
- Review your printer settings in Devices > Printers
Common Solutions:
- Create separate ticket groups for different prep times
- Set up dedicated printers for pre-orders vs. immediate orders
- Use the "Print on Order" setting for long-prep items
Recommended Setup for Bakeries:

For 15-minute prep items:
- Keep current settings for regular food/drinks
- Use standard prep time printing
For 48-hour prep items:
- Create a separate printer station for pre-orders
- Enable "Print on Order" for these items
- Consider using the "Order Summary" feature
Step-by-Step Fix:
1. Go to Square Dashboard
2. Navigate to Settings > Printers
3. Create or modify your printer station
4. Set up ticket groups based on prep time
5. Enable "Print on Order" for long-prep items
6. Test with a sample order
Additional Tips:
- Use different colored paper for different prep times
- Add clear prep time notes on tickets
- Consider using Square's kitchen display system (KDS) as a backup

If these steps don't resolve the issue:

Verify that:
- Your printer is properly connected
- You're running the latest version of Square software
- Your internet connection is stable
Try:
- Unlinking and relinking your printer
- Testing with a sample order
- Checking if the issue occurs with all pre-order items

If none of the above helps, would you mind sharing:

I'll be on the lookout for your reply.