Written by Jason Feemster, POS specialist with 15+ years of experience helping restaurants and retailers troubleshoot POS systems, payments, and hardware issues.
Common Issue: Kitchen tickets stop printing, print to the wrong station, or the Lightspeed Restaurant printer goes silent mid-service.
Fast Fixes: Check power and paper, clear errors, confirm network connection, and verify printer routing in Lightspeed.
Need guided help? Try the POSUSA POS Support Assistant (Free).
Kitchen printer not printing in Lightspeed Restaurant? Orders may stay stuck on the iPad, never reach the line, or suddenly start printing from the wrong station. That’s the fastest way to slow down service and frustrate both staff and guests.
Use this quick guide to get tickets firing again with the least disruption during a rush.
Table of Contents
- 1 Common Reasons Lightspeed Kitchen Printers Stop Printing
- 2 How to Fix Kitchen Printers Not Printing in Lightspeed Restaurant
- 3 When to Contact Lightspeed or Your Hardware Provider
- 4 Lightspeed Restaurant Kitchen Printer – FAQs
- 5 Try the POSUSA POS Support Assistant
- 6 Thinking About Switching POS Systems?
Common Reasons Lightspeed Kitchen Printers Stop Printing
- No power, paper, or the cover isn’t latched correctly
- Error lights on the printer (paper jam, lid open, offline)
- Printer lost its network connection (Ethernet or Wi-Fi)
- Printer IP address changed after a reboot
- Items are not routed to that printer in Lightspeed settings
- Only certain menu categories are assigned to that station
How to Fix Kitchen Printers Not Printing in Lightspeed Restaurant
1. Check Power, Paper, and Error Lights
Start with the basics. A surprising number of “POS problems” are simple printer issues.
- Confirm the power cable is firmly plugged in at the wall and printer
- Open the lid and verify the paper roll is correctly installed and not backwards
- Make sure the lid is fully closed until it clicks
- Look for error or warning lights on the front of the printer
If the printer makes no sound, has no lights, or keeps flashing red → fix power, paper, or jams first.
2. Print a Test Receipt Directly From the Printer
Almost all kitchen printers can print a test page without the POS. This helps you separate “printer issue” from “Lightspeed issue.”
- Use the manufacturer’s button combo to print a test page (often holding the FEED button while powering on)
- If the test page prints → the printer hardware is OK
- If it does not print → hardware or configuration issue at the printer level
No test print = fix the printer first before changing POS settings.
3. Check Network Connection to the Printer
Most Lightspeed Restaurant kitchen printers are network printers. If they drop off the network, tickets won’t reach them.
- Make sure the Ethernet cable is secure at both the printer and network switch
- Check that link/activity lights are on where the cable plugs in
- If using Wi-Fi, confirm the printer is still joined to the correct SSID
If the printer lost its IP address or switched networks, Lightspeed will keep trying to send tickets to the wrong location.
4. Confirm Printer Assignment and Routing in Lightspeed
If the printer works physically but nothing prints from Lightspeed, check how tickets are routed.
- Verify the kitchen printer is added and active in Lightspeed Restaurant printer settings
- Confirm the correct printer is assigned to the appropriate floor section or order profile
- Check that menu categories or items are mapped to that printer (kitchen vs bar vs expo)
If tickets are printing to the wrong station, review routing rules for those specific items or categories.
5. Restart the Printer and the POS App
After changes or a network blip, both the printer and Lightspeed app may need a fresh start.
- Power the printer off for 10 seconds, then back on
- On the iPad, force quit the Lightspeed app and reopen it
- Send a small test ticket (like a water or test item) to the kitchen
If the test item prints correctly, you’ve confirmed the path from POS → network → printer is working again.
When to Contact Lightspeed or Your Hardware Provider
- Printer test page fails even after checking paper, power, and jams
- Printer keeps dropping off the network several times a shift
- Tickets randomly print to the wrong station even with correct routing
- You’re not sure which IP address or printer profile matches which physical printer
At that point, it’s safer to have Lightspeed or your reseller confirm network settings and printer mappings remotely.
Lightspeed Restaurant Kitchen Printer – FAQs
Why are only some tickets printing to the kitchen?
Why did my kitchen printer stop after a power outage?
Why are bar tickets printing on the expo printer?
Can I use one printer for multiple iPads?
Try the POSUSA POS Support Assistant
Need help sorting out which printer is which or how tickets should be routed?
- POSUSA POS Support Assistant
- Select Lightspeed Restaurant
- Search: “kitchen printer not printing”
- Follow the guided steps for routing and printer checks
It’s a fast way to get orders printing again without waiting on hold.
Thinking About Switching POS Systems?
If you’re dealing with repeated POS issues, it might be time to compare more reliable options built for restaurants and retail businesses.
Takes 30 seconds • No sales pressure
