Visit Booth 112 to experience Star’s integrated labeling, KDS, and food safety solutions designed to improve consistency across multi-unit restaurant brands.
Las Vegas, NV – March 9-11, 2026 – Star Micronics, a global leader in point-of-sale (POS), labeling, and cloud technology, is proud to announce its participation in MURTEC 2026, taking place March 9–11 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Attendees are invited to visit Booth 112 to experience Star’s latest restaurant-ready hardware and connected kitchen solutions.
At MURTEC 2026, Star Micronics will demonstrate how restaurant operators, enterprise brands, and technology providers can improve order accuracy, strengthen food safety compliance, and streamline kitchen workflows using integrated labeling and printing solutions built for modern foodservice environments.
Attendees can explore live demonstrations at Booth 112, including:
Food Safety Label Technology
KTI Food Safety Solution featuring i.Print3™: A live demonstration showing how Star’s mC-Label2 multifunction label printer, integrated with the i.Print3 automated prep labeling system, supports accurate date labeling, expiration tracking, and cloud-based traceability. Designed for high-volume kitchens, this workflow helps multi-unit operators strengthen food safety compliance and maintain consistent standards across locations.
KDS Solutions
KitchenGO KDS Order Accuracy Demo with Logic Controls: A connected workflow demonstration showing how Logic Controls’ KitchenGO KDS and Star’s mC-Label3 multifunction printer work together to reduce missed modifiers, improve fulfillment timing, and increase order accuracy across dine-in, takeout, and off-premise channels.
Online Ordering Cloud Printing Solutions
mC-Label Multifunction Cloud Printer Series (mC-Label2 and mC-Label3): Multifunction printers built for restaurant environments that support linerless labels, die-cut labels, and receipt media. Ideal for prep labeling, delivery workflows, and on-demand kitchen printing, the mC-Label series delivers flexibility and cloud-ready performance in a compact footprint.
TSP143IV SK X4 Linerless Label Printer: A compact 3″ linerless sticky label printer designed for high-volume foodservice environments. The X4 model delivers every modern connectivity option directly on its interface, including USB, LAN, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Android Open Accessory (AOA), and dual-band wireless, ensuring flexible deployment across tablet, mobile, and traditional POS systems. Supports repositionable linerless labels for cleaner operations and reduced waste.
Star will also feature linerless labeling solutions powered by media partners Iconex and StickyPOS. These repositionable linerless labels eliminate backing liners to reduce waste while maintaining strong adhesion and print clarity for prep, delivery, and compliance labeling applications.
“At MURTEC, we’re focused on helping restaurants solve real-world operational challenges inside the kitchen. Working alongside partners like Logic Controls and KTI, we’re demonstrating how connected KDS, labeling, and printing workflows improve order accuracy, strengthen food safety compliance, and support consistent execution across every ordering channel.”
Craig Kaliebe, Enterprise Development Manager at Star Micronics
Restaurant operators, enterprise IT leaders, and technology providers are encouraged to visit Booth 112 to see live demonstrations and schedule one-on-one meetings with the Star team.
To book a demo or for more information, contact sales@starmicronics.com.
Star Micronics is a global leader in POS hardware and transaction technology, providing printers, secure cash management, and connected peripherals for retail and hospitality environments. Known for reliability and developer-friendly integration, Star solutions work seamlessly with Android™, iOS, Windows®, and web-based POS platforms to power receipt, label, ticket, and order printing across modern commerce environments.
Star’s cloud technologies extend printing beyond the counter. CloudPRNT Next enables scalable direct cloud printing, while StarIO.Online is Star’s fully managed cloud printing service that removes the need for server infrastructure and simplifies remote printer management across distributed locations. Star also offers a broad portfolio of POS peripherals, including barcode scanners, scales, and tablet stands, designed to work together as a complete hardware solution.
The integration connects kitchen workflows with reliable labeling and printing to support faster, more accurate order fulfillment across modern restaurant environments.
Somerset, NJ – February 23, 2026 – Star Micronics, a global leader in POS hardware, labeling, and cloud printing technology, today announced the integration of its printing and labeling solutions with Crunchtime Kitchen, an industry-leading kitchen display system (KDS) by Crunchtime. The integration extends digital kitchen workflows beyond the screen, helping restaurants improve order accuracy, accountability, and fulfillment across dine-in, takeout, and delivery channels, with particular impact for quick-service restaurants (QSRs), fast-casual brands, large casual-dining chains, and other hospitality venues.
Kitchen display systems play a critical role in organizing and prioritizing orders, but accuracy challenges often arise once orders move from preparation to packaging and handoff. By integrating Star Micronics’ labeling and printing solutions with Crunchtime Kitchen, restaurants gain a reliable physical verification layer that supports accurate assembly, clear identification, and confident delivery of every order.
Extending Order Accuracy Beyond the Screen
Through the integration, orders displayed within Crunchtime Kitchen workflows trigger printed labels and receipts at key points in the kitchen process. Item-level and order-level labels help teams verify contents, eliminate missed items, and minimize confusion during packaging and pickup.
Star’s mC-Label multifunction printer series supports a wide range of restaurant labeling needs, including item labels, bag seals, and order identification, using linerless, die-cut, or receipt media, all from a single model. Available in 2-inch and 3-inch options, the series also features user-friendly maintenance that reduces downtime and simplifies upkeep for kitchen teams.
Star’s TSP143IV SK supports sticky linerless labels and receipt printing, giving restaurants flexible options for labeling and order verification. When paired with Crunchtime Kitchen, labeling helps ensure that digital orders are accurately reflected in the final order handed to the customer.
Crunchtime Kitchen is purpose-built to help restaurants manage complex, high-volume kitchen operations where speed, accuracy, and coordination are critical. Rather than simply displaying orders, the system orchestrates how orders move through the kitchen by pacing tickets, routing items to the right stations, and adjusting workflows based on real-time demand.
“When kitchens are under pressure, teams need systems they can trust. Bringing Crunchtime Kitchen together with Star Micronics’ labeling and printing solutions gives restaurants greater confidence that orders are executed accurately for the guest.”
Jennifer Karpinsky, Vice President of Business Development at Crunchtime
Features such as delayed routing, customizable prep stations, and dynamic capacity management help balance workloads, reduce bottlenecks, and keep multi-item orders finishing together. This approach supports consistent execution across dine-in, takeout, and delivery channels, even during peak periods.
Paired with Star Micronics’ labeling and printing solutions, these orchestrated workflows extend beyond the screen, giving kitchen teams a clear, physical way to verify, assemble, and fulfill orders accurately.
Reliable Printing for Real-World Kitchen Execution
The integration also supports Star’s mC-Print3 thermal receipt printer, delivering fast, dependable receipt and order printing in high-volume kitchen environments. Built for the demands of busy kitchens, the mC-Print3 provides consistent output at prep, expo, and fulfillment stations during peak service.
Together, Star’s printing and labeling hardware provides restaurants with flexible options to support prep stations, expo lines, and fulfillment areas, while maintaining clarity and reliability across workflows.
Supporting Modern Restaurant Operations
As restaurants manage increasing order complexity driven by kiosks, online ordering, and third-party delivery, accuracy at handoff has become a critical factor in customer satisfaction and loyalty. Clear labeling and reliable printing help reduce costly remakes, refunds, and delivery issues, while improving the overall guest experience.
The integration between Star Micronics and Crunchtime Kitchen enables restaurant operators to unify digital order management with consistent, real-world execution across every service channel. Designed for multi-channel, enterprise restaurant environments, Crunchtime Kitchen helps operators maintain service consistency and throughput by intelligently managing order flow across stations, channels, and peak demand periods.
A Trusted Partner for KDS Labeling Solutions
With decades of experience supporting restaurant technology ecosystems, Star Micronics continues to work closely with leading software providers to deliver dependable hardware solutions. The integration with Crunchtime Kitchen reinforces Star’s role as a go-to provider of labeling and printing technology for KDS environments.
For more information about Star Micronics solutions, visit starmicronics.com. To learn more about Crunchtime Kitchen, visit crunchtime.com.
Crunchtime helps multi-unit restaurants operate every location like their best one. Trusted by 850+ brands across 150,000+ locations worldwide, Crunchtime connects the full operations management lifecycle across inventory management, labor and scheduling, kitchen management, and operations execution, in the industry’s only complete, AI-powered suite. Top operators, including Jersey Mike’s, Five Guys, Smoothie King, Wingstop, and Chili’s, rely on Crunchtime to achieve profitability and deliver great guest experiences every day in every store. To learn more, visit Crunchtime.com.
Star Micronics is a global leader in POS hardware and transaction technology, providing printers, secure cash management, and connected peripherals for retail and hospitality environments. Known for reliability and developer-friendly integration, Star solutions work seamlessly with Android™, iOS, Windows®, and web-based POS platforms to power receipt, label, ticket, and order printing across modern commerce environments.
Star’s cloud technologies extend printing beyond the counter. CloudPRNT Next enables scalable direct cloud printing, while StarIO.Online is Star’s fully managed cloud printing service that removes the need for server infrastructure and simplifies remote printer management across distributed locations. Star also offers a broad portfolio of POS peripherals, including barcode scanners, scales, and tablet stands, designed to work together as a complete hardware solution.
Restaurant kitchens are facing more demands than ever. From food safety compliance to lightning-fast delivery expectations, operators are turning to modern kitchen technology to keep pace. As cloud POS systems and restaurant label printers reshape how kitchens run, efficiency and accuracy are becoming essential to delivering a superior customer experience.
In the latest episode of the BlueStar Nation Podcast, Star Micronics’ Christophe Naasz dives into how QSR kitchen technology and restaurant efficiency tools are helping restaurants evolve. He shares insights on trends from the National Restaurant Association Show, the growing advantages of cloud POS vs on-prem, and how kitchen labeling solutions and modern scanning are driving new levels of order accuracy.
From restaurant scanning solutions that improve accuracy to kitchen label printers that streamline order staging, Christophe explains how the right technology can transform back-of-house operations. He also discusses why restaurant kitchens adopting cloud POS platforms are seeing faster innovation cycles and improved delivery outcomes.
But one area that is often overlooked is kitchen technology. And it shouldn’t be.
If you want to run an efficient and profitable operation, your kitchen needs tools in place to help you keep up with the high volume of orders coming in. Getting the right tech in place will make your chefs’ and line cooks’ lives a whole lot easier.
Every piece of your tech stack needs to speak the same language and integrate seamlessly for efficient operations and a consistent customer experience. These five essential pieces of kitchen technology will help you build that consistency and improve every area of your restaurant.
5 Pieces of Must-Have Kitchen Technology
The kitchen is the beating heart of any restaurant. It’s where the magic happens and it produces the product your customers have come for. As a result, your kitchen needs the latest restaurant technology solutions to make operations more efficient and to connect this area with the rest of the restaurant.
Here are the vital pieces of kitchen technology to get in place to keep the life-blood pumping around your restaurant.
1. Point-of-Sale System (POS)
A point-of-sale system is the hub of your restaurant’s data and operations. It processes orders, transactions, and other restaurant data and often serves as the liaison between your front- and back-of-house restaurant technology solutions.
Having the right POS in place is vital to keep communication between the front-of-house and your kitchen smooth and efficient, with minimal errors. When it comes to technology for restaurants, the POS serves as your central data hub.
What is a POS?
A restaurant POS is traditionally the system of networked hardware and software that takes orders and processes payments. But a modern POS can do a whole lot more, including managing inventory, accepting orders from third-party platforms, generating reports from analytics, and pretty much any other restaurant management task you can think of.
These days a POS stores data in the cloud and can encompass ordering tablets, self-service kiosks, traditional tills with touchscreens, contactless payment terminals, and other restaurant POS hardware.
Benefits of a POS
Streamline restaurant operations – the POS links your systems together, making operations more efficient in every department, from ordering, to payments, to production in the kitchen.
Stores all your data in one place – your POS acts as the data hub for your restaurant, ensuring all your data is accurate, consistent, and accessible.
Reduces ordering errors – a smart POS with the latest ordering hardware and key integrations will greatly reduce the risk of costly ordering errors occurring.
2. Kitchen Display System (KDS)
Kitchen display systems are becoming essential pieces of technology for restaurants, especially in high-volume settings like fast-casual and quick-service restaurants, ghost kitchens, and other takeout joints where efficiency is the name of the game.
The KDS keeps all your orders flowing through the kitchen and makes sure all the cooks are on the same page, making it one of the most vital restaurant technology solutions on the market.
Star Micronics’ Tri-Mount Tablet Display Stand
What is a KDS?
A KDS uses one or more screens in the kitchen to give the cooks a clear view of orders being processed. Typically, a screen at each station helps the cooks keep track of orders and even tells them when to fire different parts of an order for maximum efficiency.
Traditionally, cooks keep track of orders with printed tickets that are spiked when the order is complete. A KDS can be used instead of, or in addition to, printed tickets. The real-time information provided by the system can improve efficiency and reduce the risk of costly mistakes.
Benefits of a KDS
Streamline kitchen operations – a KDS keeps your kitchen production line organized and streamlined by making sure everyone knows what they need to do and when.
Speed up service – more efficient production helps your kitchen produce orders faster, meaning you can serve more customers at peak times.
Minimize errors – with a clearer picture of the orders in preparation, cooks are less likely to make mistakes that lead to food having to be remade.
Reduce food waste –a more efficient kitchen making fewer mistakes helps reduce wasted food from sloppy portioning, over-production, and re-fires.
3. Printers
Although the trend is moving toward digital solutions, printers still play a vital role in the modern restaurant in the front and back-of-house. And they are getting just as smart as the rest of the tech in the restaurant.
Many customers want a physical receipt, whether it’s just a preference or for record-keeping, and many kitchens still use printed receipts whether or not they also use a KDS to organize orders.
Let’s take a look at the different types of restaurant printers.
What are Restaurant Printers?
Restaurant printers are found at the front desk, at wait stations, behind the bar, and in the kitchen – perhaps at each production station. Front-of-house printers print checks and customer receipts. Bar and kitchen printers print order tickets, so bartenders and chefs know what to prepare.
There are two types of printers commonly used: impact printers and thermal printers. Each has its own features making each one suitable for different environments.
Impact printers, or dot-matrix printers, physically impact the paper with ink. They can typically print in black and red, have more moving parts, and are noisier than thermal printers.
The SP742 Impact Printer is built specifically to work in hot and humid environments, connects via Bluetooth, and can print 13 tickets per minute.
The SP700 series impact printers from Star Micronics are one of the most popular kitchen printers.
Thermal printers directly mark heat-sensitive paper using a heated element. Thermal printers tend to be more expensive, but they could save you money over time as you don’t have to buy more ink. They are sensitive to temperature, so they would only work in a climate-controlled kitchen but can print much faster than impact printers.
The TSP654II Thermal Printer can print 60 receipts per minute, comes with easy drop-in paper loading, and connects to a number of peripheral devices.
The TSP654II thermal receipt printer by Star Micronics makes an excellent kitchen printer.
Benefits of Printers
Offer a physical receipt – many customers want to keep a physical credit card receipt or check for their records and for tax purposes.
Redundancy in the kitchen – a printer receipt in addition to the KDS allows cooks to double-check orders and some chefs prefer to have a physical order ticket as well as the KDS.
The Growing Industry of Ghost Kitchens: The Tech You Need to Get Started
Learn the essentials of starting a ghost kitchen and the technology restaurateurs will need to get started.
Even with a modern POS, you still need a way to process cash payments. Today, most modern cash drawers can be synced with your POS terminals via USB or Bluetooth, offering the ultimate convenience without compromising security.
Look for cash drawers with physical and electronic locking functions that are robust and technologically enabled.
What is a Cash Drawer?
A cash drawer is a secured box with a sliding drawer that protects your cash. It is linked to your POS, so it opens when a cash payment is made and change is required.
Cash drawers typically have multiple locking functions for security, including a manual lock when not in use and automatic locking when in use during service.
The mPOP® Multifunction System is a cash drawer and printer in one smart device. Compatible with Windows, Android, and iOS, it offers direct iOS connectivity, which allows your iOS device to be charged while data is transferring. There is also the optional handheld 2D USB barcode scanner included with some models. The mPOP® is truly an ideal device for mobile POS (mPOS) systems.
White mPOP® with optional 2D barcode scanner
5. Contactless Payment Terminals
Contactless payments are becoming the norm as customers increasingly appreciate the convenience of not having to enter a PIN or even remove their card from their wallet. It’s worth upgrading to terminals equipped with near-field communication (NFC), so you can accept payments with a phone or card tap.
What are Contactless Payment Terminals?
Contactless payment terminals allow guests to pay with the tap of a card anywhere in the restaurant. They are connected to the WiFi network to communicate with the POS, so they allow customers to pay at the table, at the curb, or at the drive-thru window.
The terminals use NFC to take contactless payments from smartphones or credit cards and have keypads and card slots if the customer needs to insert the card and enter their PIN.
Benefits of Contactless Payment Terminals
Faster and more convenient – contactless wireless terminals make it quicker and easier to make payments, leading to a better customer experience and more efficient service.
More secure – Contactless payments eliminate the need for the customer to hand over the card or reveal their signature. Card information is sent via a secure cryptographic method to ensure information can’t be stolen.
Boost efficiency, customer satisfaction, and revenue with better kitchen tech.
From the POS flawlessly processing orders and contactless terminals taking payments anywhere to kitchen display systems and printers keeping your service organized, kitchen technology is vital to the success of your restaurant.
As we’ve seen, there are exciting products on the market that help to make transactions easier and more secure, make kitchen operations more efficient, and improve the customer experience, among many other benefits.
It’s not just software that counts–getting the proper hardware in place, like smarter cash drawers and the right kind of kitchen printers, can help offer better service and make your kitchen more efficient.
Overall, investing in the latest kitchen tech will streamline your operations, improve customer satisfaction and increase restaurant profits.
Guest Post Written By Sam Sinha
Sam is a restaurant tech content writer building authority for food industry pioneers like TouchBistro. After cooking and writing his way around London and Hong Kong, he now writes and grows vegetables in the Cambridgeshire countryside.
Launching a business in the restaurant space carries a lot of risks. The nationwide restaurant failure rate is challenging to track, but the National Restaurant Association estimates a 30% failure rate in the restaurant industry. With high failure-to-thrive rates, rent, and other overhead costs, plus difficulty filling dining rooms, it’s easy to see why entering the industry is so daunting. However, many restaurateurs have found a way around these challenges: ghost kitchens.
A ghost kitchen is a professional food preparation and cooking facility set up to prepare delivery or takeout meals without the dining room. This solution has made entering the market more manageable, allowing for flexible working space, eliminating the costs of setting up and running a larger front-of-house operation. For these reasons, many restaurateurs and other entrepreneurs are looking into how to start a ghost kitchen, including what kind of point of sale (POS) technology they will need to get started.
Ghost kitchens lower the barrier of entry to the restaurant industry. However, there is still a significant amount of planning that goes into opening a ghost kitchen. For instance, you will still need to find a kitchen space to buy or rent from. The good news is, without a dining room, you can select from a workspace that may have lower foot traffic, which means cheaper rent.
It may still take you a while to design a menu, however, and you will have to decide between in-house delivery services or outsourcing with partnerships from UberEats, DoorDash, or other sources. And, of course, you will still have to invest in the usual kitchen essentials: food, utensils, and technology.
POS Technology To Invest In
As a ghost kitchen owner, your operations will be very different from traditional restaurant operations and will require a more comprehensive digital solution. To keep up with these unique demands, you will need specific technology designed for your kitchen.
First, you will need an ordering and payment solution that will allow customers to order and pay for their meals online or via a mobile app. Next, you’ll need a kitchen display system (KDS) to get those online orders directly in front of your kitchen staff, keeping your line moving fast and efficiently.
Also, you can keep your kitchen moving by sending orders to a mobile printer using linerless labels and sticking them directly onto the to-go packages. This minimizes confusion, shortens delivery and pick-up time, keeping the orders moving (be sure to use tamper-proof labels to assure food order safety as well). In addition, as a digitally advanced kitchen, you’ll need a POS system that integrates all of these solutions, making it easy and seamless to manage your operations on a day-to-day basis.
The EZPOS tablet display stand by Star Micronics
If you use multiple delivery services and want to keep your POS system flexible by using a mobile tablet, it’s also a smart idea to invest in a tablet stand. It may quickly become one of your kitchen’s most essential tools, providing a home base for your point of sale and making it easier for staff to match up orders with corresponding delivery service providers. A proper stand should also help to protect your tablet, including any receipt or order printer you may have alongside it.
Your go-to For Ghost Kitchen POS Technology
Star Micronics provides flexible, futureproof POS technology designed to connect front and back-of-house operations with ease, keeping ghost kitchens operating at their peak. Star provides everything from portable printers, regular and sticky thermal receipt paper, durable tablet stands, and much more. Through one of our certified partners, you can get all of the hardware your ghost kitchen needs.
If you’re ready to find the best step up for your ghost kitchen and get ahead of your competition, contact Star today. Discover what our industry-leading technology can do for you and your restaurant business goals.
The Growing Industry of Ghost Kitchens: The Tech You Need To Get Started
Learn the essentials of starting a ghost kitchen and the technology restaurateurs will need to get started.
