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I am preparing to create a POS application for a restaurant. I will use POS for .NET so I want the ability to access the printer and cash drawer without resorting to vendor-specific command strings. After looking at various printers, I have decided on the Epson TM-T88V. Now I need to choose a cash drawer. The Epson printer can connect to a cash drawer, freeing up a USB port on the computer. I want to connect the drawer via the printer, but it makes we wonder if I'll have full control over the drawer or not. The POS software must first print orders to be handed to the cook before the customer pays, meaning that printing a receipt does not necessary mean opening the drawer. So I want to find a drawer that can be fully controlled via the CashDrawer class and will not prematurely open when printing the initial order.

HappyNomad
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    I've never seen a cash drawer that automatically opens when you print a receipt, usually you send a signal to open the drawer. In addition to opening the drawer, you'll want to poll the status of the drawer to prevent working with a open till. Most POS apps I've used support all the various "common" hardware which include USB/Serial/etc... This way, customers mix & match to build the a solution that fits their business. – Zachary Aug 15 '11 at 19:10
  • 1. Have you ever worked with a cash drawer connected through the printer? 2. What's bad about working with an open till? – HappyNomad Aug 16 '11 at 15:43
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    1. Yes, but long ago. 2. Yes it's bad, the reasons are endless but in general a POS system is to track sales and protect from employee theft... Very easy to "fake sales" with an open till and I've never seen it allowed in any bar/restaurant in the 100+ systems I setup/configured. – Zachary Aug 16 '11 at 16:38
  • The POS software I maintain and support has the cash drawer connected to the receipt printer, which only opens if necessary. For example, a sales receipt can be reprinted without opening the drawer again. The drawer firing can even be disabled for sales people, who prefer not to carry a cash drawer every time they travel to a demonstration. – stukelly Aug 16 '11 at 17:23

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Opening the cash drawer is normally an independent device you have full control over.

The connection to cash drawer from receipt printer is just a convenience and to save cost in the cash drawer - it doesn't need a full USB/serial interface or power supply. In reality you control it separately. Obviously, the printer has special commands to talk to the cash drawer, but if you use OPOS/POS for .NET then this is abstracted and you don't need to care about the connection.

O'Rooney
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