How Many Till Rolls Does My Business Need Each Month?

Multiply your daily transactions by the length of paper each one uses, then divide by the paper on one roll. As a rough guide, a busy café printing 200 receipts a day on 80x70mm rolls uses around 25 rolls a month, a bit more than one box of 20. A card terminal printing one copy per sale for 150 sales a day uses about 40 to 45 57x40mm rolls a month, close to one box of 50.

Here is the simple method, some worked examples, and how much spare stock to keep.

In this guide

• How do I work out my monthly roll usage?
• What does that look like for a typical business?
• How do I estimate kitchen printer rolls?
• How much spare stock should I keep?
• Is it cheaper to buy more at once?
• FAQ

How do I work out my monthly roll usage?

You need three numbers.

1. Receipts per day. Your EPOS or terminal report shows transactions. If the card machine prints two copies, count two per sale.
2. Receipts per roll. Measure a typical receipt and divide it into the paper on a roll. An 80x70mm roll has about 45 metres and a 57x40mm roll about 16 metres. Our receipts per roll guide walks through this.
3. Trading days per month. Usually 26 to 30.

Then: rolls per month = receipts per day x trading days / receipts per roll.

What does that look like for a typical business?

These are worked examples, not averages. Your numbers will differ, so plug in your own.

Example	Receipts per day	Roll	Receipts per roll	Rolls per month (28 days)	Boxes
Busy café, 80mm EPOS	200	80x70mm	about 225	about 25	1 to 2 boxes of 20
Small shop, 80mm EPOS	100	80x70mm	about 225	about 12 to 13	1 box of 20 lasts 6 weeks
Card terminal, one copy per sale	150	57x40mm	about 100	about 42	1 box of 50
Card terminal, two copies per sale	300	57x40mm	about 100	about 84	2 boxes of 50
Takeaway kitchen printer	120 dockets	76x70mm bond	varies by docket	check a week's usage	see below

Switching the card machine to one copy per sale, or asking customers if they want a receipt, can halve your roll use overnight.

How do I estimate kitchen printer rolls?

Kitchen dockets vary a lot in length, so the easiest way is to count. Note the date when you put in a fresh roll and count how many rolls go in over one normal week. Multiply by four, and add a bit for your busiest weeks.

If you use 2 ply or 3 ply rolls, the paper per roll is shorter than single ply at the same diameter, so expect to change them more often. See the 2 ply and 3 ply roll guide.

How much spare stock should I keep?

Keep at least two to four weeks of rolls on site, and always one full box of each size you use.

• Order when you open your last box, not when you use your last roll.
• Keep a few loose rolls at each till and terminal, so nobody walks away from a customer to find one.
• Plan ahead for Christmas and summer. Usage can jump in your busiest weeks.
• Store rolls somewhere cool and dry. Thermal paper reacts to heat, so not beside the oven or in a hot van.

We dispatch the same working day on orders placed before 1pm, and most orders arrive the next working day. For 10 or more boxes, or pallet quantities, ring us on 01 443 3964. Our pallet guide covers bulk ordering.

Is it cheaper to buy more at once?

Pallet pricing is available on large orders. For most businesses, though, the bigger saving is time. One order a month instead of emergency top-ups means fewer deliveries to sign for and no staff popping out to buy a roll at retail price.

If you would rather not think about it at all, auto-ship sends the same order on a schedule. For current prices, see our till roll price guide.

Frequently asked questions

How many till rolls does a café use a month?

It depends on sales. A café printing 200 receipts a day on 80x70mm rolls uses roughly 25 rolls a month, a little over one box of 20.

How many card machine rolls will I need?

At 150 sales a day with one receipt per sale, about 40 to 45 57x40mm rolls a month, so roughly one box of 50. Printing two copies doubles that.

How can I use fewer till rolls?

Ask customers if they want a receipt, switch the card machine to one copy per sale, and shorten long receipt headers and footers.

How many spare rolls should I keep?

At least two to four weeks of stock, and one full box of each size you use.

How fast can I get more till rolls?

Order before 1pm and we dispatch the same working day. Most orders arrive the next working day across Ireland.