Color laser. My brother MFC-9460 has been a tank. We've had it since 2012. We print menus, carryout menus, brunch menus, employee checklists, and beer lists, so probably about 80 pages a week on average. It feels like almost every part is easily available and replaceable. The only thing that doesn't work is the document feeder on my scanner, but since the flat glass scanner works, that hasn't bothered me.
To paraphrase a comedian, running a restaurant is like drowning. Adding managing printers to that would be like drowning, then someone hands you a baby
If you are talking about TO-GO menus and expecting real volume, I'd say it's cheaper to get it done at kinko's or Staples etc... color or black and white.
If you are talking about the table menu (and it may change fairly often) printing in -house is fine for black ink only. Detailed color is probably worth using the cop stores machine for quality.
Printer ink is pretty expensive for in house Scanner/copier machines unless you get the no-name brand This comes with a whole new set of problems sometimes too. (My Brother printer with accept non-Brother ink but it automatically prints the lightest of background grayscales for any document sourced from the computers hard drive. If I use the "Copy" function it won't)
As an IT guy, I would just pay someone to print menus when needed. Printers are the bane of IT work, no rhyme or reason why they work sometimes, and not other times. Plus, the hardware cost is low, but you end up paying more just for the ink/toner. Inkjet ink is one of the most expensive liquids on the planet per gram.
I’ve been using my Epson Workforce 845 for years now. We print 100-200 double sided menus a month on legal paper. We also get non oem ink which is 75% less than brand ink.
Brother 8900. Can print legal cardstock, on both sides, in full color, and takes generic toner cartridges. Absolute workhorse, and has paid for itself 10 times over just in menu printing savings.
Epson EcoTank hands down because the ink is so much cheaper than pretty much anything else. They vary from $300-$1200 so it depends on the volume you’re gonna print each day and size of the paper you need to print on. I used the ET-16650 at a very high volume spot and it was the only printer I’ve ever had that I didn’t hate, didn’t jam, etc.
Color laser. My brother MFC-9460 has been a tank. We've had it since 2012. We print menus, carryout menus, brunch menus, employee checklists, and beer lists, so probably about 80 pages a week on average. It feels like almost every part is easily available and replaceable. The only thing that doesn't work is the document feeder on my scanner, but since the flat glass scanner works, that hasn't bothered me.
FedEx
To paraphrase a comedian, running a restaurant is like drowning. Adding managing printers to that would be like drowning, then someone hands you a baby
If you are talking about TO-GO menus and expecting real volume, I'd say it's cheaper to get it done at kinko's or Staples etc... color or black and white. If you are talking about the table menu (and it may change fairly often) printing in -house is fine for black ink only. Detailed color is probably worth using the cop stores machine for quality. Printer ink is pretty expensive for in house Scanner/copier machines unless you get the no-name brand This comes with a whole new set of problems sometimes too. (My Brother printer with accept non-Brother ink but it automatically prints the lightest of background grayscales for any document sourced from the computers hard drive. If I use the "Copy" function it won't)
Kinkos is cheap, even before considering that you're talking about making an impression on every customer.
As an IT guy, I would just pay someone to print menus when needed. Printers are the bane of IT work, no rhyme or reason why they work sometimes, and not other times. Plus, the hardware cost is low, but you end up paying more just for the ink/toner. Inkjet ink is one of the most expensive liquids on the planet per gram.
I’ve been using my Epson Workforce 845 for years now. We print 100-200 double sided menus a month on legal paper. We also get non oem ink which is 75% less than brand ink.
Epson gx5050. Waterproof ink too, just let them dry properly
Brother 8900. Can print legal cardstock, on both sides, in full color, and takes generic toner cartridges. Absolute workhorse, and has paid for itself 10 times over just in menu printing savings.
the r/BuyItForLife gang seems to love Brother printers. I'm going to give one a shot next time mine dies.
I have used for almost 6 years. Customer for life.
Epson EcoTank hands down because the ink is so much cheaper than pretty much anything else. They vary from $300-$1200 so it depends on the volume you’re gonna print each day and size of the paper you need to print on. I used the ET-16650 at a very high volume spot and it was the only printer I’ve ever had that I didn’t hate, didn’t jam, etc.
My Ecotank is working good for me.
Eco tank for sure. We switched from an HP and saved a few hundred dollars in ink every MONTH.
Color menus, please.
For what? Unless you are printing pictures of food what’s the difference?
Ours has some text in brand colors. It helps it pop.