When people refer to a kinko print job today, they are usually talking about document reproduction, large-format blueprinting, finishing, and digital shipping services historically associated with the iconic Kinko's brand. Founded by Paul Orfalea in 1970 near the University of California, Santa Barbara, Kinko's grew from a small storefront selling stationery and photocopies to a massive international chain before its acquisition by FedEx in 2004, later rebranded as FedEx Office. This guide details what these print and business services entail today, how to access them, available formats, pricing considerations, and best practices for preparing your files.
The Evolution of Kinko's to FedEx Office
Understanding what a "kinko print" order means requires a brief look at its corporate lineage. Paul Orfalea named the company after his own curly red hair, setting up shop with a single rented printing machine to serve college students. Over the next three decades, Kinko's revolutionized the document reproduction industry by staying open late—often 24 hours a day—and offering self-service copying, binding, and desktop publishing workstations.
In 2004, FedEx Corporation acquired Kinko's for $2.4 billion, integrating the retail locations into its global shipping and logistics network. By 2008, the name transitioned fully to FedEx Office Print & Ship Center. Despite the corporate rebrand, the colloquial term "Kinko print" remains deeply embedded in the American lexicon. Consumers and business professionals still use it to describe high-speed commercial copying, last-minute presentation binding, and walk-in design services.
Core Services Offered at Modern "Kinko" Print Centers
Modern FedEx Office locations function as comprehensive print hubs rather than simple photocopy shops. They combine digital print production, professional finishing, packing, and shipping under one roof. When visiting a location or ordering online, customers typically interact with several primary service categories.
Document Printing and Copying
The foundation of the business remains high-volume digital reproduction. Facilities utilize heavy-duty production printers capable of processing thousands of pages per hour in full color or monochrome.
- Standard Paper Weights: Options range from 20 lb. bond paper for standard office memos to 28 lb. and 32 lb. premium bright papers for professional reports.
- Cardstocks: Heavyweight cardstock (typically 80 lb. to 110 lb.) is available for marketing materials, menus, and greeting cards.
- Finishes: Papers come in matte, glossy, and satin finishes depending on the desired visual impact.
Large-Format Printing and Signage
Beyond standard office paper sizes (Letter, Legal, Ledger/Tabloid), these centers produce wide-format outputs for marketing and architectural needs.
- Architectural Engineering and Construction (AEC) Plans: Black-and-white or color blueprint printing on bond paper or vellum.
- Banners and Posters: Outdoor-durable vinyl banners with grommets, canvas prints, foam board mounting, and high-gloss presentation posters.
- Marketing Displays: Retractable banner stands, yard signs, window decals, and floor graphics.
Finishing and Binding Options
Raw printed pages require professional finishing to become usable booklets, manuals, or presentations. Available options include:
- Coil (Spiral) Binding: Plastic or metal coils that allow documents to open flat and rotate 360 degrees.
- Comb Binding: Plastic spines inserted into rectangular punched holes, ideal for manuals that may require page insertions later.
- Wire-O Binding: Professional twin-loop wire binding often used for calendars and upscale portfolios.
- Thermal and Perfect Binding: Glue-based binding that creates a square spine, mimicking the look of a paperback book.
- Padding, Cutting, and Laminating: Custom pads of NCR (no-carbon-required) paper, precise guillotine cutting, and encapsulation lamination for durability.
Comparison of Common Print and Finishing Types
Choosing the right format depends on the document's purpose, audience, and durability requirements. The table below outlines standard configurations available at walk-in print centers.
| Print Type | Common Applications | Typical Substrates | Standard Turnaround | Best Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Document | Reports, essays, forms | 20 lb. – 32 lb. Bond | Same-day / Self-service | Internal office paperwork, academic assignments |
| Marketing Collateral | Brochures, flyers, menus | 80 lb. – 100 lb. Gloss Text | Same-day (under 500 copies) | Promotional handouts, restaurant menus |
| Presentation Boards | Trade shows, architectural reviews | Foam Core, Gator Board | 24–48 hours | Visual displays requiring rigidity |
| Architectural Plans | Construction, engineering | 20 lb. Bond, Vellum | Same-day | Job-site reference maps and blueprints |
| Bound Manuals | Training guides, reports | 24 lb. Paper + Coil/Comb Spine | Same-day | Multi-page documents requiring frequent handling |
File Preparation and Submission Guidelines
To ensure a print job matches expectations, proper digital file preparation is essential. Submitting raw, unformatted files often leads to layout shifts, font substitution errors, or incorrect scaling.
File Formats
- PDF (Portable Document Format): The gold standard for print production. Saving documents as a PDF locks fonts, vectors, and raster images in place, preventing formatting discrepancies across different computer systems.
- Native Applications: While staff can sometimes open native Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or Adobe InDesign files, font discrepancies or missing links can halt production. Always convert files to PDF before submission.
Resolution and Color Space
- Resolution: Images intended for print must be at least 300 Dots Per Inch (DPI) at actual print size. Web images are typically 72 DPI and will appear pixelated or blurry when printed.
- Color Mode: Commercial printers operate using CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) process inks. Digital files should ideally be designed or converted in CMYK mode to prevent unexpected color shifts from RGB screen displays.
Bleed and Safe Zones
For items printed edge-to-edge (such as flyers or business cards), designers must include a bleed area—typically an extra 1/8 inch (0.125") of background color extending past the final trim line—to prevent white edges from showing during automated cutting. Critical text and logos should stay inside an inner "safe zone" at least 1/4 inch away from the trim edge.
Cost Considerations and Turnaround Times
Pricing for print services depends on volume, paper selection, finishing complexity, and turnaround speed.
Pricing Factors
- Volume Discounts: Bulk printing significantly lowers the per-page cost. Printing 1,000 copies of a flyer costs substantially less per unit than printing five copies.
- Color vs. Black & White: Monochrome copying remains the most budget-friendly option, while full-color laser printing carries a higher per-page fee.
- Finishing Fees: Binding methods, custom cutting, lamination, and hole-punching add incremental setup and labor costs to the base print fee.
Turnaround Windows
- Self-Service: Immediate access for walk-in customers using public-facing computer terminals and copiers.
- Same-Day Production: Standard digital print jobs submitted online or at the counter are frequently completed within 2 to 4 hours, subject to store workload.
- Large-Scale Production: Specialized items like custom vinyl banners, mounted signage, or massive corporate manuals may require 24 to 72 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I walk into a store and print directly from a USB flash drive?
Yes. Most locations feature self-service customer computer stations equipped with standard software and USB ports. You can plug in a flash drive, access cloud storage (such as Google Drive or Dropbox), and send documents directly to self-service network printers. Alternatively, store associates can accept files via email or counter-assisted drives.
What is the difference between self-service and full-service printing?
Self-service involves using the public computer terminals and copiers yourself, which is ideal for small, urgent jobs like printing a boarding pass or a few pages of a textbook. Full-service involves handing your project to a store associate, who handles file setup, paper selection, heavy-duty printing, binding, and cutting. Full-service typically incurs higher labor fees than self-service.
How do I ensure my colors match what I see on my screen?
Computer monitors emit light using RGB color values, whereas physical printers deposit pigment using CMYK inks. Because of this fundamental difference, exact digital color matching can be challenging. To minimize surprises, request a hard-copy proof before approving a high-volume print run, or design your files using a CMYK color profile from the start.
Are design services available if I do not have a finished layout?
Basic layout assistance, file formatting, and simple document adjustments are generally available through store associates. However, complex graphic design—such as building a brand logo from scratch, multi-page layout design, or advanced vector illustration—usually requires working with a dedicated designer prior to submitting files to the print center.
Next Actions and Practical Recommendations
When preparing for an important print project, start by finalizing your digital file into a flattened PDF with appropriate bleed and resolution settings. If your order requires complex finishing, such as spiral binding or foam-board mounting, submit your order online through the provider's portal several hours in advance to secure your turnaround window. For high-stakes materials like corporate presentations or marketing collateral, visit the counter in person to inspect a physical test proof before authorizing a large-volume print run.
