diff --git a/app.rb b/app.rb
index e9ab491..05aeb1e 100644
--- a/app.rb
+++ b/app.rb
@@ -132,8 +132,9 @@ helpers do
   def print_epson_test_page
     receipt = ReceiptBuilder.new
     receipt.align(:center).bold.size(:big).text("TM-T20II TEST\n").size(:normal).bold(false)
+    receipt.align(:left).text(('-' * 48) + "\n")
 
-    receipt.align(:left).section_separator('TEXT STYLES')
+    receipt.section_separator('TEXT STYLES')
     receipt.text("Normal text\n")
     receipt.bold.text("Bold text\n").bold(false)
     receipt.underline.text("Underlined text\n").underline(false)
@@ -150,8 +151,8 @@ helpers do
     receipt.section_separator('IMAGE')
     receipt.align(:center).image(64, 64, checkerboard_bitmap)
 
-    receipt.section_separator
-    receipt.align(:left).text("Printed: #{Time.now.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')}\n")
+    receipt.align(:left).text(('-' * 48) + "\n")
+    receipt.text("Printed: #{Time.now.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')}\n")
     receipt.feed(3).cut
     receipt.print!(PRINTER_DEVICE_EPSON)
   end
diff --git a/lib/receipt_builder.rb b/lib/receipt_builder.rb
index f7cc890..62d302b 100644
--- a/lib/receipt_builder.rb
+++ b/lib/receipt_builder.rb
@@ -65,17 +65,26 @@ class ReceiptBuilder
     self
   end
 
-  # White-on-black reverse video (GS B n) -- the closest this direct-thermal
-  # printer gets to a second "color" for a separator/banner.
+  # White-on-black reverse video (GS B n) -- available if a receipt ever
+  # wants a real highlight, but plain "=" rules read better for routine
+  # section breaks than a fully blacked-out line.
   def invert(enable = true)
     @buffer << (enable ? "\x1D\x42\x01" : "\x1D\x42\x00")
     self
   end
 
-  # A full-width inverted banner line, e.g. section_separator("SECTION").
+  # A single "=" rule with an optional label centered in it, e.g.
+  # section_separator("SECTION") -> "========= SECTION =========".
   def section_separator(label = '', width: 48)
-    padded = label.empty? ? (' ' * width) : " #{label} ".center(width)
-    feed(1).invert.text(padded[0, width]).invert(false).feed(1)
+    line = if label.empty?
+             '=' * width
+           else
+             mid = " #{label} "
+             pad = [width - mid.length, 0].max
+             left = pad / 2
+             ('=' * left) + mid + ('=' * (pad - left))
+           end
+    feed(1).text("#{line}\n").feed(1)
   end
 
   def size(mode)