Square Restaurants POS

While all of the above can be done with Restaurants Plus, there are some limitations on the Free plan. On both plans, you get access to the Order Manager, fast entry orders, multi-location management, remote device management, open tills, repeat items, dining preferences and advanced discounts.

 

The differences between the plans are mainly:

Feature Free plan Plus plan

Customer support Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm 24/7

Team management Free tier included ‘Team Plus’ included

Table management Basic Advanced (w/seat mgmt.)

Menu management Basic Advanced (w/course mgmt.)

Reporting Basic Advanced (w/shifts, section sales)

Service charge Basic Advanced (w/party size thresholds)

Closing procedures

Included w/close of day reports

Item availability tracking

Shared device settings

Live sales

Reopen closed sales

 

In either case, you have access to many add-on features including:

 

    Square Invoices (useful for catering jobs, no monthly fees)

    Virtual Terminal (for remote payments, no monthly fees)

    Square Online Store with integrated pick-up, delivery and takeaway options (choice of subscriptions)

    Gift cards

    Timesheets

 

Features not included in the hospitality EPOS software may be added as additional subscriptions through the many partner apps that integrate with Square. These cover areas like accounting, ecommerce, customer loyalty, inventory management and marketing.

Most of these additional tools cost a monthly subscription, so you should consider carefully whether it is most economical to choose a POS system already containing all the features you need, or whether it’s better to pick and choose integrations that work with Square for Restaurants.

 

Card payments and hardware

 

Square for Restaurants can be used in conjunction with Square Reader and Square Terminal, but the latter has some restrictions. The system cannot be used with other card machines.

 

Square Restaurants POS can be used with both Square Reader and Terminal.

 

Square Reader is fully integrated with the Restaurants software, i.e. it activates and accepts card payments in sync with the Square for Restaurants app when it is connected with the iPad via Bluetooth.

 

Square Terminal, on the other hand, can only use the built-in Point of Sale software, but you can connect it with the Restaurants software so it’s in sync for tableside ordering.

 

When setting up the Square POS for restaurants, the following settings are automatically enabled on the Terminal:

 

    Predefined and open tickets

    Open tickets menu as home screen

    Require passcode from all users

 

These settings can be changed manually. You cannot add service charge, print ‘minimised receipt length’ receipts, add products to a seat or use detailed modifiers on Terminal.

 

The restaurant software only works on iPad and a selection of compatible receipt printers, cash drawers and kitchen printers. Not only that – the backend settings allow you to determine how a food order is sent to kitchen printers (e.g. “Straight Away” items are sent to the kitchen printer without coursing information) and work in combination with other iPads in your food establishment.

 

Image: Mobile Transaction

Square text receipt feedback

 

Instead of printing, you can email or text receipts asking for the customer’s feedback.

 

Reports and analytics

 

Square’s analytics are accessed fully in the web dashboard (need to log in via an internet browser). These are just some of the things you can analyse in detail: sales trends, payment methods, discounts, modifier sales, labour vs. sales analyses, service charges, voids and gift cards.

 

The cash drawer is managed through the iPad app, where you start the day confirming the amount of cash, and close the till at the end of the day when you can verify the amount left in the till (note: these are Plus plan features).

 

Image: Mobile Transaction

Square for Restaurants account menu

 

Reporting and account options in the iPad app.

 

The Square for Restaurants app allows you to view:

 

    Live sales (Plus only)

    Sales reports that can be emailed, printed or customised by day, device and team member

    Cash management reports detailing paid-ins/outs, start of shift, etc. (Plus only)

 

Export end-of-day reports to an Excel (CVS) file, or integrate transactions with Xero, Zoho Books or another accounting program.

 

Customer support and reviews

 

The Plus subscription includes round-the-clock phone support, while Free only has weekday support (9am-5pm).

 

There’s also a help section online, walkthrough videos and articles answering most questions. When you get started with the software, written prompts tell you what to do next, however these could be more elaborate.

 

Customer reviews are generally good for Square UK, but there are occasional reports of funds being held unexpectedly by Square who then ask for transaction proof as part of the security procedures. From our own tests, we have not had any problems with