Square Adds QR-based, Self-Serve Ordering

Now with self-serve ordering, Square Online restaurant users can limit in-person contact, increase safety, improve order accuracy, and adapt to changing consumer preferences.

Jeff Krupman, owner of Pizzahacker, a restaurant in Mill Valley, California, said that self-serve ordering helped him continue serving customers during recent months: “Self-serve ordering on Square Online has made it easy for guests to safely, and seamlessly place orders using just their mobile phone and a QR code. In addition to keeping our staff and customers safe, the feature also helps improve efficiency by making it easier to perform tasks like flagging down a waiter, paying the bill, splitting a check, or even just reordering a drink.”

Consumers visiting a restaurant simply scan the QR code with their personal device and place the order via the seller’s mobile-optimized ordering page. Once the buyer completes their order, it is received at the seller’s point of sale and relayed to their kitchen printers just as if the order was inputted directly by a server. Once the order is ready, a food runner looks for the table identifier on the order ticket and brings out the food.

Increased Efficiency and Accuracy

Self-serve ordering can also increase efficiency, and improve a restaurant’s bottom line. By removing wait times and improving the process for handling payment between waiters and patrons, self-serve ordering can improve table turn times and reduce labor costs. 

Self-serve ordering also enables sellers to collect customer information on sales and foster deeper relationships with buyers through Square Loyalty and Square Marketing. Buyers can collect and redeem loyalty points on purchases made through Square Online just as they would at a Square point-of-sale.

Self-serve ordering is available now for Square Online users in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.