Square for Restaurants Mobile POS

In order to help restaurant operators overcome the two major challenges impacting the industry — persistent staffing shortages following COVID-19 and increased operating costs due to rising inflation — we challenged ourselves to create a solution that: a) empowers restaurants to accomplish more with limited resources, b) is intuitive and easy to use, and c) helps them improve their customer’s dining experience.

The Mobile POS design is visually resolved, portable, and conveys its function clearly. It performs its purpose of allowing waitstaff to take orders, print bills, and take payments right at the table, enhancing dinners’ experience. The design is professionally executed, finished, and intuitive to use, mirroring workflows that staff and diners are already familiar with. It creates value for restaurant owners by positively impacting their bottom line, allowing them to serve more tables with limited staff. The investment in the Mobile POS results in a positive economic and social return, making it a commercially viable option for restaurants.

The Mobile POS design is already transforming restaurant operations, benefiting hundreds of Australian restaurants since its release in September 2022. Its fit-for-purpose solution streamlines the dining experience, reducing errors, and unnecessary paper waste. By allowing staff to take orders and payments directly at the table, it results in faster service and happier customers and staff. With improvements in business performance and customer satisfaction, the Mobile POS design represents a significant shift in restaurant operations. It has the potential to inspire investment in professional design solutions across various industries, contributing to a more prosperous and sustainable future for businesses and communities.

The Mobile POS software was designed to work with the already widely adopted Square Terminal, repurposing a hardware that thousands of Australian restaurants already had at their fingertips. The Square Terminal, first introduced in 2019, was originally created to be an all-in-one payments processing device that is fast, secure and elegant. It accepts credit and debit cards via tap, swipe, and insert methods, and can connect to the internet via Wi-Fi. Additionally, it has an Offline Mode feature that allows it to be used even without internet connectivity. The device is equipped with a long-lasting battery and a built-in printer. Other key features of Mobile POS software include: 1) A direct line of communication with the kitchen, which enables the management of coursing and alerts when items are about to sell out or get deleted. 2) Colour-coded table maps and alerts that remind waitstaff when to check in on diners. 3) Built-in conversational modifiers enabling waitstaff to customise orders as they're being taken by following pre-determined prompts. For instance, they can modify orders with prompts such as "Steak > How would you like it cooked: Medium rare > Which sauce would you like: butter and herbs."