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Start QuizIs Square Online Ordering Right For Your Restaurant?
Square's online ordering offers menu syncing, commission-free delivery, QR code ordering, and many other features restaurants need to stay competitive.
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Editor & Senior Staff Writer
Last updated onUpdated
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Key Takeaways
- Square offers a free online store that makes online ordering easy to set up and use.
- Square accepts a wide variety of online payments and integrates with third-party delivery companies to give your customers options.
- Online ordering is available on all Square pricing tiers, including the free plan.
Square is already known for its easy-to-use, affordable restaurant POS, making it one of the best POS systems. Its online ordering tools follow that same playbook, giving restaurants a simple way to boost sales, streamline inventory, and improve overall efficiency.
If you’re already using Square or looking for a new POS solution, here’s what you need to know about the pros and cons of Square Online for restaurants.
Table of Contents
What Is Square Online Ordering?
Square Online Ordering is a built-in feature of Square POS that lets restaurants create a branded ordering website, offer pickup and delivery, and securely accept payments — all without needing separate software.
It’s available on Square’s free plan, but you’ll get more features if you subscribe to a paid tier.
Square Online Ordering Pricing
Square’s basic online ordering is completely free — you only pay payment processing fees. The Free plan charges 3.3% + $0.30 per transaction, while paid plans lower that fee to 2.9% + $0.30 and unlock more advanced features.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what each plan includes.
Free includes:
- Online site with website builder and SEO tools
- Pickup, local delivery, and shipping options
- Sell on social media and marketplaces (Instagram, Facebook, Google)
Plus includes everything in the Free plan, plus:
- Advanced POS and business growth features (loyalty, marketing, staff tools)
- Lower processing fees for some transactions
Premium includes everything in the Plus plan, plus:
- 24/7 support
- Advanced reporting/analytics
- Real-time shipping rate display
With Square Online, you can manage in-house delivery using your own staff, or connect to third-party delivery apps via integrations (like DoorDash or Postmates).
For in-house delivery, you bypass the standard marketplace commission. Historically, Square listed a $0.50 per-order fee for this setup. However, you’ll want to check current terms in your region.
For third-party delivery apps, each platform has its own fee schedule, contract terms, and commission rate. Make sure you review those closely to assess how cost-effective they are for your restaurant.
Square Online Ordering Features & Benefits
Square Online Ordering is easy to set up, affordable, and helps restaurants reach more customers. It lets diners place pickup or delivery orders without visiting your restaurant, which can increase sales and streamline operations.
Square also offers helpful tools — like its Kitchen Display System (KDS) — to keep orders organized and reduce stress on your staff as online volume grows.
How You Can Use Square Online Ordering For Your Restaurant
Square offers several tools that can streamline ordering and help you attract more customers. Here are the key features at a glance:
| Feature | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Menu Syncing | Instantly publishes your menu online and keeps items updated in real time. |
| Delivery | Lets you offer in-house delivery so you keep more profit, with optional integrations for third-party delivery apps. |
| QR Code Ordering | Enables no-contact ordering and pickup through scannable QR codes. |
| Order Scheduling | Allows customers to choose a pickup or delivery time within your operating hours. |
| Tipping | Prompts customers to leave gratuity during online checkout. |
| Square Marketing | Stores customer info so you can send targeted email campaigns and promotions. |
| Square Loyalty | Rewards repeat customers and lets them check their points online. |
| Instagram Integration | Embeds your Instagram feed and enables ordering directly from the app. |
What Your Customer Sees With The Square Order
Square’s online ordering experience is clean, simple, and easy to navigate.
If your restaurant has multiple locations, customers start by selecting the right one. They can then browse your menu, choose an item, and open a side panel to adjust quantity, add modifiers, and customize their order before checking out.
When customers check out, they’ll see any pickup or delivery instructions you’ve added, along with the option to receive text updates about their order. The layout is intuitive, so anyone familiar with online ordering should have no trouble navigating Square’s system.
Square Delivery With Online Ordering
Square Online Ordering lets you offer both in-house delivery and on-demand delivery through partnered courier services like DoorDash and Uber. Delivery fees vary by provider and location, but Square allows you to set your own delivery or service fees, or offer free delivery for qualifying orders.
You can also enable alcohol delivery where permitted and use Square Loyalty to encourage repeat business from delivery customers.
What Square Online Ordering Is Missing
Square’s ordering system works well for many restaurants, but it’s not without drawbacks.
- Customization is limited: If you want full control over website layout and deep design tweaks, Square falls short.
- Scalability concerns: If your annual sales push past $250,000 and you want to shop around for payment processors, Square’s fixed processing structure may cost more.
- Strategic limits: While Square lets you set service and delivery fees, large-order controls and certain advanced fulfilment options are less flexible.
In short, Square is great for simplicity and speed, but if you need a highly custom website, your choice of processors, or complex fulfilment workflows, you may want to evaluate other platforms.
Alternatives To Square
Many POS systems offer online ordering tools similar to Square. Here’s how two of Square’s biggest competitors, Toast and Clover, compare.
| Category | Square | Toast | Clover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of Online Ordering | Free plan available; no commissions | No commissions; pricing varies by plan | Included; may require add-on apps |
| Customization | Limited website + layout options | Strong menu + website customization | Moderate customization; depends on apps |
| Payment Processing | Square processing only | Toast processing only | Varies by merchant services provider |
| Promotions & Discounts | Basic tools | Robust promo + loyalty options | Depends on apps; generally solid |
| Inventory Tools | Good built-in tools | Excellent menu + modifier management | Advanced options via paid apps |
| QR Code Ordering | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hardware Costs | Affordable, flexible options | Higher upfront hardware costs | Expensive proprietary hardware |
| Contracts | No long-term contracts | Long-term contracts common; cancellation fees | Varies; depends on merchant services provider |
| Ease of Use | Very easy to set up and manage | Feature-rich; steeper learning curve | Simple core tools; app ecosystem adds complexity |
How To Set Up Square Online Ordering For Your Restaurant
If you already use Square, you can activate online ordering in just a few minutes. Here’s the quick setup process.
The Bottom Line On Square Online Ordering
Square Online Ordering is a solid tool for many restaurants, but it isn’t the perfect fit for everyone. Here’s when it works well — and when you should look elsewhere.
Use Square Online Ordering If You…
- Need a simple website for online ordering
- Want to sell directly through social media channels
- Already use Square POS or services
- Want to accept a variety of payments (Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Cash App)
Don’t Use Square Online Ordering If You…
- Need a highly customizable or more complex restaurant website
- Run high-volume operations where processing fees may become expensive
- Want to choose your own payment processor
Erica Seppala
Editor & Senior Staff Writer at Merchant Maverick
Erica has been writing about small business finance and technology since 2008. She joined Merchant Maverick in 2018 and specializes in researching and reviewing business software, financial products, and other topics to help small businesses manage and grow their operations. Her expertise has been cited in MSN, Reader's Digest, Vox, U.S. News & World Report, and Real Simple. She is a Certified ProAdvisor for QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll, a graduate of Limestone University, and currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina.
View Erica Seppala's professional experience on LinkedIn.
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