Is square a viable option for a drive thru?

[Tamalequeen]

Hi, I'm opening a restaurant soon and I need to know if square would be a good choice to use for my drive thru? If so, then how do I switch between screens to ring up multiple orders, meaning if I have 1 car at the pickup window and another car at the menu sign, how then do I enter car #2's order and send it to the back before I have closed out car #1's ticket? I hope that makes sense.

[KarmaCoffee]

We use it in our coffee shop.  You can save a ticket and start another.  Then when you need to go back to the ticket, you just pull it up and ring it out.

[Chad · Accepted solution]

Hello @Tamalequeen, I have heard of a few sellers using Square for drive thru's.

As @KarmaCoffee mentioned Open Tickets is what most sellers use to stay organized for a drive thru. We actually had a short thread about this earlier. You can find it here. 

If you have any other questions feel free to ask! 😃

[redscoffee]

We are opening up a drive-thru coffee shop, but will only take one order at a time.  I've been trying to find articles on the best practices for iPad use while using Sqaure and taking customer payments. Here's what we are thinking of implementing in terms of customer signature for order:  After we've typed in their order, we will swipe their card, then give them the iPad to sign for it (we would hold their CC until they gave us back the iPad).  Could you tell me if this is the best practice for this type of operation or if you all do something different?  Thanks so much!  We appreciate any advice you're able to give!

[KarmaBoutique]

It will take more than one order at a time, you just have to save the ticket and pull it back up when the person pulls up to the window if you have the capability to "drive around".  If not, taking more than one order at a time shouldn't be a problem.  It sounds like the CC process you have thought up will work.  

[Danay]

We use an ipad to run square in our drive thru. I bought an mechanical arm that is attachedto the wall inside that swings right out to the customer- they sign with their finger and then have the option to leave a tip. We have a separate ipad for walk in customers. It works great for us, sometimes its a stretch for people if they park really far away but they learn quick for next time!

[Russell]

Hey @Danay - thanks for sharing this tip about mounting your tablet on an arm for the drive-thru. That's a great idea!

[Carolj17]

Hello Danay,

Would it be possible for you to post a picture of your "arm" for your I Pad that you've installed at your drive thru?

Thanks!  Carol

[Sean]

Awesome suggestion, @Carolj17. If you do have the time, @Danay - it would be super helpful if you could share a photo! 🙂

[janeslanding]

love this!  mind sharing a link for what "mechanical arm" you use? 

[Edds]

We have changed one location to Square, but our other location has a drive thru with an outdoor screen at the order stand so customers can see their order before proceeding to the window.  Has anyone done this with Square?

By the way, thanks for the previous entries for how to handle drive thru queues with open tickets!

[EJ_]

This reply was created from merging an existing thread: “Is there an solution for an outdoor drive thru order screen?”. The original author has been notified via email.

Hi @Edds

I've moved your post over to this similar thread, as there were a few sellers that chimed in with solutions for an ordering screen. 

Check out the replies from @Carolj17 and @Danay