Open Tickets Request: Option to open tab without holding card behind the bar?

[PBC97]

I'm still wondering why SQUARE simply can't hold a credit card info for OPEN TICKETS? Every bar and restaurant I've been too has the option without having to hold my actual card behind the bar. It's a security concern and with covid a safety concern. It can't be that hard. I can open a ticket with a swipe but can't cash a customer out with that data. This has been requested for at least 4 years so please, please explain WHY Square hasn't added this simple, efficient feature? 

On a separate note, other POS systems give the option of passing the credit convenience fees onto the customer. Square doesn't alllow for that as the percentage is still added on to the total bill, even if I add a separate fee as an item. Been with Square since 2014 but am considering a change with more user friendly options for a busy brewpub doing over half mil/ annual sales.

[This post was moved from the "Meet the Device Experience team: How can we help you better manage your devices?" event by a moderator and the title was updated to "Open Tickets Request: Option to open tab without holding card behind the bar?".]

[Donnie-M]

@PBC97 There are a couple ways to do this.  You can charge to a card on file in these situations if they dine and "leave" and you can also reopen a check if you have a square for restaurants plus subscription.

"Reopen a Closed Check

If you accidentally entered the wrong tip amount, or if a table closes out and decides to have a few more drinks, you can reopen a closed check at any time before you run your Close of Day report — adjust the tip amount, add additional items, comp items, or transfer a closed check quickly and easily.

Once a check is reopened, the total amount charged can be adjusted by adding items or a custom amount to the check. To process the payment again, tap Pay and select the saved payment method. If Collect Tips is enabled, the tip can be adjusted after reprocessing the payment. Note: Readjusting the tip is only available when the Customer Signs on Printed Receipt setting is enabled."

Now this functionality is only in square for restaurants plus, but I know it is a feature request to do the true open authorization for credit cards.

On the credit card fee/swipe fee, I would just set up a service charge for the amount you feel you need to recoup.  Personally I just factor into the cost of doing business, but if you look at your daily sales e-mail you can see the "effective" fee rate and you could multiply that by your average check and add that on to each sale.  The only "legal" option that is simple is to offer a cash discount type program.

[ryanwanner]

Hey @PBC97 ! To build off of what @Donnie-M said, Square now does have an open tab capability available as a self serve checkout using tabletop QR codes. I'm using it and it works pretty well.

Product Announcement: Open Tabs for Self Serve

Yes, it is not available for in-person sales yet, but my bet is that the QR code version was launched because it would be a smaller market and the dev teams could make sure they have all the kinks worked out before launching it for in person orders.

[babyketten]

We really need this feature. We are a very busy karaoke bar and sorting through our card file to find cards to close and give back to our customer takes up a lot of our time. We close all tabs left open at the end of the night with auto-grat   but then those people have to return to the bar the next day to retrieve their card. We open at 5PM so people are calling and emailing us all day before open about getting their cards back. As said before, many other systems offer this feature and I would say that it is the single biggest reason that we are even considering switching to another platform.