The right payment methods for your restaurant are the ones your guests already carry, at a speed that keeps your line moving and a cost you understand. For most restaurants and coffee shops with Square, that means tap to pay (contactless cards and mobile wallets), chip cards, cash, and gift cards in store, plus card and wallet payments for online and app orders. Beyond that core, add options only when your customers ask for them.
This guide explains the main options Square supports, how to decide which ones to offer, and the mistakes that slow down checkout.
The payment methods to consider
Contactless cards and mobile wallets
Square readers and terminals take tap payments from contactless cards and phones. According to Square's support center, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay are accepted automatically for in-person contactless payments in the Square Point of Sale app, with no extra setup. For a busy counter, tap is usually the fastest way to pay, so make sure your reader is placed where guests can reach it easily.
Chip and swipe cards
Some guests will still insert a chip card. Keep a reader that handles both chip and contactless so nobody is turned away.
Cash
Many restaurants still take cash, and some local laws require businesses to accept it, so check the rules where you operate. If you take cash, record every cash sale in Square, use cash drawer tracking, and count the drawer at the end of each shift. Square's cash drawer reports show expected versus actual cash so you can spot gaps.
Gift cards
Square Gift Cards (physical or digital) bring in revenue before the visit and make easy gifts during holidays. They are also a payment method in their own right, so train staff on redeeming them at the register.
Buy now, pay later
In the US, Square sellers can offer Afterpay, which Square describes as letting customers pay for orders between $1 and $2,000 in four interest-free installments over six weeks. It is more common in retail than food service, but it can make sense for catering orders, large gift card purchases or merchandise.
Cash App Pay and online wallets
For online sales, Square lets you turn on options such as Apple Pay, Google Pay and Cash App Pay on payment links and your Square website. Online wallet options are turned on in Square Dashboard rather than being automatic, so check your settings.
How to decide which methods to offer
- Look at your current mix. In Square Dashboard, the payment methods report shows how guests pay today. If cash is a small share, you may not need to optimize for it. If it is large, you need solid drawer procedures.
- Watch the line, not just the fees. A method that takes 20 seconds longer at peak can cost you sales when guests walk away. Fast tap payments matter most at busy counters.
- Know your processing costs. Card, online and buy now, pay later payments each carry their own fees. Check Square's current pricing for your country before adding a method, and build the cost into your margins.
- Match the method to the channel. Counter service needs tap and chip. Online and app ordering needs saved cards and mobile wallets. Catering may need invoices.
- Ask your regulars. If several guests ask for the same option, that is a stronger signal than any trend article.
Example: a busy neighborhood coffee shop
A coffee shop with a morning rush finds that most guests already tap their card or phone. The owner moves the reader to the front edge of the counter so guests tap without reaching around the tip jar, turns on Apple Pay and Google Pay for the online store, keeps cash with a strict end of shift count, and sells gift cards near the register in November and December. Most guests can now pay without ever handing over a card.
Getting paid: transfers and cash flow
How fast money reaches your bank is part of the payment decision. In the US, Square's standard transfers arrive the next business day, and Square also offers same day and instant transfers for a fee. Check the current options and fees in your transfer settings. For more on managing the money once it lands, see understanding your restaurant's cash flow with Square.
Common mistakes
- Hiding the reader. If guests cannot reach it, tap payments lose their speed advantage.
- Forgetting to turn on online wallets. In-person wallets work automatically. Online options usually need to be enabled.
- Untracked cash. Cash rung up as "no sale" or not entered at all breaks your reporting and your books.
- Surprise surcharges. If you pass card fees on to guests, rules vary by state and card network, so get advice and disclose it clearly first.
- Untrained staff. Gift card redemption and split payments should be practiced before a rush, not during one.
For more ideas on speeding up the counter, read the best ways to configure your Square POS for peak hours.
Where Orda fits
The fastest checkout is one that happens before the guest reaches the counter. With Orda, customers order and pay ahead in your own branded iOS and Android app or on your ordering website, using a saved card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Orders and payments flow into Square POS, Square Loyalty points are earned automatically, and Orda Express kiosks with a Square reader take tap and chip payments in store when the line gets long.