Opened in late 2023 by industry veterans Jess Blackstone and Mat Appleton – the duo behind Fink’s coffee shops – Saltine builds on a legacy of creating vibrant neighbourhood spaces. With a menu created by head chef Phil Wood (formerly of Spring and St. John Marylebone), the North London restaurant celebrates seasonality and sustainability, all within a stylish yet relaxed dining room. The result? A contemporary yet welcoming space that has quickly become a go-to for both loyal locals and in-the-know food lovers.
From the outset, Blackstone and Appleton knew that delivering a standout guest experience required equally smooth operations behind the scenes. They needed a system that could keep up with the dynamic nature of the restaurant – one that would allow them to make real-time menu updates, track sales trends, and integrate seamlessly with reservations. That’s why they turned to Square.
A flexible POS system for a fast-paced restaurant
The team at Saltine had previous experience using traditional point-of-sale (POS) systems and knew only too well the headache involved when making even the smallest change. To support the regular tweaks demanded by Saltine’s daily-evolving menu, they needed an agile POS system that manages updates quickly and efficiently. “We’ve looked at other POS software,” says Appleton, “but discounted them because I don’t have a maths degree, so I wasn’t able to set up all of these ridiculously complex onboardings!”
Plus, they wanted access to real-time sales data to help inform crucial business decisions and the ability to integrate their reservation platform. Without these capabilities, they risked coming up against inefficiencies that could negatively impact the customer experience and operational flow.
With these specific requirements in mind, Blackstone and Appleton opted for Square’s ecosystem to power Saltine’s operations from the beginning. The restaurant now benefits from several Square products, including:
- Square terminals and handheld POS devices allow for seamless order-taking and enable staff to process payments efficiently.
- Live menu and inventory management ensures the daily changing menu is always up to date and prevents staff from accidentally selling out-of-stock dishes.
- SevenRooms integration offers real-time insights into table orders and sales through the reservation platform.
- Square invoicing manages deposits and payments for large events with ease.
- Square Dashboard and reporting provide deep insights into daily and long-term sales trends, allowing for data-driven decision-making.
- Square Loyalty facilitates an easy-to-manage customer rewards programme, while gift cards encourage repeat business.
Empowering the team with real-time updates and up-to-the-minute data
With Square’s intuitive design, front-of-house managers and kitchen staff can make real-time menu updates in seconds, saving significant time and reducing errors. Whether adjusting a dish’s pricing due to a change in portion size, or marking items as ‘sold out’ in real-time, Blackstone says making changes is so easy you can do it on the fly.
If someone slices a pie too small, you can reduce the price by a couple of pounds. You can literally do it on a handheld terminal as you’re walking around, rather than it being a big task.”
Jess Blackstone → Saltine
The integration with SevenRooms has also enhanced the team’s ability to monitor service and gain an instant understanding of how a lunch or evening service is tracking. “You’re able to watch the sales and the reservations at the same time so you can really get an understanding of how the dining room is functioning at any given time,” says Appleton. “Being able to understand those little snapshots as you drop in and out eventually gives you instinctive feelings about decisions that you as business owners need to make.”
And when the team wants to really dig into the data, they refer to the sales reports generated by the Square Dashboard. Its insights have helped Saltine optimise its opening hours. By analysing trends through Square reports, Blackstone and Appleton identified the most profitable service times and adjusted accordingly. “It came down to looking at the data hour-by-hour – seeing where we needed to open more, where we could adjust and making those changes confidently,” says Blackstone.
Building customer loyalty with ease
A strong local following has always been key to Saltine’s success and with Square’s customer loyalty programme software, rewarding regulars is easy. “We love that Square Loyalty works seamlessly with the POS – customers don’t have to do anything extra and we can track repeat visits effortlessly,” says Appleton. “It’s a simple but effective way to encourage people to come back.” Saltine also uses Square gift cards, providing an easy way for customers to share their love of the restaurant with friends and family.
Saltine’s plans to scale with Square
With Square’s technology in place, Saltine continues to refine its operations and explore new opportunities. The ease of training restaurant staff on Square’s intuitive system has streamlined onboarding, allowing employees to focus on providing excellent service rather than struggling with tech.
One thing we never worry about is teaching someone how to use the till. If you can use a smartphone, you can use Square.”
Mat Appleton → Saltine
As Saltine grows, the pair feel confident knowing they have a system that will evolve with it. Blackstone believes the restaurant’s future is about fine-tuning the details that make Saltine special. “We’ve really paid attention to getting the vibe right – not just with the team, but in the space itself.”
So as the business grows, maintaining that balance of warmth, energy and precision will remain a priority, ensuring every guest experience is as seamless as their first.
