Set up and manage group ordering
About group ordering
Group ordering — also known as bistro mode — lets a party of guests pay separately at the counter while having all of their meals prepared and delivered together. When a group places their orders one at a time, each person pays individually and gets their own receipt — but a single consolidated ticket is sent to the kitchen so the whole table's food is ready at the same time.
Group ordering is useful for counter-service venues like pubs and bistros where guests order at the bar rather than at the table.
Before you begin
You can set up and manage group orders from your Square Restaurant POS app or Square Point of Sale app with full service, quick service, or bar mode enabled.
You also need to already have Square for Restaurants set up and your menu configured. Learn how to Set up your food & beverage business with Square.
Set up group ordering
From the Square POS app with full service, quick service, or bar mode enabled or from the Square Restaurant POS app:
Go to ≡ More > Settings > Checkout.
Tap Group Order.
Toggle on Show group order option in cart.
Start a group order
From your Square Point of Sale app in full service or quick service mode or Square Restaurant POS app:
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From the cart screen, tap Start next to 'Group order'.
Note: To cancel a group order before any payments are made, tap Cancel next to 'Group order' on the cart screen.
Add the first guest's items from the menu.
Tap Pay and process payment. The guest receives a receipt for their items.
Tap Continue to return to the cart screen for the next order in the group.
Repeat steps 2–4 for each guest in the group.
You can tap the 'paid orders' row to review all paid orders in the group.
When all guests have paid and the cart is empty, tap Send to finalise the group order.
Confirm by tapping Send.
The kitchen receives a single consolidated ticket with all items for the group. Food is prepared and delivered to the table together.