Feature Request: Close Open Tickets or Checks without having the physical card.

[PBC97]

I saw a post from 2017 regarding being able to close a Bar Tab WITHOUT having to actually hold a customer's physical card. The reply at that time was it was being worked on. Fast forward 5 years: Not a Best Practice given Covid fears and should not be necessary in 2021 with all of the other POS systems already offering this. WHY doesn't SQUARE want to add this much requested feature that EVERY Bar, Restraurant and Brewery is needing? Please don't tell me they want to figure out how to charge us more for that service. Like others, we've had square for many years and love everything EXCEPT the lack of this feature all these years later.( started square in 2014)

The title of this post has been edited from the original: "OPEN TICKET CHECK OUT"

[JJ_]

Hey there @PBC97 👋 

I know for a fact that this has been mentioned several times here in the Seller Community.

Could you elaborate on how the process should look like? I will be passing this feedback along with your response to the product team for them to better understand What's missing and hopefully consider it for future developments. 

[ryanwanner]

Hey @PBC97 !

Have you seen the post about open tabs on the Self Serve QR Orders? This was released a little over a month ago now, and allows for your customers to use the QR codes and keep their tabs open. I've been using it in my store and it is really slick.

Hopefully launching it on a more limited basis like this will allow Square to work all the back end kinks out, and the functionality will be available for in person ordering soon. For now though, I recommend giving it a spin!

[PBC97]

I read about the QR Code and that is a helpful feature. Unfortunately, the bulk of our customers are over 55 and many are not tech savvy so we'd have to phase QR in over time with a LOT of instruction by staff. What SQUARE needs to add is, once a ticket is OPENED, it holds that data so when a customer closes it out we simply cash it out with the information already collected on file. We currently have to physically hold the card behind the bar in a small index box by customer name. This is A. insecure B. unsafe with covid for customer and staff C. antiquated D. inefficient (staff has to search for the card in the box to close out tab).  Why can't SQUARE hold that data if its able to open a tab by swiping the card? Thanks for your time.

[BLUEANDWHITE]

@JJ_ A card-present preauthorization for tickets is what we're after. Unfortunately for @PBC97, myself, and anyone else looking for this feature that would enable the ability to "open a tab," it would seem that the gateway charge (that .30 / card) and/or the agreements that Square has with the card networks is stopping them from implementing it.

Not to be difficult, but the work-arounds aren't that great. It'd be nice if Square would allow preauth's in the interim, until they get the guts of it sorted out contractually, or solved with the tech in a way that leaves the practice behind.

[JJ_]

Thank you for providing these details @BLUEANDWHITE I will pass them along to the team for their visibility.