Square updates point-of-sale system for fast food

In less than three years, Square, the mobile payments company founded by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, has managed to inject some innovation in an otherwise stagnant area: the point of sale experience.

But its free Square Register product, which allows small- and medium-sized businesses to accept credit card payments with only a mobile device, has proven a bit sluggish for the world of quick-serve restaurants, where a slight change to an order can throw a proverbial wrench in the works.

The company announced updates this morning to address the issue. Custom order modifiers and customizable kitchen tickets have been added to allow for changes on the fly. So if you want a chicory salad from New York City's Porchetta, but prefer the garlic dressing on the side, Square can now handle that.

Restaurants, taxi cabs and other small, low-margin businesses have embraced Square for its simplicity and relative inexpense; frequent updates that cater (no pun intended) to its various industries will certainly preserve its Silicon Valley-style appeal.