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Square announces on-demand alcohol delivery for restaurants and barsSquare announces on-demand alcohol delivery for restaurants and bars

The cloud-based POS system is offering this commission-free feature that lets customers order alcohol through a foodservice operator

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

May 5, 2021

2 Min Read
aalcohol to go square doordash
Square announced Wednesday that the point of sales system would now be introducing an on-demand alcohol delivery feature for restaurants, bars, breweries.ClaudeMic / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Square announced Wednesday that the point of sales system would now be introducing an on-demand alcohol delivery feature for restaurants, bars, breweries, or any other operator that partners with Square. This commission-free service will allow customers to purchase alcohol through an operator’s website and the order will then be fulfilled through DoorDash for a flat fee of $1.50.

“We’re excited to offer a new way for restaurants, retailers, and alcohol sellers to get the most out of their existing stock,” David Rusenko, head of eCommerce at Square said in a statement. “Whether that’s a restaurant monetizing its wine seller, a grocery store supplementing their on-premise sales, or a local brewery introducing old favorites to a new crowd, we’re proud to provide our sellers with a new way to make more money.”

The alcohol delivery service will dispatch orders placed through a Square online ordering page to DoorDash, and a courier will then deliver the order and verify the age of the customer upon arrival. The recipient will also be able to track the order, and operators can choose to provide special offers and decide whether or not they want to pass on a portion of fees to the customer.

This service will likely be appealing to restaurants that took advantage of changed liquor delivery laws during the pandemic, as well as operators that already focus on alcohol as a significant portion of their sales, like A.W. Wander Craft Beer and Pizza in Manlius, N.Y., who said that alcohol delivery has allowed them to grow revenue and margins with each delivery order:

“Craft beer is really our business, so for us to be able to offer our core product commission free for on-demand delivery is huge,” owner Dan Chapman said in a statement. “That said, there will always be times when customers would rather have a drink at home - we don't want to miss out on that occasion. Adding a couple of beers to a food delivery is great for the customer and really meaningful to our bottom line.”

Alcohol delivery is available in select states and operators can sign up the service through Square here.

Contact Joanna at [email protected]

Find her on Twitter: @JoannaFantozzi

About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.  

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine. 

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events. 

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

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