For food trucks and pop-ups
The best POS system for a food truck fits in your apron
The best POS system for a food truck is usually the simplest one: a phone and a small card reader on a free plan. On supported readers it keeps taking cards when the signal drops, so a bad parking spot doesn't cost you sales.
Trucks, farmers market stands, craft fair booths, the guy selling tamales out of a cooler. Here's what to pack, and what happens when you're parked somewhere with one bar of signal.
The packing list
What to pack before you roll out
No counter, no cables, no back office. Check these off and you can take cards anywhere you can park.
Your phone
On newer phones you can take tap payments with no reader at all, as long as you have a connection. More on that in our mobile POS guide.
A card reader
Pairs by Bluetooth, takes tap and chip, and is the piece that keeps working offline.
A battery pack
Phones die faster than you think on a hot day with the screen bright.
A hotspot, if you have one
Nice to have, not required. Offline mode covers the gaps.
A cash float
Some people will always pay cash. Log it in the app so your numbers stay whole.
A ticket printer (optional)
If one person takes orders and another cooks, a small printer saves shouting.
When the signal drops
Offline mode, in plain English
When your connection disappears, a supported reader stores the card payments on the device and sends them through once you're back online. The customer taps, gets their food, and you keep going.
The catch: the card can't be checked with the bank in the moment. If a card turns out to be bad when it uploads, that sale doesn't go through. For most trucks that's a rare, small risk. Turn it on, and keep an eye on big tickets.
- Signal dropsThe app switches to offline and tells you.
- Keep sellingPayments are saved on your device.
- Back onlineSaved payments upload on their own.
Offline payments work on Square Reader (2nd generation), Stand, Terminal, Handheld and Register. On readers and Stand an offline session lasts up to 24 hours, and on every device pending payments expire 72 hours after the session starts, so reconnect within a day to be safe. Tap to Pay and keyed-in cards need a connection, and if an offline card declines later, that sale is on you.
Menus that change
Different spot, different menu. No problem.
Brunch at the market on Saturday, late night outside the brewery on Friday. Build each menu once and switch to it in a tap. Ran out of brisket? Hide it and keep selling the rest.
- Categories that show up at the times you choose
- Add a special in under a minute, from your phone
- Order numbers so you can call people up to the window
On Square Free
Everything you need at the window
No. 1
Tap to Pay on your phone
Take contactless cards and phone wallets on an iPhone or Android, no reader needed.
No. 2
Offline payments
Keep taking cards on a Square Reader when the signal drops. They upload when you're back online.
No. 3
Menu changes in seconds
Edit an item and it updates in the app and online. Online menus can switch by time of day.
No. 4
Order numbers
Tickets are numbered automatically, so calling orders at the window is easy.
No. 5
Order ahead
Online ordering for pickup, including preorders for later in the day.
No. 6
Tips and a daily summary
Tips on the screen, and a summary email after you close up.
Upgrades that matter on the road
Most trucks run happily on Free. These are the extras people ask about.
- Square PlusSold out everywhereMark an item sold out once and it's gone from the POS and online.
- Square PlusOrder-ready textsText customers when the order is marked done on a Square KDS screen, instead of calling numbers.
- Square PlusLoyalty
- Square PlusTimecards for your crew
- Paid add-onKitchen display screenSquare's KDS app. Not available on Free.
Plan prices and card rates change, so we keep them in one place instead of on every page. See current pricing or Square rates and hardware.
Getting started
Set it up the night before
Do this at home with Wi-Fi, not at the window with a line.
- 1
Sign up
Free account and your bank for payouts.
- 2
Add the menu
From your phone, photos optional.
- 3
Pair the reader
Charge it, pair it, turn on offline mode.
- 4
Test a sale
Ring something small on your own card.
Questions
Truck and pop-up owners ask us
What should I pack for an event?
A charged phone or tablet, a backup battery, your card reader, a cash float and a way to get online (your phone's hotspot works). Test a sale before the line forms. That five minutes saves a lot of stress later.
How do I handle a menu that changes every week?
Build your full menu once, then hide or show items as you go instead of rebuilding it. Put your rotating specials in their own category so they're easy to swap and easy to find.
Can I take cards with no signal?
Yes, with a Square Reader (2nd generation) or other supported Square hardware. Payments save on the device and upload when you reconnect. On a reader an offline session lasts up to 24 hours, and pending payments expire after 72 hours, so get back online within a day. Tap to Pay on your phone needs a connection, and if an offline card declines later, you're on the hook for it. If you have even one bar, the sale goes through normally.
Can I run the truck with just my phone?
Yes. Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android takes contactless cards and phone wallets with no extra hardware. Add a reader if you want chip cards or offline payments. Our rates and hardware page has the options.
Still deciding? See which POS hardware fits your business and whether a free POS is enough, or browse all our free POS guides. Current rates are on our pricing page, and every reader and terminal is on the Square rates and hardware page. More answers on the FAQ page, or call (888) 243-3831.
Pack light. Start selling at your next stop.
Square Free has no monthly software fee and no long-term contract. You pay a processing fee when a customer pays by card, and nothing on cash. Current numbers are on our pricing page.
No monthly fee on the free plan. No long-term contract. Cancel anytime. See current pricing.
Free POS System is operated by POSUSA, an authorized Square reseller. POSUSA may earn compensation when you sign up through our link. It doesn't cost you a cent more. Read our disclosure.