For convenience stores, bodegas and small grocers
A convenience store POS system that keeps the line moving
A convenience store POS system needs fast scanning, quick keys for things with no barcode, a stock count you can trust, a scale for anything sold by the pound, and EBT if you take SNAP. A free plan can cover all of that for a small store, as long as you check which devices support EBT.
Corner stores, bodegas, gas station shops, small markets and co-ops. Here's how checkout, weighed items and EBT actually work, and when a store is big enough to need something else.
The must-haves
What does a convenience store need from a POS?
Five things. Get these right and the rest is nice to have.
Scanning
Every barcode on the shelf rings up on the first try.
Quick checkout
Big keys for coffee, ice, hot food and anything else without a barcode.
Inventory
Counts on your fast movers and an alert before the shelf is empty.
Weighed items
Produce, deli and bulk, priced from a scale.
EBT SNAP
If you take SNAP, it should run on the same register.
Quick checkout
How do you keep checkout quick?
Scan what has a barcode, tap what doesn't. Most slow lines at a c-store come from the items without a barcode: the coffee, the hot dog, the bag of ice, the single banana. Give each of those a key on the first screen so nobody types a price or searches by name.
Then cut the extra taps. Skip the receipt question if most customers say no, keep the cash drawer opening on its own, and leave the age prompt on for beer and tobacco. That one is worth the extra second.
- A scanner that reads crinkled bags and curved cans
- Quick keys sorted the way your counter is laid out
- Two-for deals that apply themselves, so cashiers don't do math
Weighed items and scales
How do you sell items by weight?
Set the item up with a price per pound (or ounce, or gram), then get the weight one of three ways.
1
Type the weight
Weigh it on any scale and key in the number. Fine for a few produce sales a day.
2
Connect a scale
The weight drops into the sale on its own. Faster, and no misread numbers.
3
Scan a scale label
A label-printing scale at the deli prints a barcode with the weight or price in it. The register just scans it.
One rule that trips people up: a scale you use to price goods has to be legal for trade, and your state or local weights and measures office can inspect it. Check before you buy a cheap kitchen scale for the counter.
On Square, selling by weight works in every mode. Bluetooth scales pair with an iPad, iPhone or Square Stand, and USB scales plug into Stand, Register, Terminal, Handheld or Android. In-counter scanner scales work in retail mode on Square Register and Stand (2nd generation). Square doesn't install them, so you'll need a local installer.
EBT and SNAP
Can a convenience store POS take EBT?
Yes, if the POS supports it and your store is authorized for SNAP. Not every POS does, so check before you buy hardware. Stores whose POS can't take EBT usually run a separate EBT terminal next to the register, which works but means two machines and two sets of numbers.
Approval comes first. The USDA Food and Nutrition Service authorizes stores for SNAP and gives you an FNS number. No number, no EBT, whatever POS you pick.
- Get your FNS numberApply with the USDA before you set anything up.
- Mark the eligible itemsGroceries yes, hot food, beer and tobacco no. You're responsible for tagging them right.
- Ring the sale normallyThe POS works out which items SNAP can cover.
- Split the restAnything SNAP can't cover goes on cash or a card.
EBT on Square, the fine print
- Works on Square Register, Terminal and Handheld, on every plan. Not on Square Stand or other iPad and iPhone setups.
- Needs a live connection. EBT doesn't work offline.
- SNAP only. Square doesn't take EBT Cash, and EBT can't pay a custom amount.
- EBT cards swipe, so a chip-and-tap-only device needs a compatible Square reader too.
On Square Free
What a small store gets on Square Free
Scan to sell, scan to add
Scan to ring up a sale. Scan a product while adding items and Square can create the item and SKU for you.
FreeSell by weight
Type in the weight, read it from a connected scale, or scan a label from a label-printing scale. Pounds, ounces or grams.
FreeEBT SNAP
On Square Register, Terminal or Handheld, once your FNS number is approved. SNAP covers eligible items first, and the customer pays the rest another way.
FreeAge check prompt
For beer, tobacco and anything else you mark as age restricted.
FreeSimple stock counts and low-stock alerts
Counts drop as you sell, and Square emails you when a fast mover runs low.
FreeBottle deposits
Added at checkout automatically.
FreeAutomatic discounts
Two-for deals and multi-buys that apply themselves.
Free
When you'd want to upgrade
When the stockroom needs more
The register side is all there on Free. Paid plans add the stockroom side.
- Square PlusFull inventory trackingA counting tool, inventory history and unit costs for every item.
- Square PlusVendors, purchase orders and bulk intake
- Square PlusCost of goods and aging reportsSee what's making money and what's been sitting on the shelf.
- Square PlusBarcode labels
- Square PlusID scanningScan a license instead of eyeballing it.
- Square PremiumTransfers between stores
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.
Fit check
Is a free POS the right fit for your store?
For most single-register stores, yes. Past a certain size, a grocery-specific system makes more sense, and that's fine.
A good fit
- One or two registers
- A few hundred to a few thousand items, mostly with barcodes
- Produce or deli by weight, on one scale per register
- Owner or a manager doing the ordering
Look at grocery-specific systems
- Many lanes and a front-end manager
- Thousands of produce codes and weekly price changes from a wholesaler
- Fuel pumps tied to the register
- A store-wide loyalty program with fuel or partner rewards
Selling beer, wine or spirits? Our liquor store POS page covers ID checks, deposits and case versus bottle. The retail POS page covers general shop setup, POS inventory software covers counts and reordering, our hardware guide covers scanners, drawers and printers, and the features page shows what's free.
Questions
Store owners ask us
What is the best POS system for a convenience store?
One that scans quickly, has big buttons for the things with no barcode (ice, coffee, hot food), and keeps counts on your fast movers so you reorder before the shelf is empty. If you sell anything by weight or take SNAP, put a scale and EBT on the must-have list before you compare anything else.
Is there free POS software for a grocery store?
Yes, for a small grocery or corner market. Free plans cover scanning, simple stock counts and selling by weight. A multi-lane supermarket with thousands of produce codes, a loyalty program and a deli counter usually needs a grocery-specific system, and that's fine. Pick the tool that fits the store.
Do I need approval to accept EBT?
Yes. Your store needs to be authorized by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service to accept SNAP, and you'll get an FNS number once you're approved. Apply on the USDA site first. A POS can't turn on EBT for you without that number.
Can Square take EBT?
Yes, EBT SNAP, on Square Free, Plus and Premium. It runs on Square Register, Terminal and Handheld, not on Square Stand or other iPad and iPhone setups. You'll need an active FNS number for each location, items marked SNAP eligible, and a live connection, because EBT doesn't work offline. Square doesn't take EBT Cash (TANF), and EBT can't be used on custom amounts. If your device only takes chip and tap, you'll also need a compatible Square reader to swipe EBT cards.
How does a split EBT and card sale work on Square?
EBT goes first and pays for the SNAP-eligible items, with sales tax taken off them. Everything else in the cart, plus anything the SNAP balance doesn't cover, goes on a second payment. The receipt shows the customer's remaining SNAP balance, and EBT refunds go back to the same card.
Which scales work with Square?
Bluetooth scales pair with an iPad, iPhone or Square Stand. USB scales plug into Stand, Register, Terminal, Handheld or an Android device. You can use one scale at a time, and tare works. In-counter scanner scales work in retail mode on Square Register and Stand (2nd generation), and Square doesn't install them, so plan on a local installer. Square keeps a list of supported models, and your scale still needs to pass your local weights and measures inspection.
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.
Get the line moving. Start free.
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.
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