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Restaurants · head to head

ChowNow vs Square for Restaurants

ChowNow logo

ChowNow

Restaurants

Commission-free online ordering

From
$249/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Square for Restaurants logo

Square for Restaurants

Restaurants

Restaurant POS system that works for you

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Square for Restaurants has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ChowNow limited website customization with only pre-built Squarespace templates available; Square for Restaurants the Square KDS and Square Kiosk apps are not available on the free plan
  • They diverge on capability: ChowNow covers Branded ordering, Square for Restaurants covers Table management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ChowNow and Square for Restaurants actually diverge.

Attributes where ChowNow and Square for Restaurants differ
AttributeChowNowSquare for Restaurants
Starting price$249/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierNoYes
Founded20102018

Identical on both: platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Restaurants).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in ChowNow

  • Branded ordering
  • Website integration
  • Mobile app
  • Customer database
  • Marketing tools
  • Delivery integration
  • DoorDash Drive
  • Google

Only in Square for Restaurants

  • Table management
  • Menu customization
  • Split checks
  • Offline mode
  • Real-time reporting
  • Kitchen display
  • Caviar
  • DoorDash

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ChowNow

  • Point of Sale
  • Order Management
  • Inventory Control
  • Staff Scheduling

Square for Restaurants

  • Point of Sale
  • Order Management
  • Inventory Control
  • Staff Scheduling

Both are used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

ChowNow

  • Limited website customization with only pre-built Squarespace templates available
  • No multi-language support, limiting service to non-English speaking customer bases
  • Multi-location management requires separate dashboard for each location
  • Delivery reliability issues with reported order delays and non-arrivals
  • Limited customer support responsiveness with long phone wait times

Square for Restaurants

  • The Square KDS and Square Kiosk apps are not available on the free plan
  • KDS and Kiosk are billed per device per month on top of the plan, so cost scales with terminals rather than locations
  • Restaurants processing over $250,000 a year are moved to custom pricing rather than the published rates

Pricing, plan by plan

ChowNow

$249/month
  • Launch$249/month
    • Commission-free ordering
    • Website and mobile app
    • Basic POS integrations
  • Grow$349/month
    • All Launch features
    • Advanced marketing tools
    • Email and SMS campaigns
  • Elevate$449/month
    • All Grow features
    • Advanced reporting
    • Priority support

Square for Restaurants

Free
  • FreeFree
    • POS
    • Menu management
    • Basic reporting
  • Plus$60/month
    • Advanced features
    • Live sales
    • Seat management
  • PremiumFree
    • Custom pricing
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

Choose ChowNow if

  • You need branded ordering.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want website integration.
ChowNow review

Choose Square for Restaurants if

  • You need table management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want menu customization.
Square for Restaurants review

Questions people ask

Is ChowNow or Square for Restaurants better?
Neither clearly leads. ChowNow starts at $249/month and Square for Restaurants at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ChowNow or Square for Restaurants?
Square for Restaurants has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $249/month for ChowNow and Free for Square for Restaurants.
Does ChowNow or Square for Restaurants run on more platforms?
ChowNow runs on Web, iOS, Android. Square for Restaurants runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Square for Restaurants for free?
Yes. Square for Restaurants has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ChowNow starts at $249/month.
What is ChowNow best used for?
ChowNow is most often used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling.
What can ChowNow do that Square for Restaurants cannot?
ChowNow covers Branded ordering, Website integration, Mobile app, Customer database. Square for Restaurants covers Table management, Menu customization, Split checks, Offline mode. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ChowNow: Is ChowNow truly commission-free?

Yes, ChowNow charges no commission on orders placed through your website, app, or marketplace channels. However, you pay a monthly subscription ($249-$449), payment processing fees (2.95% plus $0.29 per transaction), and optional delivery fees ($7.98 per order with Flex Delivery).

Source
Square for Restaurants: What are Square's main pricing plans for restaurants?

Square offers a free tier and Square Plus. The Free plan has $0 cost with standard processing fees. Square Plus is described as the best value tier and includes lower card processing rates than the free plan.

Source
ChowNow: Does ChowNow integrate with my POS system?

Yes. ChowNow integrates with over 45 POS systems including Toast, Square, Clover, and Revel. Orders are automatically synced to your POS and kitchen printers without manual entry.

Source
Square for Restaurants: Does Square have locked-in contracts or can I cancel anytime?

Square explicitly states no hidden fees or locked-in contracts. Customers can cancel or switch anytime. The pay-as-you-go model means you only pay when you take a payment.

Source
ChowNow: Can I use ChowNow with delivery platforms like DoorDash and Uber Eats?

ChowNow handles direct orders but also supports order aggregation from third-party delivery platforms including DoorDash, UberEats, and Grubhub through integrations.

Source
Square for Restaurants: Does Square Plus include a free trial period?

Yes, Square Plus offers a free trial, though the specific trial duration is not clearly displayed on the pricing page.

Source
ChowNow: How much does ChowNow cost?

ChowNow plans start at $249/month (Launch), $349/month (Grow), and $449/month (Elevate) when billed monthly. Annual billing saves 8-9%. Additional fees include payment processing (2.95% plus $0.29 per transaction), setup fees ($119-$499), and optional delivery charges.

Source
Square for Restaurants: What features does Square Plus add compared to the free plan?

Square Plus includes all free plan features plus advanced POS tools, a loyalty program, email and text marketing (500 free texts, then 3 cents per text), and staff management tools.

Source
ChowNow: What platforms are supported by ChowNow?

ChowNow is available on web, iOS, and Android. Restaurants get a website ordering interface and can offer a branded mobile app. Customers discover restaurants through Google Maps, Apple Maps, Yelp, and the ChowNow Marketplace.

Source
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