Groups & Events

Are you a restaurateur looking for a refresher course, or new to the scene and looking for training? This free live webinar by SBDC Restaurant Program Director Louise Dawson will offer more understanding of food cost and pricing.   Discussion topics include: Understanding profit and loss statements Industry benchmarks for food cost How to work from a budget Weekly flashcards to keep on track Industry techniques for calculating plate cost How to price for profitability Best practices for managing inventory   Review details and register for this event by clicking the blue button below:   RSVP AND JOIN THE CONVERSATION ... View more

Curious how restaurant and bar owners here are handling customer referrals. A few things I keep hearing from F&B owners I talk to: Most are doing it manually (discount codes, handwritten cards, "tell them I sent you") Nobody's tracking who referred whom, so rewards are inconsistent When they try third-party apps, most are built for retail or salons, not restaurants For those of you running anything referral-related: Are you tracking it, and if so, how? What reward works best in your experience — free appetizer, gift card, % off next visit? Has anyone tried tying it to loyalty points through Square Loyalty? I've been working on this problem specifically for Square merchants (I built a tool called ViralRef), and I'm trying to learn what actually moves the needle for restaurants vs. what we've seen work for salons. Happy to share notes with anyone who's experimenting. — Alejandro, Miami ... View more

Other than Square 😉...   What's one software, app, tool, or subscription that makes running your business easier?   Always looking for ideas from other sellers. ... View more

June is here and every industry seems to experience summer differently. For your business, is summer your busiest season, your slowest season, or pretty much the same year-round? I'd love to hear what type of business you're in and how summer impacts sales. ... View more

Hi Square Community 👋   After extensive testing, I’ve decided to step away from the Square Loyalty program for now. The current points-based system works well for retail, but it’s not well suited for service-based businesses.   For services, the points model becomes cumbersome:   Requires frequent manual entry Points reset after redemption, which feels counterintuitive Deposits and partial payments don’t automatically earn points, making tracking inconsistent   The Core Issue   In service-based businesses, loyalty is built through visits and progression, not just spend. Clients don’t “start over” after redeeming a reward — they continue building results and trust over time.   Proposed Upgrade: Per-Visit Milestone Rewards (No Points)   Instead of points tied to dollars spent, rewards would be based on completed visits or services.   Why This Matters Eliminates confusing point math and resets Reflects natural client progression Reduces manual work with deposits and partial payments Creates clear, motivating milestones Makes loyalty easier for both clients and staff I’ve fully transitioned my business to Square and love the ecosystem overall, but loyalty has been the most challenging piece for a service-based model.   I know Square offers integrations with third-party loyalty programs, so I’d love to hear from others:   👉 What loyalty programs are you using for service-based businesses, and which ones do you recommend?   Thanks for reading 💛 ... View more