Restaurant Tech Radar · Free edition · sample

The guest gets through.

An order placed. A table booked. Those are useful things to make easier.

They are also the beginning of the restaurant’s work. Somebody still has to make lunch, pace the room, and notice the guest whose simple request has become a problem.

Two recent announcements move that first interaction further into software. Here is what changed, and where the evidence stops.

Square puts a voice at the counter

On October 14, Square introduced its voice-enabled Kiosk. The company says guests can ask menu questions, modify orders, and switch between speaking and tapping. Its case for the product includes faster lines, larger orders, and more staff attention available for hospitality. Those are company claims, not RTR findings. Square announcement

The published U.S. price starts at $1,999 with a counter stand, plus $99 per device each month. Square Kiosk also requires an active Square Plus or Premium plan. Plus is $49 per location monthly; Premium is $149. The $99 software fee is charged per device each month, separately from the plan. Square Kiosk · Square pricing

Our read: the useful possibility is an ordinary order getting through without pulling someone away from another job. The harder case is the interruption that still needs a person. If ordering gets quicker while food production stays put, the wait can move toward pickup. A tidier queue at the screen would be a thin victory for a crowded counter.

Resy brings Beli bookings closer to a recommendation

Resy’s October 13 announcement adds in-app reservations to Beli, where people keep restaurant lists and follow recommendations. Resy says the integration covers U.S. restaurants on iOS and Android, including standard and prepaid bookings. For restaurants using multiple reservation platforms, Resy availability may not appear in Beli. Resy announcement

That makes the route from a friend’s recommendation to a booking shorter. Whether it produces an additional occupied table is a separate question. A booking that would have arrived another way changes the channel count without changing dinner service. The announcement does not establish which outcome restaurants will see.

What matters after the guest says yes

These developments put useful work at the entrance to a meal. Their value depends on what happens next: an order the team can fulfill without avoidable repair, or demand the restaurant can turn into a well-run service.

The weekly Free newsletter follows research on these changes. Operator Pro takes selected questions further, including the cost of a kiosk before any savings claim and whether a new reservation channel brings additional business.

Dirk / Restaurant Tech Radar

Editorial note: Square, Resy, and Beli are subjects of coverage. Links identify sources; they do not indicate sponsorship or endorsement. This edition is based on published sources, not hands-on testing.

Source note: Square and Resy announcements and pricing pages checked October 25, 2026. Capabilities and prices can change. This sample is based on published sources, not hands-on product testing.