Square, the payments processing technology, has come a long way from being just a square dongle connected to an iPad or iPhone where customers swipe their credit cards to pay for items, to now a full blown iPad-powered register that allows for order customization.

Square Register is a point-of-sale system powered by an iPad that allows merchants to accept payments which can also be customized to allow employees to make transactions on the register, access sales reports, and to wirelessly print receipts or open cash drawers to put in the customer’s payment or make change.

Now, the company has rolled out a newly updated Register that allows merchants in the food business to customize orders with ‘modifiers’ that allow cashiers to add customer specifications, for example if the diner has specific food allergies.  Allergies to shellfish and peanuts can be lethal, and by providing an easier way to tell kitchen staff the specifics of a certain order, Square Register is now fast becoming a must-have in the food industry.  Also, Square has added custom kitchen tickets so cashiers can add a name or number to a ticket order.

Square Register was introduced last year, but what made the app stand out is its in-depth analytics software, which allows merchants to segment consumer payments data and transactions.  The dashboard provides basic sales information and recent transaction history at a glance, including the number of payments, subtotals, tax, tips, refunds, account deposits, etc. The data can then be broken down by sales for the month or day, time of day, and even the size of payment.  Merchants can access and explore these analytics when they log into their Square account online.

Though the updates to the app aren’t as impressive as the features already available on traditional cash registers found in most restaurants and cafes, Square Register might well appeal to startups who are just getting ready to conquer the industry.