‘I’m probably Square’s biggest fan’: Broken Eggs’ Gabriel Larraz hails pocket-sized Handheld PoS device

Gabriel Larraz, co-founder at casual Spanish restaurant Broken Eggs, has praised Square’s latest Handheld electronic point of sale (EPoS) system as being “super quick” at taking payments.

The quick service model at the Fitzrovia restaurant means that speed is important, said Larraz, and his previous EPoS had slowed down service. Square’s new portable Handheld device completes a transaction in an average of 0.5 seconds, with Larraz revealing he’s never had a glitch with Square’s systems in the two years since he made the switch.

Square said it has invested heavily in both hardware and software optimisation to deliver fast payment speeds across all devices, including Square Handheld.

Larraz, a former investment banker, said that data is vital for him to make business decisions, and added: “The thing I like most about Square is how simple it is. You have all the information in one place that you need to make decisions.”

This year, Square created its Handheld device to be pocket-sized and provide a frictionless customer experience, acting upon operator feedback. Broken Eggs has been using the Handheld for several months. Larraz said: “My serving staff go to tables with the PoS always on them, they don’t need to take the order and then go to the till to put it through. They have the Handheld in their pockets and can take orders and payments very quickly.”

The PoS system features different operational modes tailored to various types of hospitality venue, including full-service restaurants (which displays a table plan), quick service restaurants and bars.

Square Handheld has a built-in barcode scanner for faster cart building and inventory management, as well as facilitating QR code payments. An inbuilt camera means that users can take photos of new dishes or products to directly add into their item library, all in one workflow.

The device is designed to cope with the rigours of busy shifts, undergoing extensive drop testing and rated to IP54 standards for water and dust resistance. The technology firm has also partnered with accessories manufacturer Belkin to offer grippy protective cases in colours including poppy red and forest green to add further defence against accidental drops and scratches, which also allows businesses to match their device to their brand identity.

The Handheld’s battery should last all day, eliminating the need for charging between shifts, and Square’s hardware is tested to stand up to daily charging for many years.

Square also provided Broken Eggs’ kitchen display system (KDS), and with the site offering takeaway and delivery as well as on-site dining, Larraz felt it was key to have all information under the same ecosystem. “If I need to make a fast change to an order I can use the Handheld device to quickly void it and the kitchen will see it in seconds on the KDS,” he said. “It’s very seamless and easy.”

Operators can set personalised timings on the KDS, and the orders will change colour and alert staff if that time limit is exceeded. There’s also a ‘quick fire’ option to send a rapidly required dish to the front of the queue.

Given typical rates of staff turnover, Larraz said that it’s simple to learn how to operate Square’s systems: “Literally after one day of training I can have someone taking orders because it’s just that intuitive. When they open an item it shows a picture, a description and any allergens.”

He added: “Square understands restaurants and the challenges we have, and they create a product to simplify those problems.

“I’m probably Square’s biggest fan. Everyone I’ve talked to that has a restaurant I’ve said ‘you guys need to be on Square’. It’s the best.”