# Square Ships $1,999 AI Kiosk That Talks Back to Customers **Source:** https://glitchwire.com/news/square-ships-1999-ai-kiosk-that-talks-back-to-customers/ **Published:** 2026-10-14T18:12:22.094Z **Author:** Tech Desk · Glitchwire **Categories:** Tech, AI ## Summary The new flagship hardware combines a 21.5-inch touchscreen with an agentic voice layer, targeting quick-service restaurants squeezed by labor costs. ## Article [Square](https://squareup.com/us/en/point-of-sale/restaurants/kiosk-software) released its new flagship self-service kiosk today, a $1,999 device that uses conversational AI to take orders by voice. The hardware pairs a 21.5-inch touchscreen with three directional microphones and an agentic voice layer that, according to the company, understands a restaurant's menu and responds in real time. The device is a significant step up from the iPad-based Square Kiosk the company first shipped in mid-2024. That earlier product was essentially a payment enclosure with software. This version is Square's own hardware, with presence detection that wakes the screen before a customer reaches the device and AI noise filtering built into the microphones. > Meet the new Square Kiosk, smarter self-service for a faster rush. Guests can browse by touch, ask menu questions by voice, and order on a 21.5-inch display built for busy restaurants. It’s self-service, reimagined. Learn more: https://t.co/LArszYAYF8 https://t.co/F3j2t1PW55— Square (@Square) [October 14, 2026](https://x.com/Square/status/2110401688347570440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) ## How It Works Customers can talk to the kiosk the way they would talk to counter staff: asking what's on the menu, requesting modifications, checking for allergens, or getting recommendations based on the time of day or what's already in their cart. They can switch to the touchscreen at any point during an order. Payments are handled on the device itself through tap, dip, or PIN, with no sidecar reader required. A barcode scanner handles gift cards. Thomas Templeton, Block's global hardware lead, framed the product as a response to labor constraints. "Whether answering menu questions or making informed recommendations, Square Kiosk raises the bar on what guests can expect from self-service while giving staff the time back to focus on hospitality and the tasks that matter the most," he said in the company's announcement. ## Pricing and Requirements The $1,999 hardware price includes a counter stand. Floor pedestals cost extra. On top of the hardware, operators pay a $99 monthly software fee per device and must maintain either a Square Plus subscription at $49 per location per month or Square Premium at $149. All-in first-year costs for a single kiosk on the cheapest qualifying plan run past $4,500. The device is available only in the United States and currently supports only English. Square offers 30-day returns and a two-year limited warranty. For operators who can't swing the flagship price, the company still offers its iPad-based Square Kiosk Lite as a lower-cost alternative. ## Franchise Tools Alongside the hardware, Square announced a multi-account management suite aimed at quick-service franchise networks. The system lets operators manage menus, reporting, and gift cards across multiple locations from a single dashboard while giving individual franchisees flexibility over their own operations. Baltej Sra, CEO of Boba Nation Grand, said the kiosk exceeded expectations in test locations. "We've used other kiosks before that were too bulky for our space and couldn't handle a menu as extensive as ours, but Square Kiosk has exceeded our expectations," Sra said. Lawrence Kam, a multi-unit franchise operator with L&L; Hawaiian BBQ, said the device frees staff for other tasks. ## Market Context Square's push into AI-powered kiosks comes as the company deepens its bet on the quick-service restaurant segment. Earlier this year it introduced [drive-thru capabilities](/news/siri-ai-is-here-apple-finally-has-a-conversational-assistant-worth-using/) and rolled out ordering integrations with Google Maps, ChatGPT, and Claude. The kiosk market itself has grown crowded: competitors like [Toast](https://pos.toasttab.com/), Clover, and dedicated players like Bite all offer self-ordering terminals for restaurants. Toast's self-ordering kiosk runs on proprietary, spill-resistant hardware and ties into its ingredient-level inventory system. Square's pitch is different: the voice layer. The company is betting that conversational AI, not just touchscreens, will define the next generation of self-service ordering. Whether restaurants will absorb the recurring fees at scale is an open question. Square had no announcements about deals with major chains. [Fast Company reports](https://www.fastcompany.com/91623162/square-ai-powered-kiosks-self-order-in-fast-food-restaurants) Square's team considers kiosks "an area of growth" as more restaurants explore automation, but the company hasn't disclosed sales targets or deployment timelines. The kiosk is available to order today through Square's website. --- **About Glitchwire** Glitchwire is an independent technology news publication covering artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, science, security, policy, finance, and the broader technology industry. 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