[cwilson]

I'm not sure if many HN users are familiar with TabbedOut (there are quite a few venues in Austin that support it), but there is definitely some cross-over here with the Square Case. Specifically if this works in bars.

Essentially you can open and close a tab with a bar whenever you want. Forget to close your tab and realize you're a mile away from the bar? No problem, you can close it and add tip from anywhere. Forget your credit card often at bars? You don't give them a CC in the first place because it's stored in your TabbedOut account.

It also does nifty things like allow you to split checks via the app at restaurants, which is super useful.

One of TabbedOut's big accomplishments is they have invested quite a bit of time/money integrating with point of sale systems which is what allows them to have such a slick user experience. I'm curious if this is something Square has done as well.

[pbreit]

No. Square has built it's own iPad-based POS software.

[jaxn]

With an iPhone client for the customers that interacts with the POS, so it is definitely a feature they could have.

The iPad POS doesn't appear to be in the app store yet.

[pbreit]

http://itunes.apple.com/app/square/id335393788

[smackfu]

How does TabbedOut actually work at a crowded bar? When I have a credit card tab, they usually need the name on the card to find the tab.

[thinkcomp]

TabbedOut requires each user to use a five-character alphanumeric code, similar to the kind you'd get when booking an airline ticket. I'm not sure how the bartender is supposed to remember everyone's code (let alone people who have had too much to drink), but that's the general idea.

[cwilson]

When I've used this in bars they have asked me to show them or tell them my code. It's already up on their POS system and has my name attached as well, so for future use I can just say my last name like I normally would even if they had my card.

Generally there are only a few people using TabbedOut at any given time, if not just me, so it's not hard for the bartender to remember me (bar tenders are quite good at remembering faces and names as they do it so often).