FAQ
Questions before you put it on the wall.
The useful questions are operational: what changes, what doesn't, what customers see, and what happens if you stop.
Ask before you buy. A person reads every message and there is no sales sequence behind it.
Email hello@pickupsignal.comWhat changes at the counter
Does Pickup Signal replace my register or kitchen display?
No. It is the customer-facing pickup layer. Payments, refunds, menus and kitchen production stay in the systems you already use.
Will my staff actually use it?
It is one tap per order and it replaces a job they already do: answering "is mine ready?" out loud all shift. If someone forgets to tap, nothing breaks; the order stays in the making column.
What if staff forget to mark an order Ready?
The order stays shown as being made until someone taps Ready.
What if staff misspell a name?
Fix name corrects it in place. The order keeps its number, its position in line and its Ready status.
Does the staff screen go to sleep?
No. The staff page keeps its own screen awake once orders start coming in. The setup guide covers a phone or tablet docked at the register.
Orders in
Do I need Square?
No. Eligible Square orders arrive automatically with names and items. On any other register, staff add orders by name, ticket number or automatic daily number in about two seconds. Clover and Toast connections are next.
How fast is entering an order by hand?
About two seconds. Type a name or ticket number, or nothing at all in automatic-numbering mode, and press Enter.
Can the register and the bar use different screens?
Yes. One staff link opens two roles: Register is entry-only for the phone up front; Bar sees the full queue and taps Ready.
Can my own ordering system send orders in?
Yes. The integration API accepts orders from a website, a kiosk, or a Zapier or Make automation with one authenticated request.
How do I know staff are actually entering orders?
The dashboard shows a running count for the day and when the last order came in. A heads-up email arrives if a previously active shop goes quiet for a day.
Screens and customers
Do I need to buy a screen?
No. Use a TV with a browser, a TV with a $35 streaming stick, an iPad or an Android tablet. Check the setup guide before buying anything.
What do customers see?
You choose: first name and last initial, an order number, or number only. Never an address or phone number.
What if a customer misses their name?
Nothing disappears. Orders stay in Ready until picked up. After a timer you choose, one that sits too long moves to "please see staff" instead of vanishing.
Does it make a sound?
Only if you turn a chime on. Everything like that is a toggle, off by default.
Is it only for drink shops?
No. It is for any made-to-order counter with a visible pickup problem: coffee, bakery, boba, smoothie, dessert and similar.
Trial, price, leaving
What does it cost?
$19.99 per month per location after a 30-day free trial. No card to start. Every screen and staff device at the same location is included.
When does the trial begin?
When the first screen is paired, not when the account is created. Time spent setting up does not count against the trial. The trial runs once per account, so a location you add later does not start a new one.
Does every TV cost extra?
No. Screens at the same location are included. Each separate location has its own subscription.
Does cancelling affect my register?
No. Cancelling turns off the board. Payments, refunds, menus and orders in the connected register are untouched, and there is nothing to return to us.
Still deciding whether the workflow fits?
Start without a card, or email Tien with the register and screen already in the shop.