Per Diem Unwrapped: How the Platform Evolved for Cafes and What Is Coming in 2026

TLDR

As 2025 comes to a close, it stands out as one of the most active years of product growth for Per Diem. Nearly every major update shipped this year came directly from merchant feedback and operational needs from restaurants and coffee shops using the platform every day. From stronger branding control to smoother ordering and deeper Square support, we focused on building tools that help merchants manage more of their business in one place with less effort.

This post breaks down the most important features released in 2025 and gives a clear look at what is coming next in early 2026 as we continue expanding to support more workflows, more order types, and more ways to run a modern food business under one roof.

‍

‍

How Per Diem evolved in 2025 to support modern restaurants

2025 focused on control, clarity, and smoother ordering across every channel. The goal stayed simple. Reduce friction for guests while giving owners more say in how their brand and operations show up every day. Below are the most meaningful releases that changed how merchants run digital ordering, in-store service, and marketing.

Enhanced app customization and brand control

Merchants now have deeper visual control inside their app. Colors can be adjusted across backgrounds, buttons, and accents to match the real look of the space. Font options expanded to support different brand tones, from clean and modern to warm and playful. These updates help cafes and restaurants feel familiar to returning guests the moment the app opens.

The location picker also received major attention. Owners can now control how locations appear and behave from the dashboard. This matters for brands with multiple stores or seasonal pop-ups, where clarity prevents wrong orders and confusion.

Smarter banners and post updates

In-app banners gained useful behavior upgrades. Phone numbers placed inside banners are now clickable, letting customers call with one tap. This small shift removes friction during busy hours when guests need quick answers.

Merchants can also choose from multiple post sizes and layout options. This gives flexibility for promos, announcements, and updates without forcing one format for every message. A single layout no longer has to serve every purpose.

Expanded order types and better checkout clarity

Curbside pickup joined delivery, and standard pickup as a supported options. This gives guests more choice while helping teams manage handoff more smoothly. Some of the Per Diem’s top merchants, including Barrio Bagel & Slice, have already started to use curbside orders.

Checkout also became more transparent. Customers now see a live free delivery threshold during checkout, which reduces hesitation and increases completed orders. For many merchants, clarity at this stage directly impacts order size.

Web ordering is included with the mobile app plan

Web ordering launched as a core part of the Per Diem subscription. Customers can place orders through a mobile-friendly site without downloading an app. This works especially well for tourists, office orders, and first-time guests.

Square Loyalty fully integrates with web ordering, keeping rewards consistent across channels. One standout addition is group ordering. Shared carts let multiple people add items to one order, making team lunches and family orders far easier. This feature is available for all merchants and already shows strong adoption where average order size matters.

Book a demo to see how free web ordering and group carts work for your store.

Olivia brings guided marketing and operational insight

Olivia launched as a built-in assistant focused on real tasks. She answers operational questions, surfaces data insights, and builds marketing campaigns without manual setup. Owners can spend less time digging through dashboards and more time acting on clear direction.

This matters because many restaurant owners still handle marketing late at night or between shifts. Automation here creates breathing room without losing control.

Pay at the table for faster in-store service

Pay at the table was rolled out for dine-in restaurants. Merchants can enable it at the location level. Guests scan a QR code at their table and order from their phone. No waiting for menus or payment rounds.

This flow reduces table idle time and supports lean staffing models. For busy dining rooms, it also increases order accuracy and guest satisfaction.

Product pairing that nudges higher order value

Merchants can now suggest complementary items during checkout. Think pastries with coffee or sides with entrees. These prompts feel natural and help guests discover items they already enjoy. Small suggestions here often lead to measurable lifts in average order value.

In-store amenities that answer common guest questions

Simple tools can have a huge impact. WiFi codes and bathroom access details are now live inside the app. This reduces staff interruptions and keeps guests comfortable without awkward exchanges.

Deeper Square integration for cleaner operations

Per Diem continued tightening its connection with Square. Delivery fulfillment now shows correctly through Square delivery beta, moving orders out of pickup flows and into proper delivery handling.

Modifier visibility and order syncing also improved. Any updates made in Square now reflect automatically in the app. This removes duplicate work and keeps menus accurate everywhere guests order.

These releases reflect steady progress toward a single goal. Give cafe owners tools that feel calm during chaos. In the next section, we will look ahead at what is coming soon in early 2026 and how those updates push even further into automation, control, and growth.

‍

What is coming next in early 2026

The next phase focuses on giving owners more control over volume, visibility, and day-to-day operations without adding complexity. These upcoming releases are designed for real service pressure, larger orders, reputation management, and mobile access. Each update below is already in progress and planned for release in the first quarter of 2026.

Catering built for large and planned orders

Catering is one of the most requested capabilities from growing restaurants. The upcoming catering experience introduces web-based controls designed specifically for large orders and planning. Merchants will be able to manage catering menus separately, control lead times, and work with a specialized catering delivery flow. This helps teams handle office orders, events, and bulk requests without disrupting regular service or overwhelming staff during peak hours.

Become your own ezCater by running catering through your own channel.

Advanced order pacing to protect service quality

Order pacing gives merchants a way to stay in control when demand spikes. With this update, you can set limits on how many takeout and delivery orders are accepted per 15-minute window. These limits can repeat by day of week and time of day, allowing teams to plan around staffing and kitchen capacity. This reduces delays, improves accuracy, and protects the guest experience during rush periods.

Reputation management powered by Olivia

Olivia will expand beyond marketing and operations into reputation management. Merchants will be able to monitor and respond to customer reviews from one place, including Google Maps reviews. Olivia can draft responses, reply automatically when appropriate, and help owners stay active without logging into multiple platforms. This maintains a strong online presence while saving the time owners usually spend reacting late or not at all.

Stay visible and responsive without manual work using Olivia. Book a free Demo to learn more.

Merchant mobile app for on-the-go control

A dedicated merchant mobile app is coming to help owners manage key actions anywhere. From curbside order notifications to daily reports and performance snapshots, the app brings essential tools out of the dashboard and into a simple mobile view. Merchants will also be able to access Olivia, review insights, and stay informed during service without needing a laptop.

Stronger SEO tools for web ordering

Web ordering will gain built-in SEO support to help merchants rank better in local search. Owners will be able to optimize menus and items for search visibility, highlight best sellers, and support social sharing. This helps turn web ordering into a real discovery channel rather than just a convenience link, especially for cafes and restaurants competing in crowded local markets.

Google Calendar integration for order management

Order management will soon connect with Google Calendar. This allows merchants to see large orders, catering bookings, and busy periods alongside their existing schedules. The goal is simple awareness. When owners can see what is coming, they can staff better, prep earlier, and avoid last-minute stress.

These upcoming features reflect a clear direction. Less manual work. Fewer disconnected tools. More visibility and control in one system.

‍

Final thoughts

The updates released and the features coming in the first quarter point to one direction. Per Diem is becoming a more complete system for running a cafe without juggling multiple tools. Each improvement came from merchant input and real service challenges.

As ordering channels grow and customer expectations rise, simplicity matters more than ever. Owners want fewer dashboards, clearer control, and tools that work the way their business runs. The path forward focuses on helping merchants stay organized, visible, and in control while saving time every day.