capital · May 22, 2026

Block Expands Square Focus on Restaurants with The Hat Chain Deployment

Block through Square is deploying tools across all locations of The Hat restaurant chain and launching Square for Drive-Thru plus scaling aids for higher-volume food and beverage sellers as of May 21, 2026. The push targets mid-market commerce with complex transaction needs, competing against Toast and Lightspeed. Separately, Cash App advances AI predictive financial tools, voice features, and internal credit scoring from 16 years of consumer data. Block reported Q1 2026 gross profit of $2.91 billion, up 27% year-over-year, with Cash App gross profit rising 38%. The company raised its full-year 2026 guidance.