You'll soon be seeing much more of Square at Whole Foods. The two companies have announced a deal that will see Square handle payment and checkout at "food venues" inside select Whole Foods locations. These include sandwich counters, juice and coffee bars, pizzerias, and beer and wine bars, according to a press release. Each participating in-store venue will be equipped with an iPad and Square Stand, where you'll be able to swipe your credit card for immediate checkout — without lugging your items to the front of the store. "By bridging the digital and in-store retail spaces at these venues, Whole Foods Market shoppers can skip the main checkout lines, reducing wait times for all customers," Square said in its press release. The companies note that some stores will also let Square users pay with Square Wallet, eliminating the need to present a credit card or other method of payment altogether.
Today's agreement marks Square's first partnership with a national grocer, and yet another step in the company's retail expansion. In 2012, Square announced a blockbuster deal with Starbucks that allowed customers to pay for drinks using its smartphone app. More recently, the company unveiled a redesigned, slimmer version of its iconic white credit card reader and also launched a payments-by-email service called Square Cash.