Whit’s Frozen Custard Chooses Square as its Unified Commerce Platform

Square today announced that Whit’s Frozen Custard, the quick-service restaurant (QSR) brand known for its fresh-made frozen custard and loyal fan base, has selected Square as its unified commerce platform powering 100 locations nationwide. The move marks a pivotal step for the fast-growing franchise as it streamlines cross-location visibility, centralizes reporting and menu management, and builds a stronger foundation for continued expansion.

Founded in 2003 in Granville, Ohio during one of the region’s coldest winters, Whit’s Frozen Custard began as a bold bet: that customers would fall in love with a product many had never even heard of. More than two decades later, that bet has proven sweet. With 100 locations across 11 states and a fiercely loyal following (including more than 60% repeat customers), Whit’s Frozen Custard has grown into a nationally recognized franchise known for its premium ingredients, daily fresh batches, and ever-changing “flavor of the week.”

Now, under the leadership of CEO Bill Aseere – formerly a top-performing Whit’s Frozen Custard franchisee – the company is investing in the commerce platform needed to support its next chapter. “We’ve always believed that if you focus on delivering consistent quality, growth will follow,” said Aseere. “Our products and experiences upheld that standard, but as we scaled, it became clear that our technology needed to evolve alongside us.

Too much time was being spent stitching gaps together across locations. We wanted to make life easier for our franchisees – enabling them to operate independently while giving our corporate team better visibility, and ultimately creating a smoother experience for our customers. Square helped us win on all fronts.”

Streamlining operations

Keeping the Focus on the Custard

Prior to choosing Square, Whit’s Frozen Custard operated on a combination of fragmented systems that added friction at every level of the business. Menu updates had to be manually managed across stores. Reporting lacked consistency and clarity. Franchisees were left navigating the complexities of payments, disputes, and compliance on their own. And corporate teams had limited visibility into performance and royalty tracking.

Square’s franchise capabilities solved these problems in a single destination, giving the corporate team centralized control of its entities. The brand now uses Square Register, Square Kitchen Display System (KDS), Square for Restaurants, and Square for Franchises to power its growing network, removing a significant operational burden from franchisees and returning their attention to the custard that keeps customers coming back for more. In the process, franchisees see an estimated savings of approximately $2,000 annually per location across software and processing costs.

“Food & beverage franchises require a delicate balance of independence on the ground and uniformity at the brand level,” said James Schonziet, Head of Food & Beverage at Square. “Square brings the operational infrastructure, reporting, and ease of use needed to scale a consistent experience across every location, while keeping it simple for the people running it day-to-day. Whit’s is a prime example of what we aim to enable on both fronts.”

Future growth plans

Serving Up the Future of QSR

Through the partnership, Whit’s Frozen Custard is leaning into new ways of serving customers, including adopting Square’s emerging drive-thru capabilities to bring added speed and convenience to its operations while maintaining the brand’s signature, happy hospitality. By leveraging Square’s partner ecosystem, Whit’s is also preparing to utilize integrations that enhance online ordering, loyalty, and mobile app experiences, further enhancing how customers engage with the brand both in-store and digitally.