Square today announced that The Baked Bear, the beloved handcrafted cookie ice cream sandwich concept founded in San Diego in 2013, is continuing to grow on Square as it expands its national footprint. Operating 36 locations across the United States, The Baked Bear has run on Square since the day it opened its first store in Pacific Beach, California – making Square the only point-of-sale platform the brand has ever used for its brick-and-mortar operations. With at least five additional locations planned over the coming year, The Baked Bear is entering one of its most active growth phases yet, and is doubling down on Square as its technology foundation.

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Photo courtesy of The Baked Bear

Photo courtesy of The Baked Bear

The Baked Bear was born when childhood friends Rob Robbins and Shane Stanger left their careers to pursue a shared passion: opening a restaurant concept together in San Diego. Rob’s favorite dessert growing up was the ice cream sandwich, and after much deliberation, the two decided to build a concept around making them – custom, handcrafted, and built to order. Guests choose from over a dozen scratch-made cookies or brownies for the top and bottom, select their ice cream flavor, pick their toppings, and can finish with the signature move: getting the whole thing warm-pressed into a gooey, indulgent finale. The first store opened in Pacific Beach to lines down the street, and the brand has been maintaining a community of devoted fans and critical praise ever since.

“As a filmmaker and entrepreneur, I have always been drawn to the art of creation, and I’m passionate about helping people bring something to life that’s entirely their own,” said Shane Stanger, Co-Founder of The Baked Bear. “That’s what The Baked Bear does every single day. Our guests walk in and get to create something they envision, from the cookie to the ice cream to the toppings. That experience is what makes us more than a dessert shop – it’s what makes us a beloved part of our communities, and the reason people keep coming back. We’re grateful to have Square supporting us as we bring our concept to even more neighborhoods this year.”

When simple, scalable concepts join forces

The Baked Bear’s concept is built around delightful simplicity: a visit in which a short, joyful decision tree – Choose your top and bottom cookies, ice cream, and your toppings – ends with a delicious creation. The brand’s approach to technology mirrors that philosophy. The Baked Bear runs Square Register and Square Point of Sale across its 36 locations, keeping the front-of-house experience fast, intuitive, and consistent whether a team member is working their first shift or their hundredth. For a franchised concept operating across dozens of locations with staff of varying experience levels, that ease of use is not a nice-to-have; it is essential.

The brand’s decade-long relationship with Square reflects a consistency that mirrors its own: the same commitment to getting the experience right, every time, at every location. They currently operate in states including Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. As The Baked Bear adds new stores across the country via a franchise model, that operational consistency becomes even more valuable.

“The Baked Bear has built a brand around one of the most joyful experiences in food, and they deliver it with the kind of simplicity and delight that keeps guests coming back,” said James Schonzeit, Head of Food & Beverage at Square. “That’s exactly where our philosophies align. As they head into their next wave of growth, we’re proud to be the technology partner bringing their creative desserts to new neighborhoods.”

To learn more about how Square powers food and beverage businesses, visit squareup.com/restaurants.

About The Baked Bear

Founded in 2013 by Rob Robbins and Shane Stanger in Pacific Beach, California, The Baked Bear is a handcrafted cookie ice cream sandwich concept operating 36 locations across the United States. Guests build their own custom ice cream sandwiches from scratch-made cookies, brownies, craft ice cream, and a range of toppings – finished with an optional warm press. For more information, visit thebakedbear.com.

About Square

Square helps businesses turn transactions into connections and businesses into neighborhood favorites.

In 2009, Square started with a simple invention – the first mobile card reader, which changed how the entire financial system thinks about small businesses. Square has since grown into a global business platform helping millions of sellers of all sizes participate and thrive in their communities. Whether independently run or a global chain, Square understands that sellers succeed when they have the freedom to focus on the experiences that keep customers coming back. From point of sale and payments to online commerce, staff management, cash flow tools, and more, Square brings together the tools sellers need to run and grow on one intelligent platform. For more information, visit squareup.com.

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