Prefecture 48, a six-venue Japanese dining destination in Sydney’s CBD, has chosen Square to power what may be one of the city’s most operationally complex hospitality operations.
The multi-concept operator selected Square to address a critical challenge: allowing guests to move freely between venues while maintaining operational control and delivering a seamless experience.
At Prefecture 48, diners can start with omakase at one venue, move to the robata-focused Ibushi for a second course, then finish with drinks at the Whisky Thief—all without settling separate bills at each stop. Square’s integrated system consolidates orders and payments across all six concepts.
A big win for guest flow
“We’ve always envisioned ourselves to be a one-stop for multiple destinations,” says Cindy Tseng, Prefecture 48’s brand director. “Square is a perfect integration into this concept because it allows our guests to move freely between venues with only one bill at the end of the night. To us, that is a big win.”
The precinct houses six distinct concepts: contemporary kaiseki restaurant Garaku, chef-led dining at Five, sushi-focused Omakase, robata concept Ibushi, cocktail bar the Whisky Thief, and patisserie Dear Florence. Each operates with its own service style and menu while sharing backend technology.
From bar tabs to à la carte
Prefecture 48 deployed Square for Restaurants alongside Square Register, Square Terminal and Square Handheld devices to create a unified system across the precinct. The platform handles everything from multi-course tasting menus and omakase service to bar tabs and à la carte orders.
The operational benefits extend beyond guest-facing convenience. Phil Chan, Prefecture 48’s IT manager, points to the speed of menu updates: “I can detail that particular item description within literally 60 seconds. That flexibility is critical for a venue like ours, where menus change frequently and accuracy during service matters.”
For kitchen operations, clear communication is essential when managing complex, multi-course menus with dietary modifications. Head Chef Hiroshi Manaka emphasised the importance of clean ticket printing and accurate order notes to maintain consistency and timing during service.
The technology also provides real-time reporting across all venues, giving management consolidated visibility into performance metrics without requiring staff to manually compile data.
“Prefecture 48 represents the kind of sophisticated, full-service hospitality Square is built to support,” said Colin Birney, head of business development at Square. “Running an operation of this calibre demands technology that can handle complexity without getting in the way.”
