Help Center
Everything you need to launch your branded mobile ordering app
1. Overview
Disco helps you launch your own branded mobile ordering app for iOS and Android. Your customers can browse your menu, place orders, pay securely, and earn rewards - all through an app with your branding.
The process takes about 2-3 weeks from start to finish:
- Day 1-2: Set up your account and configure branding
- Day 2-3: Set up Apple and Google developer accounts
- Day 3-5: We build your app
- Day 5-14: App Store review (Apple: 1-3 days, Google: 1-7 days)
- Day 14+: Your app is live!
What You'll Need
- A Square account with your menu set up
- Your logo and app icon (we'll help with specs)
- Apple Developer account ($99/year)
- Google Play Developer account ($25 one-time)
2. Getting Started
Create Your Disco Account
Visit disco.coffee/register and sign up with your email address. You'll use this account to manage your app settings, view orders, and track your app's performance.
Complete Your Shop Profile
After signing up, you'll be prompted to enter your shop details:
- Shop name
- Business address
- Contact information
3. Connect Square POS
Disco integrates directly with Square to sync your menu, process payments, and manage inventory in real-time.
Go to Settings
Navigate to Settings in your dashboard and find the Integrations section.
Click "Connect Square"
Click the Connect Square button. You'll be redirected to Square to authorize the connection.
Authorize Disco
Log in to your Square account and click Allow to grant Disco access to:
- Read your menu items and categories
- Process payments on your behalf
- Create and manage orders
- Read inventory levels
Menu Sync
Once connected, your menu will automatically sync from Square. This usually takes less than a minute. You can view your synced menu in the Menu section of your dashboard.
Keep Your Menu Updated in Square
4. App Branding
Make the app truly yours by customizing colors, fonts, and branding. Go to App → Branding in your dashboard.
App Name
Enter your app name as you want it to appear on the App Store and on customers' home screens. Keep it short and recognizable (e.g., "Bean & Brew" or "Sunrise Coffee").
Brand Colors
Choose your brand colors:
- Primary Color: Used for buttons, links, and accents
- Secondary Color: Used for backgrounds and secondary elements
Use your existing brand colors for consistency. The preview panel shows how your colors will look in the app.
Font Selection
Choose a font that matches your brand personality. We offer a curated selection of fonts that work well on mobile:
- Inter: Clean and modern
- Poppins: Friendly and geometric
- Playfair Display: Elegant and premium
- Montserrat: Sophisticated and versatile
App Icon
Upload your app icon. This appears on customers' home screens and in the app stores.
Requirements:
- Size: 1024 x 1024 pixels
- Format: PNG
- No transparency (use a solid background)
- No rounded corners (the system adds these automatically)
Splash Screen
Upload a logo for your splash screen (the screen shown while the app loads).
Requirements:
- Format: PNG with transparency
- Recommended size: 200-400px wide
- The logo will be centered on your primary color background
5. App Store Assets
Both Apple and Google require screenshots and descriptions for your store listings. Go to App → Assets to upload these.
Screenshots
You'll need screenshots showing your app in action. We recommend 4-6 screenshots showing:
- Your menu/home screen
- A product detail page
- The cart/checkout
- Order confirmation
- Rewards/loyalty screen
Screenshot Sizes:
- iPhone: 1290 x 2796 pixels (required)
- Android: 1080 x 1920 pixels minimum
App Description
Write a compelling description for your app store listing. Include:
- What makes your coffee shop special
- Key features (mobile ordering, rewards, etc.)
- Call to action
Maximum 4,000 characters.
Keywords (iOS only)
Enter comma-separated keywords to help customers find your app. Think about what your customers might search for:
"coffee, order ahead, rewards, cafe, espresso, latte, [your city]"
Maximum 100 characters.
Feature Graphic (Android only)
Google Play requires a feature graphic - a promotional banner displayed at the top of your store listing.
Requirements: 1024 x 500 pixels, PNG or JPG
6. Apple Developer Setup
To publish on the App Store, you need an Apple Developer account. This costs $99/year.
Create Apple Developer Account
Visit developer.apple.com/programs and click Enroll.
- Sign in with your Apple ID (or create one)
- Choose to enroll as an Individual or Organization
- Complete the enrollment and pay the $99 annual fee
Find Your Team ID
Once enrolled, find your Team ID:
- Go to developer.apple.com/account
- Click Membership in the sidebar
- Your Team ID is displayed (10 characters, e.g., "ABC123DEFG")
Create App Store Connect API Key
This allows us to automatically upload your app to the App Store.
- Go to App Store Connect
- Click Users and Access in the top menu
- Select the Integrations tab
- Click App Store Connect API
- Click the + button to generate a new key
- Name it (e.g., "Disco Build Key")
- Select Admin role
- Click Generate
Download and Save Your Credentials
After generating the key, you'll have:
- Issuer ID: Shown at the top of the keys page
- Key ID: Shown in the keys table
- Private Key (.p8 file): Click Download - you can only download this once!
Important
Enter Credentials in Disco
Go to App → Credentials in your Disco dashboard and enter:
- Team ID
- Key ID
- Issuer ID
- Upload your .p8 private key file
7. Google Play Setup
To publish on Google Play, you need a Google Play Developer account. This costs $25 one-time.
Create Google Play Developer Account
Visit play.google.com/console and sign up with your Google account.
- Accept the developer agreement
- Pay the $25 registration fee
- Complete your developer profile
Create Your App in Play Console
Before we can upload builds, you need to create your app:
- In Play Console, click Create app
- Enter your app name
- Select App (not Game)
- Select Free
- Complete the declarations and create the app
Create a Service Account
This allows us to automatically upload your app to Google Play.
- Go to Google Cloud Console
- Create a new project (or select an existing one)
- Go to APIs & Services → Enabled APIs
- Search for and enable Google Play Android Developer API
- Go to IAM & Admin → Service Accounts
- Click Create Service Account
- Name it (e.g., "disco-play-upload")
- Skip the optional steps and click Done
Create and Download JSON Key
- Click on your new service account
- Go to the Keys tab
- Click Add Key → Create new key
- Select JSON format
- Click Create - the key file will download automatically
Grant Access in Play Console
- Go back to Play Console
- Click Users and permissions
- Click Invite new users
- Enter the service account email (found in your JSON file)
- Grant Admin access (or at minimum: Release, Store presence)
- Click Invite user
Upload Credentials to Disco
Go to App → Credentials in your Disco dashboard and upload your JSON key file in the Google Play section.
8. Request Your Build
Once you've completed all the setup steps, you're ready to request your app build!
Review Your Checklist
Go to App → Status to see your completion checklist. Make sure all items are checked:
- Square connected
- App branding complete
- App icon uploaded
- Screenshots uploaded
- Apple credentials configured
- Google credentials configured
- Privacy policy URL set
Request Build
Click the Request Build button. Our team will review your configuration and begin building your app.
You'll receive an email notification when:
- Your build starts
- Your build completes
- Your app is submitted to the stores
Build Process
The build process typically takes 1-2 business days. We will:
- Generate your customized iOS and Android apps
- Test the builds internally
- Submit to Apple App Store and Google Play Store
9. App Review Process
After we submit your app, it goes through review by Apple and Google.
Apple App Store Review
Apple typically reviews apps within 1-3 business days. They check for:
- Compliance with App Store guidelines
- App stability and performance
- Accurate app description and screenshots
- Privacy policy compliance
Google Play Review
Google typically reviews apps within 1-7 days (often faster for simple apps). They check for:
- Policy compliance
- Content rating accuracy
- Data safety declarations
Going Live
Once approved, your app will be live on the stores! You'll receive:
- Direct links to your App Store and Play Store listings
- QR codes to share with customers
- Marketing materials to promote your app
10. After Launch
Promote Your App
Let your customers know about your new app:
- Add QR codes to your counter and tables
- Post on social media
- Add a link to your website
- Train staff to mention the app to customers
- Offer a first-order discount through the app
Monitor Orders
Use your Disco dashboard to:
- View incoming mobile orders
- Track order history and revenue
- Manage customer data
Update Your Menu
Any changes to your menu in Square will automatically sync to your app. No action needed in Disco!
App Updates
We regularly release updates with new features and improvements. These are included in your subscription at no extra cost. We'll notify you when updates are available.