Introduction
Are you looking for a sleek, intuitive, and comprehensive POS system for your restaurant, bar, or cafe? The Toast Point of Sale (POS) system is among the best, particularly if you need extensive delivery and online ordering services and inventory and menu management. Boston-based brand Toast is a powerful all-in-one POS system that focuses on meeting the needs of restaurants, cafes, bars, and other businesses in the food service industry.Overview
Whether you operate a mom-and-pop coffee shop or multiple restaurant locations, Toast POS likely has a solution to meet your needs and preferences. Toast POS is a powerful and intuitive solution for all types of food service businesses, such as full-service fine dining establishments and quick-service restaurants, as well as cafes and bars. If your restaurant provides table service, waiters can easily and quickly take orders and process payments right at the table leveraging Toast’s tablet devices. The seamless cloud-based software is easily accessible both online and offline. Toast POS provides a wide range of features and functionalities for your food-service business, including tableside ordering, automatic tipping options, online ordering and delivery tracking, and integrated credit card processing. Toast POS differentiates itself from iOS-based competitors by deciding to run its platform on Android. This makes it cheaper and more versatile. However, is Toast's POS system right for your business? In this Toast point of sale review, we explore the answer and consider how this POS offering is different from the competition. This Toast POS review will take a close look at all the features, pricing, and customer support.Toast POS - Setup
You may know that many POS systems take a plug-and-play approach. However, Toast’s powerful POS solution is best installed with help from the company’s representatives. After you sign the contract with the company, a Toast Onboarding Consultant will contact you to schedule a 30-minute kick-off call with you. This call will include a comprehensive overview of the onboarding process as well as a timeline for implementing Toast POS into your business operations. While a self-install guide is available online, the company recommends that you don’t unbox the contents until you’re on the phone with a Toast implementer to install it.Pros
- Toast POS offers an excellent variety of restaurant-grade hardware options to run every facet of your restaurant.
- There’s no commission or charge for using the system’s online ordering features.
- You may use the Toast POS to control and manage ordering flow during peak times with convenient, dynamic order throttling.
- The cloud-based software is simple to use and implement.
- Excellent customer service.
- Financing programs are available
Cons
- Additional costs for features and add-ons
- Toast POS system does not integrate with third-party payment processors.
Toast POS: Features and Benefits
Toast’s POS system is comprehensive and secure and has an impressive list of features, such as tableside ordering, aimed at making things simpler and more convenient for restaurant staff and management.Customer-facing Screens
This key feature allows you to gather more information while helping guests and patrons to complete transactions, give feedback, and join loyalty programs. Customers don’t have to enroll in plastic card-based plans since these are already included in the digital checkout tool, which boosts the number of sign-ups.Tableside Ordering
An increasingly desirable and popular option, tableside ordering is quick and convenient with Toast Order & Pay and allows your servers and staff to enter the orders and send them to the kitchen straight from a customer’s table. This feature lowers order errors and enhances the speed of service. This service allows guests who prefer in-person dining to easily place new orders and then pay for their food using their mobile devices. Customers can access the menu, and modify their order while seated at a restaurant table. Your servers no longer have to write down orders and return to a workstation to enter them. Also, it is simple to split checks, swipe cards, and email or text receipts.Menu Management
Toast POS allows you to update and manage your online menu from anywhere. Restaurants can create and manage their menu items easily. Changes to the menu can be made in real time and can be synced across all devices. You can also edit an item’s availability, include promotions, and add countdowns for upcoming menu items.Online Ordering
The vendor provides online ordering facility for only $50 per month, which is more affordable than other services that charge 10% to 15% of the transaction value. With Toast's online ordering platform, clients can place orders for pickup or delivery directly from your restaurant's website. This means that there is no need to reenter data into the POS.Inventory Management
Toast POS’ real-time inventory management module helps monitor food inventory, units and prices, and suppliers from your computer or mobile device. You can know which ingredients and supplies are urgently required and the ones that you can delay. This capability allows you to reorder items as needed in order to replenish stock.Employee Management
Toast POS system also allows you to set access level restrictions for employees. Toast POS allows restaurants to manage employee schedules, track hours worked, and monitor performance. You can give different access rights to your employees. The POS system allows you to adjust the reports depending on the roles. The system also enables employees to clock in and out and view their schedules.Delivery Management
If your restaurant or cafe offers delivery, you can also customize your services by setting delivery zones and customizing delivery fees based on distance. You can also set delivery times and assign orders to specific drivers and track orders from initial order submission to delivery.Solid Training Materials
POS systems usually have a steep learning curve. You will be pleased to know that Toast POS makes things more manageable and simpler with its training materials, including demos and video tutorials. The platform also features an extensive knowledge base for easy and quick troubleshooting and other system info.Equipment and Hardware
You can purchase different hardware depending on your unique needs and preferences. Toast provides options for printers, tablets, stands, and accessories, including cash drawers, scales, scanners, and customer-facing pole displays. You will find wireless and stationary models. However, as Toast POS runs on Android platforms, you won’t be able to use it with an Apple iPad.Toast Flex
Optimized for ease of use and speed, Toast Flex is the server’s main touchscreen to enter orders. It is 14 inches and can easily swivel to face customers. You will find everything that you need to start taking and managing contactless transactions and keyed-in transactions with ease. There is a handy and compact card reader on the side to accept payments.Toast Flex for Kitchen
This valuable kitchen display system connects front-of-house and kitchen staff so that they can deliver tasty meals to guests. Toast Flex for Kitchen integrates with the Toast Go 2. The device is durable enough to survive harsh kitchen environments, including spills and high heat.Toast Go 2
The Toast Go 2 is a hand-held device designed to help your staff provide a full POS experience at the tableside. The device offers more capabilities, such as receiving customer payments. Your servers can split checks and perform various other billing-related tasks on this device.Toast Kiosk
This is a convenient self-service kiosk for customers. Guests have a large display to see menu items and easily order from the touchscreen.Pricing and Plans
Regardless of the type or size of restaurant or cafe you run, Toast POS offers flexible and customizable POS packages to meet your needs and requirements. There is a monthly software subscription, optional hardware installation and costs, and add-on features to choose from. You will appreciate Toast for its free Starter plan, which is not something most competitors offer. The company also offers the Essentials plan (starts at $165 a month), and the New Restaurant Basics plan (starts at $110 a month, and $4 per employee per month). You can also choose a custom plan based on the services and features you need. These services and features are beneficial to most restaurants, bars, and cafes, but they cost extra:- Additional hardware
- Order & Pay at the Table
- Payroll and team management
- Delivery services
- Team communication and scheduling
- Marketing, loyalty features, and gift cards
- Partner integrations
