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Toast POS Review

POS Systems

Toast POS is an Android-based tablet point-of-sale system for restaurants, cafes, pizzerias, and other food service businesses.

Toast offers a wide range of features for your business, including tableside ordering, online ordering and delivery tracking, automatic tipping options, voids, integrated credit card processing, and more. We’ll take a look at all of these features, costs, and customer reviews in depth in this Toast POS profile.

If you’re looking to take credit cards with your Toast system, be sure to check out our full Toast Review for all the details about credit card processing with Toast.

Features

If you run a business in the food service industry, you may benefit from a POS system specifically deisgned with your needs in mind. Check out this introduction video from Toast about what you can expect when using its POS system:
 

A general POS system can perform many of the same functions, but the restaurant-specific systems offer advanced features like online ordering capabilities so your customers can conveniently place orders for takeou. Additionally, tablet-based systems like Toast can help with faster customer turnover and higher checks.

Related Article: Tablet POS Systems for Better Restaurant Performance.


Here’s what you can expect from the Toast system.

Tableside Ordering

An increasingly popular option, tableside ordering is fast and convenient, allowing your servers to enter the orders and send them to the kitchen right from a customer’s table. No more writing down orders and then returning to a workstation to enter them. It’s easy to split checks, swipe cards, and text or email receipts. You can also open tabs for bar customers, and close them out or transfer checks.

Online Ordering

Toast’s online ordering software allows you to offer online ordering from your full menu. Online ordering is hosted through an integrated restaurant management program so you can easily change your menu as necessary. If your customers pay online at the time of purchase, the order will automatically print to the kitchen or to prep stations the same as if they were orders placed in person. Manager approval can be required if the customer doesn’t pay in advance and instead will pay at the time of pickup or delivery.

Delivery Management

If you offer delivery, you can customize your services by setting delivery zones, customizing fees for delivery based on distance, and set times for delivery. Orders can be assigned to specific drivers and tracked from initial order submission to delivery. 

Customized Tipping

Adding gratuities should be a simple process. The customized tip percentage option in the Toast POS system automatically prompts diners to add a tip. If your restaurant splits tips among staff, Toast includes distribution calculations for quick server payout information.

Voids and Comps

Toast provides an easy voiding process, and includes detailed reporting on both voids and comps. Information is available for why the void or comp was processed, who did it, and who authorized it.

Integrated CRM and Loyalty Program

Toast’s integrated CRM lets you record your customer’s contact information and order history, allowing you to view detailed information including average check total and frequently ordered items. Additionally, you can collect customer’s contact information and allow them to join a loyalty program for your restaurant. The loyalty program lets customers easily reorder past orders, earn points for purchases, and more.

Gift Cards

With Toast, you can choose to offer digital gift cards or physical electronic gift cards. With digital cards, your customers can choose whether the card will be emailed or texted to the recipient. Physical gift cards can be customized and Toast will print them for you. Physical cards can be swiped like any traditional credit card. Customers can use their smartphone to pay with digital gift cards. Balances can be printed on receipts for customer convenience.

Reporting

Manage your restaurant with Toast’s report dashboard. The dashboard gives an overview of transactions, including net sales, tips, and payment method breakdown. You can also view exceptions reports to review voids and refunds. Labor reporting is available to help you track how your labor is affecting sales. Product mix reports let you easily determine how your menu items are performing. Online ordering comes with additional reporting, separated out by takeout and delivery orders.

Equipment

If you need equipment, Toast provides options for tablets, printers, stands, and accessories such as cash drawers, scanners, scales, and customer-facing pole displays. Wireless and stationary models are available. Toast POS software runs on Android platforms, so you will not be able to use it with an Apple iPad. Toast includes an explanation of the benefits of using Android POS hardware on its website, and states that using Android allows for easier integrations and greater customization options as well as a lower price point for many hardware models.

Toast sells equipment directly, including a hardware bundle for ~$1,300 that includes an Android tablet, stand, cash drawer, card reader, and receipt printers. Kitchen printers, routers, and other accessories are available for purchase at additional cost. 

Toast Costs

There are a few different parts to the costs to use Toast – the costs for the POS system, monthly costs, and the costs for credit card processing. The costs for the POS system itself are described in the Equipment section, above. Equipment pricing is subject to change, 

Monthly Costs

For most businesses, Toast starts at $99/month for the first device, and costs $50/month for each additional device. Some businesses may qualify for the Express plan, which starts at $79/month. Larger businesses will need to contact Toast to inquire about custom pricing.

Additional costs for some features apply, as follows:

Toast Inventory: $75/month
Online Ordering: $50/month
Gift Card Program: $50/month
Loyalty Program: $25/month
 

Integrated Credit Card Processing Costs

Toast offers secure integrated credit card processing. You can accept all major credit and debit cards, as well as checks, cash, and gift cards. Toast states that they will match your current processor’s rates and references a flat rate pricing model, but doesn’t provide further details.
 

Have you used the Toast POS system at your restaurant or bar? What did you think? Let us know by leaving a comment below!

Product Features

Universal

POS Systems

  • Mobile device management
  • Tableside Ordering
  • Tableside Payment Processing
  • Patron Online Food Ordering
  • Gift cards and customer loyalty tracking
  • Marketing metrics
  • Inventory management
  • Sales reports
  • Employee tracking & management
  • Payroll metrics
  • Quickbooks data export
  • PayPal acceptance
  • Integrated CRM (customer relationship management)
  • Windows-based system

  • iPad-Based System
  • Android-Based System
  • Bar Code Scanners
  • Card Readers
  • Cash Drawers
  • Receipt Printers
  • Customer Displays
  • Kitchen Printers & Monitors
  • Checkout Scales
  • Portable Receipt Printers

Toast POS Q&A


Toast POS Reviews ( 34)

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from Michael Koegel, on Oct 22, 2020

I really like Toast Software, very intuitive and easy to use. BUT like everyone else is saying the customer service is abysmal. I am currently on my 5th attempt to return a piece of hardware. First you wait forever, then you get someone who knows nothing about what they are talking about. When I asked for a phone number one guy gave me three different versions of the same number, one time he even gave me an extra digit. When he finally settled on a number and read it back to me, I called it. Of course it was wrong. I searched on line and found the correct number, one digit off of his. When I called it , it was the number I had called to speak to HIM originally. Third attempt, when I expressed my frustration, she said "Don't worry, I'm not like the others, I PROMISE to solve this for you." Nothing.

from Esther Coop, on Jul 20, 2020

So, I think Toast does have some good features. It's fairly easy to add menu items, but customer service is awful now with holding times of one or more hours. The company did little to help restaurants during COVID-19, despite their platitudes.

from dt, on Jun 16, 2020

There is no support when your system goes down. I waited on hold for almost an hour before someone answered. Accent so thick I could barely understand...and they push out updates without any notification. System works good, but they are missing basic customer services and IT support.

from Misty B, on Feb 05, 2020

Customer service is non-existent; no one knows who their boss is, or what department handles what. No one works in their billing department. No one knows how to escalate problems to a supervisor. No one works in their sale department. I've been waiting for a printer for over a month. It's a literal nightmare dealing with Toast. If you'd like to spare yourself extreme frustration and save money do not use this company - ever!

from PetePeters, on Jun 11, 2019

I have been waiting 4 days for a local sales rep to call me to review my needs and show off their solution. At this point I may just cross them off the list due to response time. If that is any indication of what customers get stay away.

from Joshia , on Apr 24, 2019

I don't know where to start, they promise you the world and never follow through, I had Aloha with gift cards, they said they could convert it over, never happened. I should have just bit the bullet and upgraded instead of paying forever for this low-par system and still having to run a terminal just for gift cards that are out in the world. Worst mistake I ever made. Oh and tech support, what a joke, system down at 10pm call back at 2pm next day and no tech nearby to help. When the on-site service call did happen, $897.00 dollars! Getting rid of it as soon as contract is up.

from Dennis S, on Feb 25, 2019

System lacking several features I was looking for. Couldn't get quick answers as to capability. I was sent a review request for a $25 Amazon gift card that I completed and was never sent the gift card. Complete sham. Stay away.

from Archer Bagley, on Oct 24, 2018

Dishonest, unprofessional company. DO NOT BELIEVE TOAST WHEN THEY CLAIM THAT THEY WILL MATCH YOUR RATES. I have 4 restaurant location, and in less than 3 months, TOoast has shorted me $15,000 in deposits. RUN, FAST!

from IT Professional, on Aug 16, 2018

I am reviewing the support, not the product. If you're an IT Professional that manages a client utilizing Toast as their POS, be prepared for frustration, uncooperativeness and no follow through.

from Domenico, on Jul 25, 2018

After owning three pos systems over the last 20+ years, I can say this is the worse POS I have owned. Service is non existent, no one calls you back, they overcharging me on credit card fees even though the assured me that they would be matched to my previous (heartland payment systems) lie, my account rep has left the company now no one cares about my business. System crashed friday, for no reason they assured this would not happen. I can go on and on.

from Tony Konecne, on Jul 08, 2018

I researched Toast very thoroughly and went through many hours of Q&A with the sales team. I feel duped. I should have dug deeper and gotten more personal feedback from current users. The platform has certain features that are very good, but not enough to outweigh all of the bad. Hands down the worst part of it is their service and support after the sale. If I ever get through to support, they typically have to call me back with a solution...which never happens. My account "manager" responds to every communication with regurgitated boiler plate BS and has yet to solve any of my issues. We have frequent issues with our card readers, and our warranty period is up in November. They won't replace the crap readers with the newer upgrades. You don't get nearly the functionality and ease of use on the back end that you pay for. The reporting features are weak at best. The inventory module is terrible. They claim you can use the tablets to do inventory...which is true, but it takes 4x longer to do it that way because you can't select the fields to enter the numbers and then when you do, often times the quantities change. My account "manager" replied to my complaints about this with "Our inventory module may not be as robust as you need, maybe you could add on one of our partner software companies." For another $500 a month. No thanks. Short story: Run from Toast and never look back. I regret the move every single day.

from Dante D'Antilio, on Mar 07, 2018

This company is the worst. Unprofessional, unknowledgeable and absolutely zero after sale assistance. Tech is worthless. They nickel and dime you to death. 6 weeks in they couldn't figure out what was wrong with my system and I had to hire outside sources, cost me $2000 to get the machine up and running. They couldn't fix it! Reimbursement?!? Hahaha. Run from toast!!

from Massimo, on Nov 27, 2017

They are unprofessional! Only excuses! After one month they didn't make the deposit, they say that the person in charge of my case is on vacation! I'm still waiting for my money but the guy is on vacation! That means that a company like Toast doesn't work if an employee is on vacation!

from CardFellow, on Apr 19, 2016

Toast is specifically designed as a point of sale system for restaurants, so it has lots of features that food service businesses need.

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