As the name suggests, the Toast point of sale solution is for food service businesses. Toast provides a simple approach to POS functions, as it uses an integrated hardware and software setup to help these businesses keep their operations running well. You’ll find many positives surrounding Toast and how it can work for your needs, but there are a few concerns to note as well.
The Basic Concept
Toast operates as an Android-based POS solution for food service businesses. Toast provides a one-piece solution for work that can help you process orders, manage your menus, and handle reward programs that your business might utilize for promotional purposes.
The Android-based system makes it easy for you to control the setup, as you can use it on many tablets and other devices. Toast also makes many hardware systems for use, including a Toast Go mobile POS device for tableside ordering.
General Functions For Use
Toast offers many uses for dining spaces to use:
- Hardware Functionality
You can use the Toast POS solution on various tablets, what with it using an Android setup. But Toast also offers various POS terminals, tablets, kiosks, and other display screen devices for your convenience. The hardware is available separately, but you can also order it as part of an extended package.
Toast offers various hardware devices for countertop and tableside service. There’s even a program for kitchen use that can be mounted on a wall and is rated to handle higher temperatures. The kitchen option is useful for when someone in the kitchen needs to review order data and send info on when certain orders are ready for serving.
- Manage Order
The order management system on the Toast POS setup provides a convenient solution for your work needs. You can accept orders from customers or workers, plus people can send notifications for when orders are ready. The management system also accepts payments with a magstripe or EMV reader, thus making it easier for everyone to process orders at a site.
The Toast system also lets you split checks between people. You can void transactions as necessary, plus you can produce different service areas for specific people in your business to manage.
- Menu Customization
You can customize the ordering menu on the Toast platform. You can add info on what categories of foods you serve, what they cost, and whether something is in stock.
You can link your menu to your inventory system to help you review when something is open for ordering. The setup lets you ensure you’re only serving things that you have and that no one will order things that are not available for serving.
- Support For Online Orders
One of the most popular features of the Toast POS system is that you can take online orders from people. You can save customer profiles and order histories for when they want to reorder things. Employees can review each order they receive, helping them ensure they can produce whatever foods people might order when online.
Other Features of Use
The ordering and inventory features on the Toast POS solution are worth noting, but there are many other features for you to utilize when working with Toast:
- You can integrate a loyalty program into your Toast system. The program can save customer profiles and provide rewards for people who order foods here.
- The analytics program helps you see which products are being ordered the most.
- The customer management feature includes options where customers can enter a tip for a purchase, receive their receipts through different methods, or review their order histories.
- You can assign your employees to different sections of the restaurant. The platform lets you record which employees are serving certain people, helping you keep tabs on everything you’re managing when working on things of note.
How Does the Connection Work?
You can link to the Toast system through either a LAN network or through a cloud-based connection. The LAN option is useful for cases where you might handle mobile ordering or you’re in a spot where you might not have a consistent wireless connection to a system.
What Does It Cost?
Toast provides a few cost points for its services:
- You can expect to pay from $500 to $1,000 for the equipment you’ll use.
- Toast has a 1.8% plus 15 cents swiped rate for transactions.
- The software fee is $79 per month. It costs $50 per month for each additional device you will use here.
- It costs $25 to $75 extra per month to access certain functions like inventory management, gift card acceptance, loyalty programs, and online ordering functions.
The people at Toast will let you know what you can expect to pay when you sign up for services while you are out here.
Are There Contracts?
Toast does not state how long its contracts last, but it appears that the company’s contracts last for one year each. You can renew your contract for one year after your current one expires.
Customer Service Points
The customer service department is open twenty-four hours a day. The team can help you with on-site or remote installation support, plus the team can also configure your platform based on your needs. You’ll also find a knowledge base online to help you see what’s open.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Easy to use and link
- Offers multiple reporting tools
- You can customize your menu as you see fit
- The program is easy for customers to monitor and use
Cons
- Contracts are necessary
- Costs extra to access some functions
- The equipment for sale can get expensive
A Final Word
The Toast POS solution is helpful when you’re looking for a top-rate POS choice for your food service business. Toast helps you review everything in your restaurant or diner and can help you facilitate simple orders in moments. But be sure when signing up for Toast that you note what your contract says and that you sign up for the proper solutions you want to utilize.