Toast Ratings at a Glance
| Hardware Included | Yes |
| Restaurant-Specific Features | Yes |
| Mobile Payments | Yes |
| Built-In Payment Processing | Yes |
| Software Integrations | Yes |
| Inventory Management | Yes |
| Trustpilot Rating | 3.7 out of 5 stars with over 650 reviews |
| G2 Rating | 4.3 out of 5 stars with over 200 reviews |
| BBB Rating | 1.27 out of 5 stars with over 20 reviews + Rated “B” |
Toast offers a wide range of products and services designed specifically for restaurants. Its features are top of the line, making it a great choice for businesses that want the very best in restaurant POS systems. However, it’s not perfect. Its Forbes rating of 4.8 stars was hurt by its less-than-stellar reviews on consumer review platforms such as Trustpilot and BBB. Its previous shortcomings with customer support also seem to have been addressed, though, as it rapidly releases new features and improvements, and takes steps to address BBB complaints.
Overall, Toast is a great choice for restaurants looking for the best in POS systems.
What Is Toast?
Per its SEC filings, Toast, Inc. (NYSE: TOST) POS systems are used by over 62,000 restaurants. Toast offers a bespoke operating system designed for all facets of food service, including orders, inventory management and staff scheduling. The platform also comes standard with 24/7 customer service. This availability is especially useful for any establishments that operate at off hours.
Toast comes with a number of reporting modules for metrics such as sales performance, labor costs across location and product mix. These reports can be generated automatically, but you can also make your own custom reports if you’d like.
Prices vary by plan, although each offers optional add-ons. Its basic plans are the Starter Kit, which is free to use and comes with a cloud POS, one terminal configuration, email marketing, gift cards, loyalty and menu management. Growth, which is $165 per month, offers online ordering and delivery services management. Its Restaurant Basics Package, which includes a lite version of scheduling and payroll tools, is $110 per month.
Featured Partners
1
Clover
$14.95 per month (plus hardware)
90 days
Versatile POS, invoicing, employee management
2
Toast
$0
No
POS built specifically for restaurants, payroll, online ordering, team and inventory management
3
KORONA POS
$59/mo
Unlimited
Inventory management, custom reporting, advanced cashier functionality, accounting integrations
Toast Pros and Cons
Pros
Toast offers several great add-ons for extra services to assist restaurateurs in alleviating their workload, making it an all-in-one ecosystem for managing your entire restaurant business. These add-ons include Toast Mobile Order & Pay, Partner Connect, Scheduling & Team Communication, Marketing, Gift Cards & Loyalty, Payroll & Team Management, Third Party Delivery Integrations and xtraCHEF by Toast.
It also provides a wide range of integrated hardware options that you can configure to your exact needs. These range from handheld devices to all-in-one terminals, and you can add as many devices as you need for full coverage of your restaurant.
Another big plus for Toast is that it offers a free version of its software. This Starter Kit includes a cloud-based POS perfect for smaller operations. Toast also has an off-line mode, which is ideal for businesses located in areas with spotty internet coverage. This means that you can still take and process orders even if your internet connection goes down.
Toast’s restaurant payroll syncs with your POS in real time so that you can track staff hours quickly and easily. It will also check your hours with local labor laws, which can be complex and can change instantly.
Toast offers a range of features to help you better manage and deploy your food deliveries. If you don’t have drivers of your own, the software will ping its network of drivers to find someone to take the delivery in your area. It also allows your customers to make orders ahead of time and track their delivery status in real time.
Cons
Toast’s paid plans are among the more expensive on the market. And the free plan still charges you for each translation you make with the platform.
Toast POS reviews around the web are not the greatest. For example, it has a 3.7-star rating on Trustpilot and a 1.27-star rating on the Better Business Bureau website. However, it’s worth mentioning that BBB and Trustpilot are not the most reliable sites for software reviews as most customers use these platforms to lodge complaints or praise the company, and not to provide an accurate overview of the software. G2’s method of user reviews tends to offer a more balanced portrayal of the software, and Toast boasts a score of 4.3 out of 5 on this site.
While Toast does have an off-line mode, it’s not as comprehensive as some of its competitors. For example, it doesn’t allow you to process payments off-line, which means that you could lose out on sales if your internet connection goes down and a card ends up declined when you try to run it when the internet goes back up.
Another issue with Toast is that you must use its payment processor and can’t use your own third-party option. This could be a problem for businesses that already have an established relationship with a payment processor and don’t want to switch.
With custom pricing, Toast won’t disclose its processing fees on its site. This makes it difficult to compare apples to apples when trying to decide which software is right for your business. We recommend that you reach out to the company for a quote so that you can get an accurate estimate of what you’ll be paying in processing fees.
Key Features
Tableside Ordering and Checkouts
With Toast’s mobile ordering and checkout capabilities, you can take orders and process payments right at the table. This feature is perfect for busy restaurants that need to turn tables quickly. It’s not perfect, however, as its off-line mode doesn’t allow you to process payments, which could be a problem if your internet connection goes down or you’ve got seating far from a Wi-Fi connection.
Online Ordering and Delivery
Customers can place orders online and track their delivery status in real time. This feature is perfect for businesses that want to offer delivery but don’t have their own drivers. Toast will even ping its network of drivers to find someone to take the delivery in your area. Online ordering isn’t available with its free plan, however, so you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan to access this feature.
Reporting
Toast’s reporting capabilities are extensive, allowing you to monitor your sales, labor expenditures and inventory levels in real time. By generating custom reports, you can get valuable insights into your business, make decisions quickly and keep your finger on the pulse of your restaurant at all times.
Menu Updates
With Toast, you can make changes to your menu quickly and easily. This is perfect for businesses that need to make seasonal or daily changes to their menu. The software also makes it easy to track prices and ingredients, so you can keep your costs in check. Its downside is that it doesn’t have a nutrition information feature, unless using the Nightly Menu JSON export, which is a technical process that might be confusing for most users.
Toast POS Pricing and Fees
Starter Kit
Toast’s free plan comes with order and table management, reporting and analytics, menu management, fraud monitoring in real time, 24/7 customer care, installation and configuration and automatic software upgrades.
Core
The cheapest paid plan starts at $69 per month and allows you to customize which hardware you utilize. This plan enables access to multiple add-ons that are incompatible with the Starter Kit plan, including team management tools and API access.
Growth
With a base price of $165 per month, Toast’s Essentials plan comes with everything in the Core plan. Additionally, this option includes Toast Online Ordering, Toast Delivery Services and Toast TakeOut App.
Restaurant Basics Package
Starting at $110 per month, Toast’s Restaurant Basics Package comes with everything in the Starter Kit, with the addition of an API and productivity tools. These include Sling scheduling (Lite), Payroll & Team Management (Lite), business insurance through AP Intego, Vestwell 401(k) and Toast Pay Card and PayOut.
Note: We’ve selected Toast as the Best POS System for Bars and Restaurants.
Hardware Cost
Toast hardware pricing is custom depending on your unique needs. However, its hardware includes Toast Flex, Toast Go 2, Toast Flex for Guest (its customer-facing display), Toast Flex for Kitchen, a Kiosk, Toast Tap (both On Counter and Direct Attach), Toast Printer, Impact Printers, Toast Hub, wireless access points, routers, cash drawers, card readers, barcode scanners, scales, flip stands and wall mounts.
Payment Processing Fees
Your payment processing fee depends on your restaurant model (such as quick service or food truck), so each price is customized to your business and transaction volume. You’ll want to contact the sales team to get an accurate quote.
Customer Service and Support
Toast has a knowledge base for DIY help with features such as menus, labor, employees, guest engagement, front-of-house setup, kitchen setup, integrations, payroll, hardware and payments. Customers can also attend Toast Classroom, with live training and on-demand classes. It regularly updates its Toast System Status, so customers know if anything has gone down. Users can even subscribe to email and phone alerts when there are changes to Toast’s uptime. If you’re logged in to your Toast account, you can also get live chat support.
Compare Top Toast POS Alternatives
| Toast | TouchBistro | Clover | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Version | Yes | No | No |
| Learn More | Yes | Learn More | Yes |
| Starting Price | $69 per month | $69 per month | $44.95 per month (restaurant plans) |
| Restaurant-specific Features | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Payments | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Payment Processing | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Software Integrations | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Learn More | |||
| Read Reviews | - |
Toast allows for more flexibility when it comes to monthly costs. And the pay-for-use packages are better priced than the competition. Clover offers cheaper paid plans and many of the same features. But neither of them feels as natural to use as a central management platform in the same way as Toast.
Toast vs. TouchBistro
TouchBistro is a Toast alternative for restaurants that want an iPad-based POS system. It’s more affordable than Toast, with lower monthly rates and no required hardware costs. As with Toast, TouchBistro offers 24/7 customer support. However, it doesn’t have as many features as Toast and doesn’t integrate with as many software programs. Additionally, it doesn’t have a free plan, whereas Toast does.
Toast vs. Clover
Clover is a Toast alternative that’s ideal for small businesses. While it doesn’t offer a free plan, generally Clover’s plans run cheaper than Toast’s. But its hardware costs can sometimes eat up that difference and, depending on whether you purchase your Clover system from a Clover partner or directly, your price may vary. Toast offers more restaurant-specific features than Clover. Clover also doesn’t have as many software integrations, which could limit its usefulness for some businesses.
Toast vs. Lightspeed
Lightspeed is great for businesses that want an all-in-one solution. Lightspeed Restaurant offers features such 24/7 support, dedicated account management, takeout and hardware. With Toast, you’ll get lower monthly rates and the ability to choose which features you pay for. Lightspeed doesn’t have a free plan, whereas Toast does. Additionally, Lightspeed doesn’t have as many software integrations and has a steeper learning curve than Toast.
Is Toast Right for Your Business?
Comparing Toast to its competitors, Toast offers far more flexibility, which means that no matter the size of your business, it’s perfect. And in an age where more customers choose to order delivery and takeout, Toast makes it easy to adapt. Toast should be considered by any restaurant owner looking to streamline their day-to-day operations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Toast a good POS system?
Yes, Toast is a good POS system. It’s easy to use and navigate, has a wide range of features and integrates with many software programs. Additionally, its monthly rates are flexible, so you only pay for the features you need.
How much does Toast POS cost?
Toast POS starts at $69 per month, though it offers a free plan. Your price will vary depending on which plan you choose, whether you need add-ons and how many devices you need. You can also purchase Toast hardware directly from the company.
Is Toast POS cloud-based?
Yes, Toast POS is cloud-based. This means that you can access your data from any internet-connected device. It also means that Toast can provide automatic updates and backups
Does Toast come with POS software?
Toast comes standard with POS software no matter what package you select.
Is the hardware included with Toast?
The entry package gives you the Toast Flex, Toast Tap and a router. With the other packages, you get access to these products as well and more.
If you already have your own hardware, you can use it with Toast, but it’s recommended that you stick with theirs.
Who is the credit card processor for the Toast POS system?
Toast processes all credit and debit card transactions. This means it’s able to access more information and provide clients with more data about their customers.
What are some Toast POS alternatives?
Some Toast alternatives include Square, Shopify and Lightspeed. These POS systems offer similar features and pricing structures.
How do I get started with Toast?
You can sign up for Toast online or by calling its sales team. Once you’ve chosen a plan, you’ll be able to download the Toast app and start using the system.
