If there is one thing you need to know about the Toast POS System, it is that it is one of the best restaurant management POS systems you can find. Some of their best features are a way to order online, delivery services, a way to keep track of inventory, and more.
If you compare the Toast Point of Sale system with any other POS system, you’ll find that they work well for other businesses, not the restaurant business. But Toast has a lot more to offer without being compared to any other POS systems.
This is a Toast POS review and guide that will help you learn all you need to know about this POS system before selecting it.
How POS Systems Work
Before we review the Toast POS system, let’s take some time to understand a POS system. Many of you may not have complete information about a POS system. However, this section will clear up any questions regarding a POS system.
So, first and foremost, you must understand what a POS system is:
A POS, or Point of Sale system allows the owners to track their sales and accept customer card payments. But there are other features that you get from different POS systems. In the case of Toast, digital ordering is an additional feature.
Regardless of how small or large your business is, a POS system is critical. Many people think a POS system is a requirement for established restaurants and businesses, not for start-ups. But this is the wrong concept, and we will prove it.
All business owners need a sales report at the end of the month. Frequently, you also need to check net sales to see which product is doing the best. Also, you will need a payment processor because not all customers will pay with cash.
Can you do all this without the help of software? No. You might say that a notebook where you write down all the sales will help. But it won’t accept card payments. Notably, this is a modern world where 76% of customers pay their bills using a card. A tiny percentage of people use cash as their primary payment method.
That is why many fast-casual dining venues install a POS system with significant additions. Apart from Toast, there are numerous POS systems that are great. Examples include Square, Lightspeed, TouchBistro, Clover, PayPal, and Toast.
There are a total of four POS systems. They differ based on their features. However, a few are outdated.
1. Traditional POS System
A traditional POS system is the first-ever POS system. It is not a cloud-based POS system, so it lacks many features you get in the most common POS systems. You can’t use this system from more than one place because it stores information on a hard drive. So if you lose the hard drive, you lose all the data. This system does not come with touchscreen devices, so you must manually enter the data.
2. Touch System
This system is a lot like the traditional point-of-sale (POS) system, but it has the added benefit of touchscreen devices. And this is the most common type of restaurant POS system, as it offers almost everything a restaurant owner looks for.
3. Cloud-Based System
A cloud-based system saves data on the internet so that you can access your POS system directly. It does not put you in a situation where a hard drive might ruin your business. All you need is a good network configuration to keep everything top-notch.
4. Mobile-Based System
With a mobile-based POS system, you don’t need a register or POS terminal to take payments. It is the most modern POS system and does a great job of helping restaurant owners manage their menus. You can get your sales reports from anywhere, as everything is in your hands.
Overview of Toast POS System
Whether you ask about coffee shops, food trucks, or big restaurants, Toast’s food service operations and payment processing are better than many. The services and features differ for different businesses, so each business gets the best.
The Toast POS system is similar to the other best POS systems, but its focus is more on restaurant operations. But this does not mean that Toast does not offer services to other businesses. It is the best POS system for quick-service restaurants.
The principal difference between Toast and other POS systems is that Toast uses an Android OS. As a result, users can obtain the best services at a lower cost. Speaking of add-ons, Toast offers a variety of them, including loyalty program management.
The Toast POS system offers customer self-service and 24/7 email and phone support. The Toast software is user-friendly, and restaurant operators can learn the basics within a day. This cloud-based program is a good way for restaurant owners to solve a lot of problems that come up during their daily sales.
Toast POS offers restaurant-grade hardware that allows the service staff to leave table management in the hands of the POS hardware. The internet connection allows the owners to manage their business from any corner of the world.
Moreover, Toast takeout and self-service kiosk features are essential for restaurant owners. The Toast kiosk is hardware that displays the restaurant’s menu to customers, so they do not have to wait for the waiter.
There are different programs from which you can select one. Their new Restaurant Basics program has restaurant-specific features, so you do not need to buy the hardware upfront. The Toast platform has one flaw: it is only available in the United States. No businesses from other countries can use this POS system.
Key Features & Benefits of Using a Toast POS System
After reviewing the Toast POS system, let us discuss the key features and benefits you get from using this system.
Key Features
Toast offers a lot of key features depending on the program you select, and here are some of them:
- User-friendly POS terminals
- Toast’s app (delivery app)
- Kitchen display system
- Mobile device (Toast Go)
- Works for all types of restaurants and food shops
- A variety of payment methods
- Online orders
- Team management
Notably, this is only a partial list of the features the Toast POS has to offer. You can get as many features as you want, and their Custom Price program is there to help you. These features also depend on how much you will pay. These features are designed specifically for restaurants and other eateries.
Benefits
If we talk about benefits, they differ according to different businesses and at what grade they run. For example, food chains can make great use of the Toast Flex, as it allows the customer and employee to note down the order. It has a big screen and looks like a PC. This hardware provides several advantages on its own. For example, your employee enters the wrong product by mistake. The customer is looking at the screen and can immediately point it out to your employee. So, this provides quick mistake fixation.
Another benefit is getting different receipts for tips the customer pays. And this will help you split the earnings from the tips. Their intuitive software is easy to use, so you do not have to wait long until the employees get used to it.
Moreover, you can get in-depth reports on your sales and employee services. Customer feedback can help you improve your business. The handheld device allows you to accept payments while the customers sit in their seats. And this leaves an excellent impression on the customers, as they feel comfortable.
All eatery businesses can make amendments to their menus and pricing, and the primary device changes will update everything on the online app and handheld devices. And this reduces your work, so you can invest your time in other things.
How to Choose the Right Toast POS System
As there are different POS systems that Toast offers, many business owners find it hard to choose the right one. However, a few points can explain everything, so you can make the right choice.
Talk to Your Merchant Provider
The first thing that can help you decide is talking to your merchant provider. Tell them your requirements and what you expect from the POS system. Be honest about how much you can pay for the services; they will provide the best plan for your restaurant.
Go Over Different Options With Your Merchant Provider
Do not select the first option your merchant provider puts in front of you. Ask them to list different options. These options will vary based on features and price, but take your time. As Toast requires a long-term contract, you must make decisions keeping the future in mind.
Conclusion
Toast is a great POS system and provides various options. Their features and benefits are enough for a business owner to select one of their programs. However, this is not a decision you make without much thought.
The Toast POS system is targeted toward the restaurant business and excels at that. However, that means it may not work well for every other business. Therefore, contact Toast POS to find out what suits your business the best.
Paul Martinez is the founder of EcomSidekick.com. He is an expert in the areas of finance, real estate, eCommerce, traffic and conversion.
Join him on EcomSidekick.com to learn how to improve your financial life and excel in these areas. Before starting this media site, Paul built from scratch and managed two multi-million dollar companies. One in the real estate sector and one in the eCommerce sector.