Create Service Areas and Table Setup

Last updated: Jun 1, 2026, 12:41 PM

Learn how to create service areas and table setups for your restaurant, and what the different table status colors mean.

Set up service areas, build your dining room table layout, and learn what the table status colors mean on the Toast POS.

 

In this Article:

 

Before You Begin

Applies to: Toast Web, Toast POS

 

Permissions needed:

  • 6.2 Kitchen/Dining Room Setup — required to create or edit service areas and tables in Toast Web
  • 1.1 Table Service Mode — required to view and use Table Service mode on the POS
  • 1.8 View Other Employees' Orders — required to see table colors and check details for tables owned by other servers

 

What you'll accomplish: Your restaurant will have one or more service areas with a custom table layout that servers can use in Table Service mode on the Toast POS.

 

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Create a Service Area

A service area groups tables for a section of your restaurant, such as a dining room, patio, or bar. You need at least one service area before you can build a table layout.

 

Create and configure service areas in Toast Web.

 

To create a service area:

  1. In Toast Web, navigate to Front of House > Service areas & tables > Service areas.
  2. Select + Add Service Area.
  3. Enter a name for the service area, choose whether this is your primary service area, and assign a revenue center from the drop-down.
  4. Select Save, then select Publish to apply your changes.
  5. Repeat these steps for every additional service area you want to add.

 

Expected outcome: The new service area appears in the list on the Service Areas page in Toast Web and at the top of the Table Service screen on the POS after the next sync.

 

Note: A service area cannot be hidden or archived — it can only be deleted. To learn how to set up revenue centers before assigning them, see Create and Assign Revenue Centers.

 

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Edit, Rename, or Delete a Service Area

You can rename a service area, change its revenue center, or delete it from the same Service Areas page.

 

To rename a service area or change its settings:

  1. In Toast Web, navigate to Front of House > Service areas & tables > Service areas.
  2. Select the name of the service area you want to edit.
  3. Update the Name, Primary Service Area setting, or Revenue Center as needed.
  4. Select Save, then select Publish to apply your changes.

 

Expected outcome: The updated service area name and settings appear in the list and on the POS after the next sync.

 

To delete a service area:

  1. In Toast Web, navigate to Front of House > Service areas & tables > Service areas.
  2. Select the trash can icon next to the service area you want to remove.
  3. Select Save, then select Publish all changes.

 

Expected outcome: The service area no longer appears in the list or on the POS.

 

Note: If you select the trash can icon by mistake and have not yet saved and published, select Undo Remove to restore the service area.

 

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Set Up Your Table Layout

Your table layout (sometimes called a floor plan) is the visual map of tables, barriers, and labels for a service area. Servers see this layout on the POS when they switch to that service area in Table Service mode.

 

 

To build a table layout for a service area:

  1. In Toast Web, navigate to Front of House > Service areas & tables > Service areas.
  2. Locate the service area you want, then select Edit Tables.
  3. Drag and drop a shape from the Tables section into the layout area.
  4. Select the table to open its settings, then adjust the Table Number, Size, Width, Height, and Revenue Center at the bottom of the page.
  5. Use the Barriers & Labels section to add walls, dividers, or labels (for example, a label that says Sidewalk or Host Stand) so the layout matches your dining room.
  6. Select Save, then select Publish to apply your changes.
  7. Repeat these steps for any other service area that needs a table layout.

 

Expected outcome: The new layout appears on the Table Service screen on the POS after the next sync. Servers can be assigned to the new tables and start orders.

 

Edit Tables screen under the Service areas category to set up tables in Toast Web

 

Note: If the layout does not appear on the POS after you save and publish, resync data on the device. See the Troubleshoot section below.

 

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Edit, Move, Resize, or Delete Tables

You can change the table number, resize a table, move it on the layout, or remove an individual table from the same Edit Tables screen used to build the layout.

 

To edit, move, or resize a table:

  1. In Toast Web, navigate to Front of House > Service areas & tables > Service areas.
  2. Select Edit Tables for the service area that contains the table.
  3. Select the table you want to change.
  4. To rename or renumber it, update the Table Number at the bottom of the page.
  5. To resize it, update the Width and Height values, or drag a corner of the table on the layout.
  6. To move it, drag the table to a new position on the layout.
  7. Select Save, then select Publish to apply your changes.

 

Expected outcome: The updated table number, size, or position appears on the POS after the next sync.

 

To delete an individual table:

  1. In Toast Web, navigate to Front of House > Service areas & tables > Service areas.
  2. Select Edit Tables for the service area that contains the table.
  3. Select the table you want to remove.
  4. Select Delete at the bottom of the page.
  5. Select Save, then select Publish to apply your changes.

 

Expected outcome: The table no longer appears on the layout or on the POS.

 

Note: If a table is positioned past the edge of the visible layout and you cannot select it, see the Troubleshoot section below.

 

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Table Status Colors on the POS

In Table Service mode on the Toast POS, tables change color based on the status of the order at each table. Both light mode and dark mode show the same colors. A table only shows a status color for the user who is signed in and owns it — tables owned by other servers appear gray.

 

Color

Meaning

Icon

Green

All items on the order have been fulfilled in the kitchen (when using a Kitchen Display System, also known as a KDS)

Green table icon

Yellow

Items on the order have been sent to the kitchen, but are not yet fulfilled

yellow table icons

Red

Items on the order are held and have not been sent to the kitchen

red table icon

Blue

The table is currently selected
table with thick blue borderstable with thick blue borders in black background

Gray

The table is owned by another server (the order details are visible if you have the 1.8 View Other Employees' Orders permission)
table owned by another employeegray table in black background

Dotted border

The table is empty and available
empty or open table in light backgroundempty or open table in black background

 

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Troubleshoot Service Areas and Tables

If you are having trouble with service areas or tables — for example, the layout is not appearing on the POS, orders are not registering to the right service area, or a table is not accessible to edit — work through these steps in order.

 

  1. Confirm that the service area and table layout are set up correctly by following the steps in Create a Service Area and Set Up Your Table Layout above.
  2. If the layout does not appear on the POS after Save and Publish, resync data on the device. The new layout appears after the resync completes.
  3. If a single service area is not working, create a new service area with the same settings. If the new service area works, delete the original service area.
  4. If a table time is not showing on a table, increase the table size — a small table may not have enough space to display the time.
  5. If a decorative border around a table is making it hard to select or edit, remove the border, then Save and Publish.
  6. If a table is positioned past the visible edge of the layout and you cannot select it, zoom out in the Edit Tables view if possible, or create a replacement table at the position you want and delete the off-screen table.

 

Expected outcome: Tables and service areas sync to the POS, every table can be selected and edited, and orders register to the correct service area.

 

If the issue persists after these steps, contact Toast Customer Care.

 

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Service Areas vs. Toast Tables

The Service Areas feature in Toast Web, and the Toast Tables product are not the same thing, even though both involve tables.

 

  • Service Areas is the back-office configuration in Toast Web at Front of House > Service areas & tables. It controls the table layout shown on the Toast POS in Table Service mode. This article covers Service Areas.
  • Toast Tables is a separate waitlist and reservation product that runs on an iPad or Android tablet. It is used for booking reservations, managing a waitlist, and seating guests — not for building the POS table layout.

 

If you are looking for waitlist, online reservations, table availability, or guest notifications, see Get Started With Toast Tables.

 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I rename a service area?

Yes, you can rename a service area at any time. In Toast Web, navigate to Front of House > Service areas & tables > Service areas, select the service area name, edit the Name field, then select Save and Publish.

 

Also asked as:

    • "How do I change the name of a service area?"
    • "How do I edit a service area name?"

 

How do I delete a single table from my table layout?

To delete a single table from your table layout, navigate to Front of House > Service areas & tables > Service areas in Toast Web, select Edit Tables for the service area, select the table you want to remove, select Delete, and then Save and Publish.

 

Also asked as:

    • "Can you delete a specific table from the floor plan?"
    • "How do I remove one table from the dining room layout?"

 

Why is my new table layout not showing up on the POS?

A new table layout does not show up on the POS until the device syncs with Toast Web after you save and publish. If the layout does not appear after a few minutes, resync data on the device. If it still does not appear, work through the Troubleshoot Service Areas and Tables section above.

 

Also asked as:

    • "I published my table layout, but it's not showing on the POS"
    • "How do I get my new table map to show up?"

 

How do I print my published table layout?

Currently, Toast Web does not have a built-in print button for table layouts. Open the layout in the Edit Tables view, then use your browser's print function (right-click and select Print, then choose Save as PDF under Destination) to save the page as a PDF, or take a screenshot of the layout and print or save the screenshot.

 

Also asked as:

    • "How do I print my table layout?"
    • "Can I print the dining room floor plan?"

 

Is "service areas" the same as Toast Tables?

No, service areas and Toast Tables are not the same. Service Areas is a back-office configuration in Toast Web that controls the table layout shown on the Toast POS. Toast Tables is a separate waitlist and reservation product that runs on a tablet. For waitlist, reservations, or guest notifications, see Get Started With Toast Tables.

 

Also asked as:

    • "Is Toast Tables the same as service areas?"
    • "What's the difference between service areas and Toast Tables?"

 

Why are some of my tables showing gray on the POS?

Tables show gray on the POS when they are owned by another server, or when you do not own any tables yourself. To see order details on gray tables owned by other servers, you need the 1.8 View Other Employees' Orders permission.

 

Also asked as:

    • "Why are all my tables gray?"
    • "Why can't I see my coworker's table colors?"

 

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