Drive-Thru Hardware and Operational Best Practices

Last updated: Dec 17, 2025, 11:00 AM

Curious how Toast hardware can be used for a drive-thru? Use this article to learn about hardware setup and operational best practices.

The Toast KDS and terminals can be configured to operate in a drive-thru setting in order to efficiently and effectively run your restaurant's drive-thru. Use the following article and recommended hardware as a drive-thru best practices guide.

In this Article:

Recommended Hardware for Drive-Thrus

The following hardware is recommended for your drive-thru setup:

  • 1-2 payment terminals with cash drawers
  • 1-2 order terminals with eDynamo only
    • Depending on your restaurant's footprint, these terminals might need to be wall-mounted
  • 1-3 Kitchen Display System (KDS) screens
    • This number should be adjusted depending on your prep routing needs.

 

Need to order any of the above items for your restaurant? Navigate to Toast Shop now!

 

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Toast Web Setup for Drive-Thrus

Note: Restaurant group configuration is only needed if your restaurant uses Multi-Location Management (MLM)  and you want to segment the drive-thru dining option. If you're configuring a single restaurant for drive-through, skip to step 4 and ignore instructions that mention the restaurant group.
 

Use the following steps to configure Toast Web for a drive-thru setting:

 

  1. In Toast Web, navigate to Toast account > Business and location management > Location groups (Restaurant groups).
  2. Select + New Custom Group and create a restaurant group called Drive-Thru Locations. This is what your drive-thru hardware will be connected to.
  3. Select + Add to add locations to this restaurant group. Select Add selected and save to confirm your changes.
  4. Navigate to Kitchen > Dining options > Dining options.
  5. Select + Add, and create a dining option named Drive-Thru, with Dine In selected for the Behavior. Assign this option to the Drive-Thru Locations restaurant group. 
  6. Save and publish your changes on the Dining Options page.
  7. Navigate to Front of house > Tables & sections > Revenue centers.
  8. Select + Add, and create a new revenue center named Drive-Thru. Assign this revenue center to the Drive-Thru Locations restaurant group.
  9. Set up any necessary item routing based on the Drive-Thru dining option and assign it to the Drive Thru Locations restaurant group. It's important to note that this should only be set up if you're using printers and not a designated KDS device. For more information on item routing, see our article on Configure Ticket Routing and Filter Tickets on Your KDS Device.
  10. Save and publish changes to all locations that require this change.


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Terminal Setup for Drive-Thrus

The following instructions can be used to help you set up and configure each terminal involved in your drive-thru.

Payment Terminal

  1. From the main menu of the Toast app on your device, navigate to Setup > Device Setup.
  2. Select Primary Mode.
  3. Select Payment Terminal as the primary mode, and select Save to confirm your selection.
  4. Next, select the Device Default Dining Option on the Device Setup screen.
  5. Select the Drive-Thru dining option that you created in Toast Web.
  6. From the main menu of the Toast app on your device, navigate to Mode > Payment Terminal.
  7. Select filter icon near the top-right corner of the screen, next to the search icon.
  8. A Sort and filter options list will appear on the left side of your screen. Select Oldest in the Sort by section to view the older open checks first.
  9. Scroll down the Sort and filter options list until you see the Dining option section. 
  10. From here, filter the payment terminal to only see what's happening at the drive-thru by selecting Drive-Thru. Note that if the location provides pick-up for online ordering or takeout from the drive-thru, then those dining options should also be selected. Select Done to save your filter choices.


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Order Terminal

  1. From the main menu of the Toast app on your device, navigate to Setup > Device Setup.
  2. Select Primary Mode.
  3. Select Quick Order as the primary mode, and select Save to confirm your selection.
  4. Next, select the Device Default Dining Option on the Device Setup screen.
  5. Select the Drive-Thru dining option that you created in Toast Web.
  6. Navigate to the order screen, and select All checks at the top of the screen.
  7. Select the filter icon.
  8. Scroll down the Sort and filter options list until you see the Dining option section. 
  9. From here, filter the order terminal to only see what's happening at the drive-thru by selecting Drive-Thru. Note that if the location provides pick-up for online ordering or takeout from the drive-thru, then those dining options should also be selected. Select Done to save your filter choices.


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Kitchen Display System (KDS)

  1. From the main menu of the Toast app on your device, navigate to Setup > Device Setup.
  2. Select Primary Mode.
  3. Select Kitchen Display/Expo Screen as the primary mode, and select Save to confirm your selection.
  4. From the main menu of the Toast app on your device, navigate to Mode > Payment Terminal.
  5. Select filter icon near the top-right corner of the screen, next to the search icon.
  6. Scroll down the Sort and filter options list until you see the Dining option section. 
  7. From here, filter the payment terminal to only see what's happening at the drive-thru by selecting Drive-Thru. Note that if the location provides pick-up for online ordering or takeout from the drive-thru, then those dining options should also be selected. Select Done to save your filter choices.


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Operations Workflow for Drive-Thrus

Now when the cashier takes an order through the drive-thru, it will be entered into the order terminal. Once the order is complete, the cashier will place the order by selecting Send.

 

When the cashier sends the order to the kitchen, it'll appear on the KDS device. Here, the kitchen will prep and complete the order. Upon completion, the ticket will appear in green on the payment terminal.

 

The cashier then picks up the order from the payment terminal screen and accepts the customer's payment at the drive-thru window.

 

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