Gift Card Encoding Requirements FAQ

Need to get into the nitty-gritty of your restaurant's gift cards? Here's an in-depth FAQ for those high-level questions you may have involving the requirements, what can be used, and what Toast needs if you're using third-party gift cards. 

Interested in adding Gift Cards to your Toast Suite? Let us know and our team will be in touch. 

In this Article:

• Frequently Asked Questions
  • On what track do the gift cards need to be encoded, Track 1 or Track 2?
  • Should gift cards be "Hi-Co" or "Lo-Co"?
  • How many digits does the gift card number need to be?
  • Can I use 2-D QR codes?
  • Does Toast support other barcode types?
  • What does Toast need from a third-party gift card vendor?
• Third-Party Gift Cards for Restaurants in Canada, Ireland, and the U.K.

Frequently Asked Questions About Gift Card Encoding

On what track do the gift cards need to be encoded, Track 1 or Track 2?

Gift cards can be on either Track 1 or Track 2. For instances where Track 1 and 2 are applicable, Toast will read Track 1 first.
 

Should gift cards be "Hi-Co" or "Lo-Co"?

Gift cards can be either "Hi-Co" or "Lo-Co". Either will work. The cards Toast has made are Lo-Co. 
 

How many digits does the gift card number need to be?

Any string will work, but we recommend 21 digits or fewer for the gift card number.

If you have more than 21 digits, you will not be able to manually key in the gift card number and will only be able to swipe it. 

Note: If a gift card has more than 21 digits and does NOT have swipe capabilities, the card cannot be processed. 
 

Can I use 2-D QR Codes?

If you wish to use a QR code, Toast must generate the gift card data block for you, but you can still use an outside vendor.

Toast utilizes a 2-D QR code which points to a unique URL that we host for each card that we generate. Each card made can have this QR code printed on the back and pointed to its corresponding URL. When a Toast QR code is scanned by the POS, this will act as a method of detecting the card number - similar to keying in or swiping a magnetic stripe - to be added to the check. QR codes that point to URLs generated by other vendors will not work as a method of scanning the card. 
 

Does Toast support other barcode types?

Toast does not currently support traditional bar codes to be scanned into the POS for gift card purposes.
 

What does Toast need from a third-party gift card vendor?

If you have your gift cards made from a third-party vendor instead of through Toast, please request that card numbers do not begin with "862" and be able to provide a full list of all cards that were made in a CSV (comma-separated values) or XLS (Microsoft Excel) file format. Full card numbers as they appear on the gift card are needed. 
 

There is no guarantee that cards purchased from a third-party vendor will work with Toast. Reach out to your Toast resource if you have further questions regarding compatibility.

Back to top
 

Third-Party Gift Cards for Restaurants in Canada, Ireland, and the U.K.

For restaurants located in Canada, Ireland, and the U.K., if you wish to accept gift cards other than Toast-provided gift cards, contact Customer Care to get your gift cards enabled for physical swiping on the POS. 

Back to top