Last updated: Dec 17, 2025, 10:58 AM
Watch our on-demand Toast Classroom training covering the basics of multilocation management (MLM).
Prep stations for customers with Toast Multilocation Management (MLM) are created at both the corporate and location levels. A master version of each prep station is usually set up for the group as a whole, while location-specific versions are created for each location. Printers must be configured specifically for each location, which can then be applied to the location-specific version.
Note that in order to create a master prep station, you need to have group-level permissions. Check out Manage User Jobs and Permissions with Multi-Location Management to learn more.
In the example below, when a guest orders a House Guacamole at the Boston Blurred Limes location, the ticket gets sent to the kitchen. Toast reads that the item is routed to a master prep station and looks for a location-specific version, and as a result, sends the ticket to the Boston kitchen printer.
Creating a master prep station and location-specific prep versions makes assigning prep stations to a shared menu much easier as more locations are onboarded. Assigning the master prep station to menus, groups or items via advanced properties will apply the location-specific versions as well, even though we only see the master being applied.
Once you've created all of your master prep stations, you'll want to create location-specific versions of each prep station for each restaurant within the restaurant group.
With prep stations and MLM, it's important that you're careful when archiving prep stations. Make sure you're viewing ALL locations in the restaurant group, and pay close attention to the Target and Owner of the prep station you're removing since information is being shared at the master level.