Configure and Assign Prep Stations

Last updated: Jun 8, 2026, 10:40 AM

Learn how to add prep stations, configure your printers to print the correct prep station's tickets, and assign menu items to the appropriate prep station.

In this Article:

 

Before you begin

  • You need access to Toast Web with permission to edit Kitchen settings and Menus. If you do not see the Kitchen or Menus menus, check your permissions with your Toast administrator.
  • Printers must already be added in Toast Web before you can link them to a prep station. To add a printer, see the printer setup steps on your POS device (Setup > Printer Setup).
  • If you are setting up a Kitchen Display System (KDS) screen (also called a "KDS device") rather than a ticket printer, use the steps in Assign a KDS device to a prep station. This article covers printer-based prep stations and menu routing: Get Started With the Kitchen Display System.
  • Changes made in Toast Web take effect after you Save and Publish them.

 

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Prep station vs. expediter (or "expo")

Two concepts control where kitchen tickets go in Toast.

  • A prep station is a station in your kitchen that prepares specific items — for example, Grill, Salad, Bar, or Pizza. Each prep station can be connected to a printer or a KDS screen.
  • The expediter (also commonly called the "expo") is the handoff station where completed items are assembled into the full order before it goes to the guest. The expediter sees the full ticket; prep stations only see the items assigned to them.

 

When you configure a prep station, you choose whether its items also appear at the expediter. The three options are:

  • Expediter only — the item skips prep stations and goes straight to expo. Use this for items that do not need preparation, like bottled drinks or pre-packaged sauces.
  • Prep station only — the item goes to the prep station and does not appear at expo.
  • Prep station and Expediter — the item appears at both the prep station and at expo.

 

If no prep stations are configured to send to the expediter, every prep station automatically sends to the expediter KDS device, and the expediter will show items from all prep stations.

 

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Step 1: Create or update a prep station

Before you begin (Step 1)

  • This task is done in Toast Web.
  • You can use this same flow to create a new prep station or to update an existing one.

 

Steps

  1. In Toast Web, navigate to Kitchen > Kitchen stations > Prep stations.
  2. Choose the type of change:
    • To create a new prep station, select + Add.
    • To update an existing prep station, select it from the list.
  3. Fill in or update the following fields:
    • Station Name — a short, recognizable name (for example, Grill, Salad, Bar).
    • Send to — choose Expediter only, Prep station only, or Prep station and Expediter. See the definitions in the Prep station vs. expediter section above.
    • Other Stations — if items routed to this prep station should also print or display at a second prep station, add the second prep station here. Example: bakery items that should print at both the baking station and the bagging station.
    • Ticket Printer — select the printer you want tickets to print on. The printer must already be added in Toast Web. To change the printer later, return to this screen and select a different printer from the drop-down.
    • Always Print Tickets — enable this if you want tickets to print automatically whenever items are routed to this prep station. If it is not enabled, tickets for this prep station will print only when the device is in Offline Mode.
  1. Select Save and then Publish to apply your changes.

 

Note: You cannot assign more than one printer to a single prep station. If you need two printers to print the same tickets (for example, one by the cold line and one by the oven), see Print one prep station's tickets at two printers under Step 2.

 

Expected outcome: The prep station appears in the list at Kitchen > Kitchen stations > Prep stations with the settings you saved. Menu items routed to it will now follow the Send to rule you selected.

 

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Step 2: Connect a printer to your prep station

Complete Step 1 first. Once a prep station exists in Toast Web, you connect the physical printer to it from your Toast POS device.

 

Before you begin (Step 2)

  • This task is done on your Toast POS device, not in Toast Web.
  • Make sure the printer is powered on and plugged into the Toast device using the provided cable.
  • If you are replacing an existing printer, plan to recheck your prep station assignments after setup — they may be re-routed during Printer Setup.

 

Steps

  1. On the Toast POS device, from the main menu, navigate to Setup > Printer Setup and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the Printer Plug & Play flow.
  2. Select the printer you want to use for prep station tickets.
  3. Select Prep Stations.
  4. Select the prep station you want this printer to serve.
  5. Select Save Changes.

 

Expected outcome: Tickets for items routed to that prep station will print on the selected printer the next time an order is sent to the kitchen.

 

Variation: Print one prep station's tickets at two printers

You cannot assign two printers directly to the same prep station. To achieve the same result:

  1. Create two prep stations with identical Send to and Other Stations settings (see Step 1).
  2. Connect one physical printer to each of the two prep stations (using the steps above).
  3. In Step 3, route the same menu items to both prep stations. Tickets will print at both printers.

 

Variation: Sequenced prep to expo fulfillment

Sequenced Prep to Expo Fulfillment prevents the expediter from fulfilling a ticket until every prep station on that order has fulfilled its items. This is an optional setting recommended for kitchens that want strict prep-before-expo workflow.

  1. In Toast Web, navigate to Kitchen > Printers, tickets, & KDS devices > Kitchen.
  2. Scroll to the Expediter section and select the checkbox next to Sequenced Prep to Expo Fulfillment to enable it.
  3. Select Save and then Publish.

 

When this setting is enabled, attempting to fulfill at the expediter before prep stations are complete will trigger an error pop-up. A manager's passcode or swipe can override it if needed. With this setting enabled, it is recommended to configure an expo-only prep station for items that do not require preparation (drinks, pre-packaged sauces). See Set Up an Expediter in Related Articles.

 

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Step 3: Route menu items to prep stations

With your prep stations and printers set up, assign menu items, groups, or menus to the prep stations that should prepare them.

 

Before you begin (Step 3)

  • This task is done in Toast Web.
  • Decide in advance which items, groups, or menus go to each prep station. A menu item inherits its prep station from its parent group or menu unless you override it.
  • Menu items that are not assigned to any prep station route to all prep stations by default.

 

Steps

  1. In Toast Web, navigate to Menus > Menu management > Advanced properties.
  2. Open the Show/Hide drop-down and select Prep Stations. Deselect any other columns so you see only the Prep Stations column.
  3. Use the caret icons to expand your menu, menu groups, and menu items as needed.
  4. For each menu, group, or item, open the Prep Stations drop-down and select the prep station(s) that should prepare it.
    • Items and groups inherit their parent's prep station assignments. You only need to set a prep station on an item if it should be different from the parent's.
    • To remove a prep station assignment, open the Prep Stations drop-down and deselect the prep station. This is how you stop an item (for example, a retail merchandise item) from routing to the kitchen.
  5. Select Save and then Publish.

 

Expected outcome: Items routed to a prep station will print at that station's connected printer (and appear on its KDS screen, if assigned) the next time an order is sent to the kitchen.

 

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Troubleshooting quick reference

If items are not printing or displaying where you expect:

  • Confirm the menu item is routed to the correct prep station in Advanced properties.
  • Confirm the prep station is connected to the correct printer in Kitchen > Kitchen stations > Prep stations.
  • Power-cycle the affected POS device and printer.
  • For printer-specific issues (printer won't print, printer offline, tickets printing twice), see the troubleshooting articles linked in Related articles.

 

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Frequently asked questions

Why route to prep stations and not specific devices?

The purpose of prep stations is to ensure items show up on the right device (KDS or printer) and that routing is easily replicable across multiple locations and duplicable in the event of a device change.

 

For instance, instead of saying all grill items go to Device #1234 and having to completely reconfigure your menu when you replace Device #1234 with Device #5678, all grill items are routed to a prep station called "Grill" and any KDS or printer can be set up to print/display "Grill". 

Are prep stations and devices one-to-one (1:1)?

Prep stations and devices have a many-to-many relationship. One device (KDS or printer) can display/print items from multiple prep stations

 

For example: At location 1, a KDS is between the grill and fryer and displays both the "Grill" and "Fry" prep stations, but at location 2, they have two KDS devices -- one displays "Grill" and the other displays "Fry". 

 

Multiple devices can also be set up to display the same prep station. This is useful when multiple people are working on the same items in different areas. If you are interested in this workflow, check out load balancing claiming tickets. 

Which level of menu / item can be routed to a prep station?

Prep stations can be routed at multiple levels in the menu:

    • Route an entire menu to a prep station (e.g., bar menu routes to “Bar” prep station)
    • Route a menu group to a prep station (e.g., all steaks go to “Grill” prep station)
    • Route an individual item (e.g., the Burger menu group should go to “Grill” but the fried chicken sandwich should go to “Fry” prep station while all other burgers go to “Grill”)
    • Route and modifier (e.g., the grilled chicken add-on in a salad should go to the “Grill” prep station while the salad parent item goes to “Cold” prep station)

 

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