Prepare to Operate in Offline Mode During Service Disruptions or Outages

Last updated: Jun 30, 2026, 4:56 PM

Learn how to prepare your business to operate in Offline Mode during an outage or service disruption.

In this Article:

 

Offline Mode Overview

Offline Mode kicks in automatically when your Toast devices lose connection to the internet, your local network, or the Toast cloud. After about 40 seconds offline, a banner appears at the top of each affected device explaining what is happening and what you can still do. This article covers the settings you review before an outage, so payment processing and order taking work the way you want when a device goes into Offline Mode.

 

Note: This article is for the setup you do ahead of time. If a device is showing the Offline Mode banner right now, or you are coming back online after an outage, use these articles instead. To see what you can and cannot do during an outage, see Use Toast in Offline Mode. If your devices say they are offline but your internet is working, see Troubleshoot Internet or Network Connection Issues. To confirm payments, open checks, and shifts after you reconnect, see Recover and Get Back Online After an Outage or Disruption.

 

To check the status of all Toast systems and subscribe to real-time SMS or email alerts, see status.toasttab.com.

 

Back to top

 

Before You Begin

Applies to: Toast POS, Toast Web, Toast Go® and Toast Go® 2 handheld devices, Toast Self-Ordering Kiosks

 

Permissions needed:

  • 6.3 Payments Setup (to review background card processing settings)
  • 1.15 Offline/Background Credit Card Processing (to take offline card payments above the transaction limit)

 

What you'll accomplish: Your business is configured to keep accepting card payments and taking orders during an outage, with the network, permissions, and optional settings in place to reduce declined payments and lost data.

 

Note: You must enable background processing for card payments while your POS is fully online. You cannot adjust this setting while a device is in Offline Mode.

 

Back to top

 

Step 1: Enable Background Card Processing

Background card processing lets your POS accept credit and debit card payments during an outage and submit them for authorization once you are back online. It is on by default, and Toast recommends leaving it enabled so you can keep serving guests if you enter Offline Mode. This step requires the 6.3 Payments Setup permission.

 

  1. In Toast Web, navigate to Finance > Related > Settings > Payment options, then scroll to the Credit section.
  2. Select your setting for Card authorization during payment disruptions:
    • Continue accepting card payments without waiting for authorization (recommended): Card transactions are accepted during Offline Mode and stored in the background on the device. Guests will not notice anything different. Once you are back online, transactions are submitted for card network authorization.
    • Do not accept card payments (wait until authorization is available): Use this if you are okay operating cash-only during an outage. You will not be able to take any card payments while a device is in Offline Mode.
  3. If you selected Continue accepting card payments without waiting for authorization (recommended), consider configuring these options:
    • (Optional) transaction limit: In Offline Mode, managers must override any individual transaction over this limit.
    • Skip authorization at all times on the POS, regardless of disruptions?: If processing speed matters (for example, a busy bar), you can take all payments without waiting for authorization. There is a risk that cards could be declined after guests leave.
  4. Select Save, then Publish your changes.

 

Expected outcome: Your card authorization setting is saved, and your POS will follow it the next time a device enters Offline Mode.

 

Watch a walkthrough of enabling background credit card processing for Offline Mode functionality.

 

Note: For businesses located in Australia, Canada, Ireland, or the UK, background payment processing for offline payments is enabled by default. To change this setting or request a transaction limit for individual offline payments, contact Toast Customer Care by phone: Canada +1 (343) 451-6295, Ireland +353 1 913 1083, UK +44 20 4571 3302. For more information, see Manage Offline Payments (Australia, Canada, Ireland, & the UK).

 

Back to top

 

Step 2: Assign Offline Card Processing Permissions

The 1.15 Offline/Background Credit Card Processing permission lets users take offline credit and debit card payments that exceed the transaction limit set in Toast Web. Toast recommends assigning this permission to any job that takes payments or manages employees who take payments, generally managers.

 

  1. In Toast Web, navigate to Employees > Employee management > Jobs.
  2. Select a job that should be able to approve offline card payments of any value.
  3. Select the Permissions tab and enable the 1.15 Offline/Background Credit Card Processing permission.
  4. Select Save, then Publish your changes.
  5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 for any other jobs that should have this permission.

 

Expected outcome: The selected jobs can approve offline card payments above the transaction limit.

 

To add or remove this permission for one person, navigate to that employee's profile and select Override for 1.15 Offline/Background Credit Card Processing. For more details, see Add and Manage Employees in Toast Web.

 

Back to top

 

Step 3: Verify Your Network and Internet Connection

Review the settings below to reduce the chance of a disruption to your network or internet connection.

 

  1. Configure terminals to use only Ethernet or Wi-Fi. Toast terminals set to use both Ethernet and Wi-Fi may experience connectivity issues. Toast recommends disabling Wi-Fi on all terminals.
  2. Connect all devices to the Toast secure network. For a device connected by an Ethernet or USB-C cable, set its Network Settings to Ethernet. For wireless devices, connect to the _Toast network via Wi-Fi. For detailed steps, see Troubleshoot Internet Connection Issues on Toast Devices.
  3. Review your network setup and Wireless Access Point (WAP) placement to confirm your internet, power, cabling, and wireless coverage support your Toast Go® handheld devices.
  4. Check your internet speed. Toast recommends 15 Mbps download and 5 Mbps upload. For details, see Test Your Internet Speed.
  5. Consider a cellular backup solution to avoid declined payments caused by expired authorizations. Speak with your IT professional or a networking consultant for guidance.
  6. Forget other networks on all handheld devices. Toast Go® handheld devices that have connected to other Wi-Fi networks may try to reconnect to them when moved between service areas, which can interrupt service. For detailed steps, see Forget a Network on a Toast Device.

 

Expected outcome: Your devices are on the Toast secure network with a stable, recommended-speed connection, lowering the chance of an unexpected disruption.

 

Back to top

 

Step 4: Create an Optional Offline Dining Option

A custom dining option lets you collect guest contact information you may need during a service disruption. This is useful in Offline Mode because it gives you a way to reach a guest if their card payment declines once your system comes back online.

 

  1. Create a new dining option, for example, "Dine In - Offline Mode".
  2. Choose the behavior that collects the information you need:
    • Delivery behavior collects name and phone number.
    • Takeout behavior collects name, phone number, and address.
  3. Select this dining option when your restaurant is in Offline Mode so you can capture guest contact details on those orders.

 

Expected outcome: You have an Offline dining option ready to select during an outage, so you can follow up with a guest if their payment declines later.

 

For full setup steps, see Configure Custom Dining Options.

 

Back to top

 

Step 5: Set Up Kiosk Authorization for Offline Mode

If your business uses Toast Self-Ordering Kiosks, creating a "Kiosk Server" user profile lets a kiosk automatically log back in and pick up where it left off if it goes offline. You will not need to manually log back in after a crash or lost connection. The kiosk assigns all checks and kiosk-specific audit operations to this user.

 

Note: If you use the Kitchen Display System (KDS), keep your kiosk terminal on the same network as your KDS devices so the kiosk can keep sending tickets to the KDS if devices enter Offline Mode.

 

  1. In Toast Web, navigate to Employees > Employee management > Employees.
  2. Select + Add New Employee.
  3. Enter the required fields:
    • Invite to create account: Set the toggle to No.
    • First Name: Enter "Kiosk".
    • Last Name: Enter "Server".
    • Passcode: Enter a numerical passcode. A real person is not tied to this profile, so you do not need to complete the remaining fields.
  4. Select Add to finish adding the employee.
  5. Navigate to Front of house > Mobile dining solutions > Kiosk setup.
  6. Scroll to the Kiosk server section and use the drop-down to select Server, Kiosk, the profile you just created.
  7. Select Save, then Publish your changes.

 

Expected outcome: Your kiosk can recover on its own and keep operating if it goes offline. If your restaurant has tipping enabled and you configured kiosk authorization with these steps, you do not need to perform a shift review for this kiosk-specific user.

 

Back to top

 

Understand the Risks of Taking Card Payments Offline

Card payments taken during an outage cannot be authorized until your network connection is restored, so a payment taken offline can be denied once your system comes back online. Review these risks before you choose your card authorization setting.

 

  • You are responsible for any declined, expired, or disputed payments taken in Offline Mode.
  • Verify the cardholder's name and card expiration date, especially in Offline Mode. You can also use an Offline dining option to collect a guest's name and phone number so you can reach them if their card declines later. See Step 4 above.
  • Toast does not recommend manually recording card numbers and later entering them as a Card Not Present (CNP) transaction. If it is necessary, you must have the CVV to process the payment, and you are required to protect cardholder data to remain PCI compliant. See PCI Compliance Overview.
  • Payment authorizations may expire if too much time passes (as determined by the card networks) as early as 24 hours from when the transaction occurred in some cases. After this period, the authorization may expire, and the payment may be declined, resulting in a loss to the business unless you can recoup the amount from the guest. Resolve network connectivity issues as soon as possible, and consider a cellular backup connection to help prevent declined payments from expired authorizations.

 

If declined payments are a concern, you can set a transaction limit for payments taken while offline, or choose not to accept card payments during disruptions in Step 1.

 

Back to top

 

Related Articles

 

Back to top