Preview Menu Item Routing From Your Toast POS

Last updated: Oct 5, 2026, 4:40 PM

See exactly where a menu item will print before you fire an order, right from your order screen.

Routing preview is currently in limited release with select customers. Check back soon for updates!

 

In this Article:

 

About Routing Preview

Routing preview lets you check where a menu item, modifier, or group will send a ticket — which prep station, which printer, and which Kitchen Display System (KDS) screen — before you ever fire a live order. It's a read-only tool: nothing prints and no order is placed while you're previewing.

 

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Before You Begin

Applies to: Toast POS devices running Table Service or Quick Order mode

 

Permissions needed:

  • Access to the order screen (Table Service or Quick Order)

 

What you'll accomplish: Confirm how a menu item is set to route, and spot connectivity or configuration problems before an order is fired.

 

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Step 1: Enter Preview Mode

  1. From the Table Service or Quick Order screen, select View Routing.
  2. You can also reach this from the test mode banner if your device is in test mode.

 

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Step 2: Select a Menu Group, Item, or Modifier

  1. Browse or search for the menu group, item, or modifier you want to check.
  2. Select it to see its routing.

 

Note: Routing preview shows where an item is set to route today. It doesn't show routing overrides applied at order time, or dining-option or course detail on the KDS.

 

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Step 3: Read the Routing Results

For the item you selected, the preview shows:

  • The prep station it's assigned to
  • The printer and/or KDS device that prep station routes to
  • Whether each printer or KDS device is online, offline, or in an unknown connectivity state

 

You can select a printer directly from the preview screen to see its details.

 

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Step 4: Fix a Routing Problem

If the preview flags a problem, it will show one of these states:

  • No prep station assigned — the item has no prep station configured
  • Non-printing prep station enabled — the assigned prep station is set not to print on this device
  • Printer offline — the printer the item routes to isn't currently reachable

 

Use the printer or prep station name shown to correct the setup in Printer Setup or your prep station configuration, then preview the item again to confirm it's resolved.

 

Expected outcome: You can see exactly where a menu item is set to route and confirm the printers and KDS devices in that path are online, before it ever reaches a live order.

 

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