Toast Mobile Order & Pay® FAQ

There's a new service model shaking up restaurants across the country. Read The New Steps of Service by On the Line to learn how to use it in your restaurant.

Toast Mobile Order & Pay® provides your guests with a contactless ordering and payment experience in your restaurant. Guests simply scan a QR code at their table to identify where they're sitting, browse your menu, place their order, and pay for their meal, all from the convenience and safety of their own device. 

By putting your guests in control of their dine-in experience, Toast Mobile Order & Pay® can help you reduce your labor costs, improve table turn times, and increase sales. All while offering your guests a safer and more efficient way to dine in your restaurant. 

In this Article:

• How do I train my staff to use Toast Mobile Order & Pay®?
• How do I switch off Toast Mobile Order & Pay® at the end of the day?
• Can guests order alcohol?
• What if I change my table numbers?
• Can guests start a tab?
• Will tabs allow guests to pre-authorize their credit card at the start of their meal?
• How can I ensure that guests pay their tab before leaving?
• When should I turn on tabs for Toast Mobile Order & Pay®?
• What happens if I turn off tabs during service?
• Can a server start a tab from the POS or Toast Go® and then have a guest add to it on their own?
• Can I pre-authorize a credit card manually on the POS or a Toast Go® when using tabs?
• Can I close an Order & Pay tab on the POS or Toast Go®?
• What if someone has questions about the menu?
• How do I get orders to fire directly to the kitchen?
• Can guests edit an order after they submit it?
• How do I arrange my table diagram / floor plan?
• What if I'm going to have more tables later?
• How can I identify Toast Mobile Order & Pay® orders in reporting?
• How do I have the dining option print on the kitchen ticket or show on the KDS?
• Can I have menus from different Toast restaurants on the same portal?
• How can I change the logo used on the sign?
• Why aren't my Toast Mobile Order & Pay® orders routing to my main kitchen printer or KDS?
• Can I use a takeout or delivery dining option for Order & Pay?
• Can I set up a service charge to be applied to Toast Mobile Order & Pay®checks?
• Why does the guest show a pending charge but their check is marked unpaid?
• Can my guests use a gift card to pay for their meal through Toast Mobile Order & Pay®?
• Can my guests enter a discount code using Toast Mobile Order & Pay®?
• How can my guests reorder items from an open tab?
• Can my guests pay with Apple Pay when checking out with Toast Mobile Order & Pay®?
• Will guests see recommended upsells when adding items to their cart?
• In the event that there is an outage with my Internet Service Provider, do payments through Toast Mobile Order & Pay® still get captured?
• What is the "Click to Pay" option when my guests check out with Toast Mobile Order and Pay®?
• Can guests save their credit card information for faster checkout?
• Can guests split checks evenly?
• Are Popular Items visible on my digital menu?
• How are Featured Items displayed on my digital menu?
• How do I display FAQ or an important message to my guests on Toast Mobile Order & Pay®?
• Can I show my guests an estimated wait time?

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I train my staff to use Toast Mobile Order & Pay®?

Toast Mobile Order & Pay® is most successful when it's positioned to guests as the preferred way to order. If it's positioned as optional, guests feel like they're receiving conflicting messages about what their dining experience should be. The role of your staff is to focus on higher-value tasks like talking to guests, giving recommendations, and running food. By automating the cashier aspects of the job, staff can focus on the tasks that really provide hospitality and cover more tables so they receive greater tips. Keep in mind, if you enable tables in your restaurant, servers can still put in an order for the guest on a handheld or other POS device. 

Here are some tips to adapt your operations to Toast Mobile Order & Pay®:
 

1. 1. •  Designate a floor manager or "captain" for each section using Toast Mobile Order & Pay®. The floor manager focuses on higher value hospitality tasks like answering questions, giving recommendations, and running food to tables, rather than taking orders and closing out checks.
      • Greet guests and explain how to order by phone as they're seated. The start of the dining experience is one of the most important parts! Explain ordering by phone and help them load the menu. Tell the guest that most phone cameras can scan QR codes. At most restaurants, either a floor manager or host is responsible for doing this. Check-in often to answer questions, provide recommendations, and drop off food rather than taking orders. 
        • If you have tabs or preauthorized tabs enabled in your restaurant, show guests how to start a tab by entering their name or entering their payment information. Please remind them that it is fast and easy to close out their tab when they're finished with their meal.
        • If group ordering is also enabled in your restaurant, walk your guests through joining an existing tab. Let them know they can contribute their own selections to the order and then send it to the kitchen as a group so it comes to the table all at once.
        • Note: Toast Mobile Order & Pay® Pre-Authorization is not currently available in Canada, Ireland and the UK. 
      • While guests are dining, make sure to bring them water and condiments. This may sound obvious, but since this is a modified role that's a combination of server and runner, it's easy to forget to make this part of the training. 
      •  Remind guests that they should close out any open tabs at the end of their meal. This gives guests the freedom to leave once they have finished, so they don't have to wait on staff to run their payment for them. 

For more tips, tricks, and talk tracks your staff can use to introduce the Toast Mobile Order & Pay® experience, check out . 
 

How do I turn off Toast Mobile Order & Pay® at the end of the day?

To disable Toast Mobile Order & Pay® while the restaurant is closed, we recommend duplicating your existing menu or creating a new menu specifically tailored to Toast Mobile Order & Pay®. Then, use the Availability settings under the Properties section of the menu detail page to set a time range for the menu to be available. For more information, see .
 

Can guests order alcohol with Toast Mobile Order & Pay®?

Yes! Guests can order alcohol using Toast Mobile Order & Pay®. Your floor manager or runner must ID the guest before the alcohol is served. 
 

What if I change my table numbers?

If you delete a table and create a new one with the same number, your sign will still work. However, if you create a new table with a new number, you will need to create a new sign. Check out  for more information about editing your floor layout. 
 

Can guests start a tab on Toast Mobile Order & Pay®?

Yes, using the standard tabs feature, you can enable guests to start a tab with their name and order continually until they want to close out. Using preauthorized tabs, you can require guests to enter a preauthorized credit card to start a tab. 
 

If you choose to enable standard tabs, guests will be presented with the option to open a tab or closeout immediately after adding items to their cart. If the guest chooses to open a tab, servers will also be able to add or modify items on the order on behalf of the guest. Be sure to have your staff check in with guests regularly and offer to help close out their checks if they do not wish to order more. In addition, servers should also avoid using the Hold button on a guest check for Toast Mobile Order & Pay® as it will prevent the guest from being able to update their order on their own. 

Check out  for more information on enabling standard and preauthorized tabs. 
 

Will tabs allow guests to pre-authorize their credit card at the start of their meal?

Pre-authorized tabs are available to customers located in the US only. Using preauthorized tabs, you can require guests to enter credit card information before starting a tab for Toast Mobile Order & Pay®. 

For more information on enabling this feature in your restaurant, check out . 

How can I ensure that guests pay their tab before leaving?

Some restaurants using standard Toast Mobile Order & Pay® tabs have suggested the following tips to remind guests to close out their check before they leave. 

1. 1. •  Set guest expectations upfront - when seating guests at the table and promoting Toast Mobile Order & Pay® as the preferred way to order, remind them that after their meal they will need to close out their tab on Toast Mobile Order & Pay® before they leave. 
      • Remind guests throughout service - servers regularly interacting with guests can remind them to pay before they leave throughout their meal. For example, saying something like "How is everything with your meal? If you'd like to order more, you can easily add things to your tab, and when you're ready to leave, just go back in and close out your check using your phone.

When should I turn on tabs for Toast Mobile Order & Pay®?

We recommend turning this feature on before you begin service for the day so that you can run a few test transactions to understand the workflow. If you decide it's not for you, you can simply switch the Tabs and Preauthorization toggle to the Off position. 
 

What happens if I turn off tabs during service?

It's not recommended to turn this feature off during service because it will prevent guests who have open Toast Mobile Order & Pay® tabs from checking out. However, the checks will still be available on the POS for reference. 

Note: if preauthorized tabs are disabled during service, guests will still have access to their tab but their stored payment information will be lost. If this occurs, guests with pre-authorized payments will have to re-enter payment information to close their check. 
 

Can a server start a tab from the POS or Toast Go® and then have a guest add to it on their own?

Yes, they can. Servers and guests can start orders for tables. For a server to start an order, begin by navigating to the table layout screen on the POS and select the appropriate table. Enter the guest count, and add items to the check. Guests will still be able to scan the QR code at the table and add items to the check. They will also see the items that were added by the server.  
 

Can I pre-authorize a credit card manually on the POS or a Toast Go® when using tabs?

No. When using this feature, the guest must start the preauthorized tab from Toast Mobile Order & Pay®. There is no way to preauthorize a tab from the POS and allow the guest to add items to it. 
 

Can I close a Toast Mobile Order & Pay® tab on the POS or Toast Go®?

Yes, you can close a tab created through Toast Mobile Order & Pay® manually on the POS or Toast Go® or S1 Handheld (outside of the US) with the guest's credit card. The tab will then show as closed for the guest.
 

Can I assign a Toast Mobile Order & Pay® tab to a server?

Yes, you can assign servers to tables, allowing them to receive tips earned on their assigned tables. This is an alternative to Tip Pooling if you use Toast's Mobile Order & Pay®. If you want to change the suggested tip options for Toast Mobile Order and Pay® or for more information about tip configuration, check out this . Check out to assign servers to tables.
 

What if someone has questions about the menu?

We encourage you to have floor managers who check in with tables regularly. Check out our  to ensure guests have a smooth and delightful experience. 
 

How do I get Toast Mobile Order & Pay® orders to fire directly to the kitchen?

In order for Toast Mobile Order & Pay® orders to go directly to the kitchen, you'll need to designate an auto-firing device in the restaurant. . 
 

Can guests edit a Toast Mobile Order & Pay® order after they submit it?

No, guests will not be able to edit the order once it's submitted. If significant changes are needed, the order may need to be voided by a manager and a new order generated with the correct items. 
 

How do I arrange my table diagram / floor plan?

You can see your floor plan under Tables in the Kitchen / Dining section of Toast Web. The table numbers on the signs correspond to tables you have in this section. Check out  to learn more about altering your table layout. 

It’s important to remember that if you change a table number after you have printed a QR code for that table, then you will need to create a new QR code for the new table number.
 

What if I'm going to have more tables later?

If you want signs for the table numbers that don't exist in Toast yet, we recommend making a new service area where you create the table numbers. Then you can request signs for this service area and move the tables to other service areas as you need them. Check out to learn more about creating service areas and tables. 

How can I identify Toast Mobile Order & Pay® orders in reporting?

1. 1. 1.  In Toast Web, navigate to the Reports > Sales summary. 
      2. Enter a date and time range for your report. 
      3. Then, select the More dropdown in the top row. 
      4. Select Source. 
      5. Then, filter by source Order & Pay. 
      6. Select Update. 

All orders shown will be Toast Mobile Order & Pay® orders. Additional data can be viewed by navigating through the other tabs at the top of the report. 

How do I have the dining option print on the kitchen ticket or show on the KDS?

In Toast Web, select Kitchen setup > Kitchen setup once more. At the top of the page, select Yes for Always Print and Show Dining Option to the appropriate dining option. Don't forget to Save and Publish your changes. 
 

Can I have menus from different Toast restaurants on the same portal?

Menus from different Toast restaurants cannot be accessed on the same portal. Different codes will have to be used. 
 

How can I change the logo used on the Toast Mobile Order & Pay® sign?

You can change the logo used on your table signs in Toast Web. From the home page, select Takeout & delivery on the left side of your screen and select Restaurant info. Scroll down to Restaurant Logo and select Choose Image to upload a new logo image from your computer. When finished, be sure to save and publish your changes. 
 

Why aren't my Toast Mobile Order & Pay® orders routing to my main kitchen printer or KDS?

Items will be routed according to the print routing associated with that item. Therefore, if you elect to show your Online Ordering menu to guests using Toast Mobile Order & Pay®, Toast Mobile Order & Pay® orders will route to the same printers or Kitchen Display Screens your online orders go to. 
 

Can I use a takeout or delivery dining option for Toast Mobile Order & Pay®?

No, to use Toast Mobile Order & Pay® in your restaurant, you will need to have at least one dining option with the Dine In behavior set. This means, if you've created a dining option called "Dine In" but it is set to Takeout or Delivery behavior, it will not work for Toast Mobile Order & Pay® orders. 

Can I set up a service charge to be applied to Toast Mobile Order & Pay® checks?

Yes, follow the steps in the Service Charge for Toast Mobile Order & Pay® section of  to set up a service charge and a service area that can be applied to Toast Mobile Order & Pay® checks.
 

Why does the guest show a pending charge but their check is marked unpaid?

When using Toast Mobile Order & Pay®, your staff should make a regular habit of checking the POS to ensure orders have been paid for. If a check is not marked as paid, then the payment has not been processed, regardless of pending charges on a guest's bank account. A pending charge does not guarantee the guest's payment is successful; It indicates instead that the guest's bank tried to authorize the payment and failed. 

Attempted payment authorizations will still sometimes display a pending charge depending on the bank. This happens when a guest inputs the incorrect CVC or zip code information and the pending charge should drop off in 1-3 days (guests should contact their bank if they are still seeing a charge after this point). Guests should double-check and re-add their payment information to close their check following a failed payment. 

If payment has failed, a server will be able to see that payment failure on the POS.
 

Can my guests use a gift card to pay for their meal through Toast Mobile Order & Pay®?

Yes, guests are able to use a Toast Gift Card to pay for their Toast Mobile Order & Pay® meal. During checkout, they will be prompted to enter their 16-digit gift card number on the back of their physical gift card or listed on their virtual e-gift card. Gift card and credit card payments can be combined on a check, however, the entire balance of the gift card will be utilized first, and then the remaining balance can be paid with a credit/debit card (or an alternative payment method). 

Note:

• • • Gift cards can be used for both the check balance and tips. Learn more  and make sure to allow gift cards for tipping. 
    • Guest cannot pay with Third Party Gift Cards at this time.
       

Can my guests enter a discount code using Toast Mobile Order & Pay®?

Yes, guests are able to enter a promo code during checkout for their meal. This will activate the discount on eligible items or the check total. For a refresher on adding a promo code to your discount, check out . 
 

How can my guests reorder items from an open tab? 

If your guests would like to reorder an item from an open tab, like a cocktail or second round of chips, there are three ways for them to do so. 
 

1. 1. 1. From the View Open Checks page, each item has an Order Again button which will direct your guests to a page where they can add the item to their cart when selected. 
      2. Once your guests have placed an order, a new menu group appears at the top of the menu page with items from the guests tab. When a guest selects an item from this menu group, they are directed to a page where they can add the item to their cart. 
      3. On each item in the reorder menu group, there is also a Quick Reorder button on the right which will add the item to the guests cart without first directing them to another page. 
          

Note: At this time, only items from the current tab can be reordered, not items from previous orders. 
 

Can my guests pay with Apple Pay when checking out with Toast Mobile Order & Pay®?

Your guests can pay with Apple Pay when checking out. It will show up as an option under Payment method in the checkout screen. However, if your restaurant is currently using tabs with Toast Mobile Order & Pay®, Apple Pay is currently not an option. 
 

Will guests see recommended upsells when adding items to their cart?

Guests will see recommended "upsells" with images and pricing when placing their order, such as a basket of sweet potato fries. No restaurant setup required. 

 

In the event that there is an outage with my Internet Service Provider, do payments through Toast Mobile Order & Pay® still get captured?

In the event of an internet outage, order and payment processing through Toast Mobile Order & Pay is not supported. Servers should advise guests that they should not use the QR codes on the table and order directly from the server instead. 
 

What is the "Click to Pay" option when my guests check out with Toast Mobile Order and Pay®?

Click to Pay is an express payment option similar to Apple Pay. Guests with Mastercard, Visa, American Express, or Discover payment cards can create a Click to Pay account and save their card information for express checkout in the future. To learn more, see .
 

 
 

Can guests save their credit card information for faster checkout?

Yes. Guests can now create Toast accounts with just a phone number, save their payment information, and use saved payment information for faster preauthorization and checkout in the future.

1. 1. 1.  Create an account by selecting Complete your account for faster checkout next time! on the Start a tab (Pre-Authorization) or Checkout pages.
      2. Provide a phone number to create an account, log into an existing one, and select Continue.
         
         
      3. Enter the one-time passcode sent to the provided phone number. The Toast account will be created, and payment information will be saved for faster payment next time.
         
         
         
         
      4. Returning guests can select Log in to access their saved payment information, which can be used to pre-authorize and check out without manually entering a credit card.
         
         

Can guests split checks evenly with Toast Mobile Order & Pay®?

Guests can evenly split a check across other guests within mobile payments and digital menus. The check can also be split on the POS device, and each guest should receive their own itemized check. Each check will have a unique QR code allowing them to view and pay for their items. Need a refresher on how to split a check on the POS? Check out article.

Are Popular Items visible on my digital menu?

Yes, with the Popular Items feature, your guests see a curated list of the most-ordered dishes over the past 30 days. To disable Popular Items, please contact .

How are Featured Items displayed on my digital menu?

Featured Items is a special menu with enlarged images designed to drive more orders. Featured Items are customizable.

• • • To feature items, add “Featured” as an item tag to up to five items with images in Toast Web. For more information on how to add an item tag, visit this . 
    • Featured Items require images.
    • If no items are manually featured, then Toast’s algorithm will automatically feature the most profitable items with images based on price and popularity. 

To disable Featured Items, please contact .
 

How do I display an FAQ or an important message to my guests on Toast Mobile Order & Pay®

1. To configure Spotlight Messaging, log in to Toast Web and navigate to Front of house > Mobile dining solutions > Toast Mobile Order & Pay® > Messaging > Spotlight Messaging.
2. Enter the Message title and Message subtext you would like displayed.
3. Save & publish your changes. Your guests will see the following:
   
   

Can I show my guests an estimated wait time with Toast Mobile Order & Pay®?