Use Toast Go™ 3 Handheld at the Bar or Pub

Overview
The Full Service Bar Workflow and Setup
- Device Setup for Full Service Workflow
Order on the Toast Flex, Pay on the Toast Go™ 3 Workflow and Setup
- Device Setup for Hybrid Payment Terminal Mode
- Apply Sort and Filter Settings
The Fast Service Bar Workflow
- Managing Orders inside Payment Terminal Mode
Why Choose These Workflows?
Additional Resources

Overview

Depending on your bar's layout and team preferences, there are two highly effective ways to leverage the Toast Go™ 3 handheld to eliminate bottlenecks, speed up service, and keep your staff right by the guest’s side.

The Full Service Workflow and Setup (All in One)

The best solution for maximum speed and efficiency is for each server or bartender to use the Toast Go™ 3 handheld for both ordering and payments directly in the bar. While shifting from a fixed, stationary terminal to a fully mobile workflow can take a moment for staff to adapt to, the payoff in service speed is immediate.

How it Works:

Take the Order: Whether serving guests over the counter, managing table service, or floating through a busy beer garden, ring up drinks instantly on the Toast Go™ 3 handheld right where the guest is standing.
Take the Payment: The guest can swipe, dip, or tap their card on the exact same device to close out the check instantly. If paying with cash, your staff can close out the transaction in two ways:
- Accept cash directly from the Toast Go™ 3: Select cash as the payment option on the Toast Go™ 3 handheld, which can be paired your cash drawer behind the bar.
- Leverage a Toast Flex Terminal: Complete the order on the Toast Go™ 3 handheld and use your Flex Terminal and cash drawer behind the bar for cash transactions.
Why it's the gold standard: Your bartenders never have to turn their backs on guests, walk away to queue for a central terminal, or split their focus between two separate devices. Service is entirely self-contained, mobile, and rapid.

Device Setup for Full Service Workflow

Quick Order screens are best used for bars because they are designed for rapid, high-volume transactions where speed is everything. You can access the Quick Order screen by navigating from the main menu to Quick Order mode. To set this as your default view:

On your Toast Go™ 3 device, navigate to the Set Up Device menu.
Select Quick Order as the primary screen employees see first.
Select Save.

Order on Toast Flex, Pay on Toast Go™ 3 (Hybrid Setup)

If your staff prefers to use a more traditional till behind the bar for order entry, you can configure the Toast Go™ 3 in Payment Terminal mode alongside your fixed terminals to use primarily for payments. This hybrid setup gives your staff the best of both worlds: high-speed terminal ordering paired with a mobile, all-in-one POS built right into their pocket. This ensures your team can seamlessly split bills and take payments directly at the guest's side without ever disrupting the main station.

Device Setup for Hybrid Payment Terminal Mode Workflow

On your Toast Go™ 3 handheld device, navigate to the Set Up Device menu.
Select Payment Terminal as the primary screen employees see first.
Select Save.

Why this helps: This ensures that as soon as a server logs into the Toast Go™ 3 handheld, it automatically opens a view of all open checks, bypassing unnecessary navigation screens.

Apply Sort and Filter Settings in Payment Terminal Mode

Open the Payment Terminal screen on the Toast Go™ 3 handheld.
Tap the Sort and filter icon.
Under Sort by, select Most recent.
Under Filter by (User), select Me to show only your own checks.
Select Apply filters.

The Fast-Service Bar Workflow

Once your hardware is configured, your staff can use this quick, two-step process to ring up and close out orders:

Step 1: Place the Order on the Toast Flex

Log In: The server enters their PIN into the Toast Flex terminal.
Ring it Up: Process the customer's order as normal.
Send: Press Send to send the order to the bar/kitchen. (Recommendation: Enable Auto switch user in your backend settings if possible to keep the terminal secure and ready for the next user).

Step 2: Take Payment on the Toast Go™ 3 handheld

Log In: The server enters their PIN into the Toast Go™ 3 handheld device.
Select Check: Because of your configuration settings, the Toast Go™ 3 will open directly into the Payment Terminal, and the server’s most recent bar order will automatically appear as the very first check at the top of the list.
Close Out: Select the check and process the card payment immediately.

Managing Orders inside Payment Terminal Mode

Payment Terminal mode isn't just for closing existing checks.

To Open a New Check: If a server needs to quickly open a completely new check on the fly, they can simply select the + button located at the top right of the screen. This lets them easily go back into ordering mode to add items (e.g., ringing up another round of beers directly from the floor).

Why Choose These Workflows?

Integrating Toast Flex with a Toast Go™ 3 handheld payment workflow significantly improves your speed of service and eliminates common bar bottlenecks.

Keeps Main Terminals Open: Processing a payment via the Toast Go™ 3 handheld leaves your main Toast Flex terminal completely free, ensuring other bartenders can continue ringing up drinks without waiting for a card transaction to finish.
Hospitality-Grade Durability: The Toast Go™ 3 handheld is designed specifically for intense bar environments, featuring an IP65 rating against spills and dust, alongside drop protection up to 1.5m.
All-Day Performance & Reliable Connectivity: With a 24+ hour battery life and optional cellular functionality, your staff can process transactions anywhere on the floor, serving as a reliable fail-safe if your local Wi-Fi ever fluctuates.

Additional Resources

Want to adjust user permissions in Toast Web? See our Permissions Reference Guide
Looking to add more Toast Go™ 3 devices to your floor? See the Toast Go® 3 Handheld Upgrade Programme FAQ.