Create Unique Single-Use Promo Codes

Dernière mise à jour : 29 oct. 2026, 16 h 17

Create an offer with unique single-use promo codes in Toast Web, then generate, track, and redeem codes on the POS or digital ordering.

In this Article:

 

Before You Begin

Applies to: Toast Web, Toast POS, Toast Online Ordering, Toast Kiosk, Toast Mobile Order & Pay®

 

Permissions needed:

  • 6.1 Discount Setup (create the offer, generate codes, and manage codes in Toast Web)
  • Publishing, under Web Setup (publish the offer so guests can use it)
  • 3.1 Discounts (apply promo codes to checks on the POS)

 

What you'll accomplish: Create one offer, generate a set of unique promo codes that each work one time, and redeem those codes on the POS or digital ordering.

 

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How Unique Promo Codes Work

Unique single-use promo codes let you create one offer and generate a set of one-of-a-kind codes for it. Each code works one time only, no matter who uses it. Share codes by email, mail, print, or in person for guest recovery, donations, events, and direct mail.

 

  • You create one offer (for example, $5 off a $10 check), then generate as many codes for that offer as you need.
  • Each code is your prefix plus six characters, for example THANKYOU-7KQ2MP.
  • Codes never contain the letters I, L, or O or the numbers 0 or 1, so they're easier to read aloud and type.
  • Once a code is redeemed, it can't be used again.
  • Guests don't need to give a phone number to redeem a code.

 

Unique promo codes are different from single-use promo codes added to a discount. Those codes check the guest's phone number at redemption. To learn about them, see Use Single-Use Promotion Codes.

 

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Create an Offer With Unique Promo Codes

  1. In Toast Web, navigate to Marketing > Offers.
  2. Select the Smart Offers tab.
  3. On the Create unique promo codes card, select Review & activate.
  4. Review and adjust each section:
    • Audience: Set to Everyone. You can't change the audience for unique promo codes.
    • Offer details: Choose the discount type, the amount, and any minimum spend.
    • Availability: Choose when the offer can be used.
    • Offer name: Enter a name of up to 52 characters. Guests see this name.
  5. In the Promo code prefix field, enter up to 15 letters or numbers. Every code for this offer starts with this prefix.
  6. Select Activate offer.
  7. Select Publish.

 

Expected outcome: You see Your offer is live, and you can now generate codes for the offer.

 

Note: You can't edit an offer after it's activated. To change an offer, open it and select Duplicate to create a copy with the same prefix.

 

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Generate and Download Unique Promo Codes

  1. Select Generate promo codes. This button appears right after you activate the offer.
    • To add codes to an existing offer, navigate to Marketing > Offers, open the offer, and select More codes in the Code management section.
  2. In the Number of codes field, enter how many codes to create. You can create up to 1,000 codes at a time.
  3. Select Add.
  4. Select Download new codes.

 

Expected outcome: A CSV file downloads with the codes you just generated, one code per row. New codes can be redeemed right away, and you can generate more codes at any time.

 

Note: Because the CSV file has one code per row, you can mail-merge codes into letters, cards, or emails.

 

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Track and Manage Unique Promo Codes

Open the offer from Marketing > Offers to see the Code management section. Each code has one of these statuses:

 

StatusWhat it means
UNREDEEMEDThe code hasn't been used yet.
REDEEMEDThe code was used. The check it was used on is shown.
DEACTIVATEDThe code was deactivated and can't be redeemed.

 

From the Code management section, you can:

  • Search by code or by check GUID.
  • Filter by status or by the date codes were created.
  • Select Deactivate on an unredeemed code, for example if it was shared by mistake. Select Activate to make it usable again.
  • Select Export all to download a CSV file of every code for the offer, with its status and redemption details.

 

The All time reporting section shows the offer's net sales, cost, generated codes, redemptions, and return on investment (ROI).

 

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Redeem a Unique Promo Code on the POS

Before staff redeem codes, confirm promo code search is enabled. In Toast Web, navigate to UI Options > Order Screen and confirm Enable promo code search is enabled. It's enabled by default.

 

To apply a code with promo code search:

  1. On the POS device, open the check and select the three-dot overflow menu.
  2. Select Promo Code.
  3. Enter or scan the code, then select Apply code.

 

To apply a code from the Discounts screen:

  1. On the POS device, open the check and select Discounts.
  2. Select the discount with the same name as your offer.
  3. When prompted, enter the code.

 

Expected outcome: You see Promo code has successfully been applied to the check. You don't need to enter the guest's phone number. If the code was already redeemed or was deactivated, you see The promo code could not be applied to the check.

 

Note: Enter codes in all capital letters, exactly as they appear (for example, THANKYOU-7KQ2MP). A code entered in lowercase won't apply. You also can't scan codes from the Discounts screen, so type the code or use promo code search to scan it.

 

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Redeem a Unique Promo Code on Digital Ordering

On Toast Online Ordering, Toast Kiosk, and Toast Mobile Order & Pay®, guests enter the code in the promo code field at checkout. Guests must enter the code in all capital letters, exactly as it appears.

 

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Unique Promo Code Limits

  • Locations: An offer and its codes work only at the location where the offer was created. For a multi-location group, create a separate offer at each location.
  • Expiration: Codes don't expire on their own. Codes work for as long as the offer is active.
  • Ending an offer: Selecting Complete or Archive ends the offer right away, without a confirmation step. Once the offer ends, none of its codes can be redeemed.
  • Voided checks: If a check with a redeemed code is voided, the code stays REDEEMED and can't be used again. To give the guest a replacement, generate a new code.
  • One code per offer per check: A check can use only one code from the same offer. If a guest has two codes from the same offer, only one can be applied to a check.

 

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Coming in the Future

We're working on the features below. None have set launch dates yet. To help us prioritize a specific feature, email andy.wang@toasttab.com.

 

New features

  • QR codes for printing: A QR code link for each code in the CSV export, to make printing cards easier.
  • Toast product integrations: Unique codes built into other Toast products, such as mail-merging codes into Toast Email Marketing campaigns and creating one-off codes to win back guests who leave negative reviews.

 

Improvements to current limitations

  • Voided checks: Codes will go back to UNREDEEMED automatically when the check they were used on is voided.
  • Multiple codes per check: Guests will be able to apply more than one code from the same offer to a single check.
  • Multi-location management: Create one offer with codes that work across multiple locations.

 

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