Toast platform overview

The Toast platform includes a set of cloud-based restaurant products and tools that you can use to operate your restaurant and integrate your business with a rich ecosystem of Toast-compatible partner services. You can use the Toast POS app and Toast hardware to process orders and take payments at restaurant locations. You can use the tools and services of the Toast platform to manage and optimize restaurant operations and to get detailed analytic data about your business.

The Toast platform guide (this guide) provides technical product documentation for the Toast platform and products. Use the information in this guide to understand Toast products and how you can integrate them with other restaurant business technology.

  • If you are just learning about the Toast platform, see https://pos.toasttab.com/ for information about Toast products and services.

  • If you are using the Toast platform in your restaurant and you need help, see Toast Central for training and to get your questions answered.

The Toast platform includes a large number of restaurant products and services that work together to help restaurants optimize and succeed. This guide focuses on the core Toast platform technology that you use to support restaurant operations and integrate the Toast platform with other information systems. See Toast Central for information about products and services not covered in Toast technical product documentation.

The following diagram shows the high-level, core components of the Toast platform.

Core Toast platform components

Diagram showing the components of the Toast platform. A restaurant location includes Toast POS devices for ordering and fulfillment. Configuration and reporting functions are in Toast Web.
  • Toast Web: The configuration and reporting website that you use to control and monitor Toast products and services for your restaurant locations. Toast Web is one of the cloud-based services that make up the Toast platform. For information, see Using Toast Web.

  • Menu configuration: The menus, menu items, modifiers and other menu-related configuration that guests and employees use in restaurant orders. For information, see Menu hierarchy.

  • Integrations: Restaurant services that are compatible with the Toast platform use Toast APIs to integrate with restaurant groups and locations. For information, see Managing and using integrations and Toast Partner Connect.

  • Kitchen operations: The prep stations, kitchen printers, kitchen display systems (KDS), and menu item routing that Toast restaurants use to fulfill orders. For information, see Routing overview.

  • Toast POS hardware: The Toast POS devices, Toast POS app, and other Toast hardware components that employees and guests use at restaurant locations. For information, see Toast POS hardware components.

  • Restaurant location configuration: Information about a restaurant business that affects Toast platform operations. For example, you can configure dining options, revenue centers, jobs, and marketing details for a restaurant location. Restaurant groups with multiple locations can share some aspects of Toast platform configuration. For information, see Enterprise module overview.

  • Employees: The servers, bartenders, cooks, and other restaurant professionals who serve guests at Toast restaurants. You can configure the jobs and permissions of the employees at your restaurant locations. For information, see Access permissions reference.

  • Off-premise dining: The Toast platform features and configuration that your restaurant locations use to provide takeout and delivery services. For information, see Orders Hub overview.

  • Payments: The prices, service charges, taxes, cash operations, and credit card transactions that you process during Toast restaurant operations. For information, see Service charge overview.

  • Guests: The people that your restaurant serves. Restaurant guests place orders, make payments, and participate in loyalty programs. For information, see Guest data overview.