Pricing
freemium
Best For
Full-service restaurants that need kitchen display systems and tableside ordering
Rating
8.4/10
Last Updated
Mar 2026
TL;DR
Toast was built for restaurants from the ground up, and it shows. Kitchen display screens, tableside ordering on handheld devices, tip management, menu engineering — it handles the chaos of a busy restaurant better than any general-purpose POS. The Starter plan is free, but you pay higher processing fees. The catch is proprietary hardware you can't avoid and a contract that's hard to exit early.
What is Toast?
Built for Restaurants, Not Adapted for Them
Most POS systems started in retail and bolted on restaurant features later. Toast did the opposite. Founded in 2012 by three engineers who saw how badly restaurants were served by existing tech, it was purpose-built for food service from day one. I've watched three restaurant owners switch from Square to Toast, and the reaction is always the same: "Why didn't I do this sooner?"
Kitchen Display Systems Change Everything
This is where Toast earns its reputation. Orders fire from the POS to kitchen display screens (KDS) automatically, color-coded by station — grill, fryer, salad, bar. The KDS tracks ticket times, shows order modifications in red, handles coursing so appetizers go out before entrees, and auto-86s items when they run out. Any restaurant running paper tickets is leaving money on the table through lost orders and timing mistakes.
The Hardware Lock-In Problem
Toast requires its proprietary hardware. The Toast Flex (countertop terminal), Toast Go 2 (handheld for tableside), and Toast Tap (customer-facing payment device) all run on Toast's custom Android-based platform. You cannot run Toast software on an iPad. This means $0 hardware with the pay-as-you-go plan (but higher processing fees) or purchasing equipment outright. A full restaurant setup with two terminals and three handhelds can easily hit $2,500-4,000 in hardware costs.
Online Ordering Without Third-Party Fees
Toast's built-in online ordering is a genuine money-saver. Instead of paying DoorDash or UberEats 15-30% commission per order, Toast charges a flat per-order fee on its free plan or includes unlimited ordering on paid plans. Orders flow directly into your kitchen workflow. For restaurants doing significant takeout volume, this alone can justify the monthly cost within weeks.
Pricing Breakdown
The Starter plan is free with 2.99% + 15 cents processing. The Core plan runs $69/month with standard processing (around 2.49% + 15 cents, varies by volume). The Growth plan at $165/month adds online ordering, loyalty programs, and gift cards. Enterprise pricing is custom. The hardware financing spreads costs over 24-36 months but locks you into a contract.
Where Toast Frustrates
The contract terms are aggressive. Early termination fees can hit $5,000-10,000+ depending on your hardware financing. Customer support quality varies wildly — some reps are knowledgeable, others clearly read from scripts. The system requires always-on internet for full functionality (offline mode exists but is limited). And menu changes during service hours can be clunky if your kitchen is already slammed.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Purpose-built for restaurants with kitchen display systems, coursing, and auto-86 functionality
- Built-in online ordering eliminates expensive third-party delivery commissions of 15-30%
- Tableside ordering with Toast Go handhelds speeds up service and increases table turnover
- Free Starter plan lets small restaurants get started without upfront software costs
- Comprehensive payroll and team management tools designed specifically for restaurant staff
Cons
- Proprietary hardware is mandatory — you cannot run Toast on an iPad or any third-party device
- Early termination fees can reach $5,000-10,000+ if you try to leave your contract early
- Customer support quality is inconsistent — some reps are great, others clearly read from scripts
- The system depends heavily on internet connectivity and offline mode has significant limitations
- Hardware costs for a full restaurant setup can hit $2,500-4,000 before you serve your first customer
Toast Pricing
Starter
- Cloud-based POS
- Order & table management
- Payment processing
- Reporting & analytics
- Menu management
- Digital ordering (commission per order)
Core
- All Starter features
- Toast mobile order & pay
- Toast delivery services
- Standard processing rates
- Core API access
Growth
- All Core features
- Online ordering (no per-order fees)
- Toast loyalty
- Gift cards
- Marketing campaigns
Pricing last verified: March 25, 2026
Who is Toast Best For?
- Full-service restaurants that need kitchen display systems and tableside ordering
- Restaurant groups managing multiple locations with centralized menu and reporting
- Takeout-heavy restaurants wanting to cut third-party delivery platform commissions
- Fast-casual and quick-service restaurants needing speed and online ordering integration
Technical Details
The Bottom Line
Toast scores 8.4/10. It stands out for purpose-built for restaurants with kitchen display systems, coursing, and auto-86 functionality. Best suited for full-service restaurants that need kitchen display systems and tableside ordering. Keep in mind that proprietary hardware is mandatory — you cannot run toast on an ipad or any third-party device. There is a free plan to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on editorial analysis