Toast, the all-in-one digital platform built for restaurants, announced enhancements to its mobile ordering, payments and digital menu solutions, lowering the barrier to entry for restaurants to adopt mobile-first, guest-led technology in a challenging labor environment. With Toast, guests can easily scan a QR code to browse the menu, order, and pay, all from their mobile device. Key new updates will include server-started ordering, allowing both servers and guests to start and add to a tab and customizable digital menus by service area, such as the patio, takeout window and full table service. In addition, Toast Digital Menus and Mobile Payments are now included within Toast’s industry leading restaurant POS at no extra cost.

The restaurant industry is undergoing massive change. A majority of guests now say they are likely to view a menu or order a meal through their mobile device. Nine out of ten restaurant operators say being understaffed is having a significant or moderate impact on their restaurant’s ability to grow and succeed.

With Toast Mobile Dining Solutions, guests at full service restaurants no longer have to wait on servers to add to their order or checkout, and guests at quick service restaurants can now skip the line to order their meal. Restaurants of any size or concept may be able to increase sales and tips, collect valuable data on each transaction to build guest loyalty, and navigate the labor shortage with a more efficient service model. They can also introduce more dynamic menus and pricing in the face of rising supply costs and inflation.

“As restaurants navigate an unprecedented labor environment, rising costs and changing guest preferences, digital menus, mobile ordering and payments are becoming more mainstream,” says Aman Narang, president and co-founder of Toast. “With Toast’s new mobile dining solutions, everyone benefits. Restaurant owners have the ability to increase sales, build guest loyalty and make their staff more efficient, employees can serve more tables and earn more tips, and guests don’t have to wait for checks or wait in a line.”

“People love the fact they can order on their own. It’s the fact that customers can choose the way they want to place orders – it’s giving them the option. ‘Where can I find my server?’ Oh. I’ll just use a QR code,” says Ilya Alter, Co-Owner, Dacha Beer Garden. “The beauty of Toast is it’s one system, you don’t have to deal with integrations.”

“With Mobile Order & Pay, our tips more than doubled. I split the tips between all the employees…there are dishwashers that are now making $35 an hour,” adds Danny Rosa, Manager, New England Lobster Market & Eatery. “My employee retention is now through the roof, it’s pretty awesome.”

The enhanced Toast Mobile Order and Pay solutions are a fully-integrated and flexible suite of products that help restaurants to:

Increase revenue and tips – Toast gives guests the option to browse, order and pay from their mobile device, and restaurants using Toast Mobile Order & Pay typically see an average 10% increase in revenue. Dynamic, digital menus can be updated in real-time without wasting time or money printing new menus when an item is no longer available or to test new pricing and combinations. Restaurants will be able to offer customizable menus by service area, such as the patio, bar/lounge, takeout window and full table service. Additionally, restaurants can customize the tip options guests see and set a default to help increase tip sizes.

Combat the labor shortage with a more efficient service model – Restaurants can simplify checkout for guests and staff, allowing for card pre-authorization and the ability for guests to pay quickly and easily.  For the first time, both guests and servers at restaurants on the Toast platform can now start or add to their tab, allowing guests to order through their device or through the server with everything synced to one tab.

Collect data on each transaction to keep guests coming back – Restaurants are facing competition from third-party platforms for guest loyalty and data. Now, restaurants can take direct control of their guest relationships by prompting them to join loyalty programs at checkout, whether on or off-premise. Restaurants also have the ability to collect guest data on each transaction that can be leveraged to power their marketing and loyalty programs. On average, Toast restaurants generate up to $2,800 in sales per campaign with email marketing and increase loyalty signups by 25% with mobile payments.

Toast is at the forefront of innovative guest-facing restaurant technology, whether it be the Toast Go® handheld point-of-sale, digital menus or mobile ordering powered by QR codes. Today’s updates create value and flexibility for all restaurants, regardless of format:

Full Service Restaurants can free up server time so they can focus on more table touches and recommendations.  On average, checkout using Toast mobile payments can save servers four minutes per table when compared to traditional methods.

Quick Service and Fast Casual Restaurants can allow guests to skip lines, order from their mobile device and get text notifications when their order is ready. On average, guests tip on 18% more transactions at QSRs when they pay through Toast Mobile Order & Pay vs. standard checkout.