Toast review (2026): features, pros and cons, and what to check before you buy
Restaurant-only POS and payments platform with its own hardware and tiered software plans, sold mostly on quote.
Our take for buyers
Toast is a restaurant-only POS and payments platform with proprietary terminals, handhelds, kitchen display and kiosks. Shortlist it if you run a restaurant, bar or cafe that needs table service, kitchen display and online ordering, from a single location up to multi-location groups. It is not built for retail or service businesses. G2 shows 4.2 from 370 reviews, with praise for the user-friendly interface.
Reviewers raise customer support wait times, transaction and hardware costs, and missing reporting features. Because payments run only on Toast Payments with its own hardware, switching later is harder than with a software-only POS. Pricing is quote based after a demo, and tier prices differ by source, so the written quote and order form are the documents that matter.
Pros
- User-friendly interface.
Cons
- Customer support wait times.
- Transaction and hardware costs.
- Best for
- Restaurants, bars and cafes needing table service, kitchen display and online ordering.
- Starting price
- $0/month on pay-as-you-go Starter Kit; $69/month standard Point of Sale plan (per a Toast article)
- G2 rating
- 4.2 (370 reviews)
What is Toast?
Restaurant-only POS and payments platform with its own hardware and tiered software plans, sold mostly on quote. Toast is a restaurant-only platform with its own terminals, handhelds, kitchen displays and online ordering. It processes payments through Toast Payments only, so check processing rates and contract length before you sign. Toast was founded in 2012 and is based in Boston, Massachusetts, US.
Category: POS Systems
Toast key features
| Criterion | What we found |
|---|---|
| Hardware and terminals | Proprietary Toast terminals, handhelds, kitchen display and kiosks; tiered hardware bundle around $1,024 (third-party) |
| Payment processing terms | Toast Payments only; rates vary by plan and pay-as-you-go vs traditional. |
| Online and omnichannel sales | Core and Growth add online ordering and loyalty (third-party) |
| Industry features | Restaurant-specific: table service, kitchen display, online ordering. |
| Reporting and analytics | G2 reviewers flag missing reporting features. |
| Pricing model | Software tier plus processing percentage plus hardware. |
| Target company size | Single restaurants to multi-location groups. |
Toast plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay-as-you-go tiers | $0 | per month | Third-party (Korona POS): 3.09%/3.39%/3.69% + 15c for Basic/Core/Growth |
| Traditional tiers | $69 / $219 / $578 | per month | Third-party (Korona POS): 2.49% + 15c each; about $1,024 one-time hardware |
Toast does not publish full pricing. Tier figures are third-party and may be outdated. An $85/month inactivity fee may apply on pay-as-you-go (third-party).
Who should shortlist Toast
A strong fit for
- Restaurants, bars and cafes needing table service, kitchen display and online ordering.
- Single-location operators who can use the Starter Kit.
A weak fit for
- Retailers or service businesses (Toast is restaurant-focused)
- Operators wanting to bring their own processor or avoid multi-year terms.
Toast alternatives
Square POSSingle-shop retailers and service businesses that want to start at $0 software.
CloverSmall restaurants and retailers wanting bundled hardware plus software.
LightspeedMulti-category retailers needing deeper inventory and reporting.
TouchBistroFull-service restaurants that want floor plan and tableside ordering on iPads.
Revel SystemsExisting Revel restaurant operators already on the platform.
Epos NowSmall retail and hospitality shops wanting bundled hardware.
Contract and buying terms
- Contract
- About 2 years reported by a third-party source; not confirmed by the vendor.
- Starting price
- $0/month on pay-as-you-go Starter Kit; $69/month standard Point of Sale plan (per a Toast article)
- Pricing model
- Per location.
- Free plan or trial
- No.
What to test in a Toast demo or trial
Walk a full service in the demo: table service, kitchen display, handhelds and online ordering, using your own menu. Ask to see the reporting you rely on, since reviewers flag missing reporting features. Test the support line during the trial period and ask about expected wait times. Request a side by side quote for the pay-as-you-go and traditional models using your last three months of card volume, including hardware. Confirm which tier carries online ordering and loyalty, which third-party sources place on Core and Growth.
Questions to ask Toast before you sign
These are the points Toast's public pages leave open. Get the answers in writing before procurement signs off.
- Which plan includes SAML SSO, and what does it cost for our seat count?
- Is SCIM provisioning included, or a paid add-on?
- Which plan includes audit logs, and how long are they kept?
- Where is our data stored, and can we choose the region?
- Can we sign your standard DPA without changes?
- What will the price be at renewal, and is the increase capped?
Things to know before a demo
- Pay-as-you-go ($0 software) trades monthly fees for higher processing percentages.
- Reported contract length about 2 years (third-party, verify in order form)
- Pricing is quote-based after a demo, so tier prices differ by source.
Head-to-head comparisons
Toast FAQ
What is Toast used for?
Toast is a restaurant-only platform with its own terminals, handhelds, kitchen displays and online ordering. It processes payments through Toast Payments only, so check processing rates and contract length before you sign. It suits restaurants, bars and cafes needing table service, kitchen display and online ordering.
Who is Toast best for?
Restaurants, bars and cafes that need table service, kitchen display and online ordering, and single-location operators who can use the Starter Kit. It is restaurant-focused, so retail and service businesses are a poor fit.
Does Toast publish its pricing?
No. Toast sells mostly on quote after a demo, and tier prices differ by source. Get the plan, processing rates and hardware costs in writing.
What are the common complaints about Toast?
G2 reviewers mention customer support wait times, transaction and hardware costs, and missing reporting features.
Vendor profile
- Founded
- 2012.
- Headquarters
- Boston, Massachusetts, US.
- Employees
- 5,700 (2024)
- Funding or owner
- Public (NYSE: TOST)
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from Toast's own pricing, product or documentation pages, G2 and company records, checked on October 24, 2026. Unknown values are left out instead of estimated.