Restaurateurs who use Toast can now keep tabs on their business from anywhere.
The cloud-based POS supplier on Tuesday unveiled its first mobile app for operators. Using the Toast Now app, managers will be able to see real-time sales, traffic and labor data; communicate directly with on-site staff; and control kitchen volume by toggling delivery channels on and off. They’ll also be able to remove menu items on the fly if needed.
The idea is to allow managers to monitor their business even while they’re not physically there. The tool had been one of restaurants’ most-requested features, the company said.
Jared Galbut, CEO of seven-unit Bodega, said the app has made it easier to manage his restaurants, which are spread out around the country. “We all love being able to see real-time sales data and know how the business is performing as much as we do,” he said in a statement.
Toast said that in tests, users are logging into the app about 3 times as often as the average user logs into Toast’s web portal, which it said is a testament to the flexibility the app provides.
The company already has mobile apps for guests, restaurant employees and hosts, but this is the first time it has offered an app for operators. Competitors including Square, SpotOn and Lightspeed offer a similar mobile app that shows real-time business metrics.
The app is available now for iOS and is coming soon to Android devices.
The new-look Toast POS. | Photo courtesy of Toast
Also on Tuesday, Toast added some new features to its POS system. Here’s a look:
Advanced table management: Designed to give servers more control over their tables, this tool includes table timers to help with pacing and highlights tables that need attention.
Server item fire: This feature allows servers to hold and send individual items on a check, giving them more control over meal pacing.
Table screen enhancements: Toast updated the layout, font sizes and colors on its table screen to help eliminate errors. It also added a dark mode for this interface so that it blends in better in dimly lit restaurants.
Open view: This feature for servers displays menu items and their modifiers on a single screen and is designed for faster and more accurate order-taking.
The updated POS is now available to all Toast customers. Toast works with more than 93,000 restaurants in the U.S.
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