News

Toast launches hardware to help streamline restaurant ops

March 3, 2020

Toast Inc. has launched a suite of point-of-sale tools, called Toast Hardware, designed to help accelerate the restaurant payments process. Building on Toast Go — the company's handheld POS — Toast Hardware supports all payment options including tap, dip and swipe, according to a company press release.

"For far too long, restaurateurs who care about the design of their space have been forced to compromise on their vision with slow legacy systems, or fragile consumer-grade tablets, when it comes to point of sale technology," Steve Fredette, president and co-founder of Toast said in the release. "Toast Hardware — designed by our very own team — streamlines restaurant operations without sacrificing elegance, durability, and reliability."

Toast Hardware includes the following devices:

• Toast Flex: Designed and built by Toast, the 14-inch terminal is available in single-screen, guest-facing and kitchen displays. Toast Flex adjusts in three ways and is constructed to withstand the rigors of the restaurant industry. 
• Toast Tap: Built for speed, this three-in-one payment processing device supports Near Field Communication  — including Apple Pay and contactless payments/digital wallets — Europay Mastercard/Visa and magnetic stripe.
• Toast Printer and Toast Hub: Created to eliminate cable clutter, an embedded Toast Hub features color-coded inputs and just two cords; the entire Toast Hardware configuration sets up in minutes.

The launch follows a $400 million funding round in Febuary that was led by Bessemer Venture Partners. Toast customers say the new product suite is improving their ability to service customers.

"The addition of Toast Hardware grew our team's productivity, increased our speed of service, and allowed us to serve more guests. I would recommend it to any fellow restaurateur," Michael Goodis, service manager at Club Café, said in the release. "As a full-service restaurant, bar, and cabaret, we are not strangers to brunch rushes, bachelorette parties, and all of the daily surprises that restaurants run into. With Toast Tap's contactless payment capabilities, we're saving five seconds per transaction — or an entire 24 hours per month — which ultimately leads to happier employees and guests."