End-to-end solution is designed to optimize the lengthy event planning and execution process, with features to improve the experience for operators and guests alike
Toast, the all-in-one technology platform built for restaurants, today announced the launch of Toast Catering & Events, a new product fully integrated with the Toast point-of-sale (POS) to help restaurants seamlessly manage large catering orders and event planning. Toast Catering & Events supports customizable banquet event orders (BEO), fulfillment tools, and lead management functionality. Toast Catering & Events pairs with Toast Invoicing — a digital invoicing tool that Toast launched in October 2022 — to provide even deeper support for the multiple lines of service many restaurants are running today.
According to Toast’s 2022 Voice of the Restaurant Industry survey, restaurants on average are managing seven service models, including catering1. It continues to be a crucial part of growth for many restaurants — a new Toast survey reports2 that nearly two-thirds of restaurant owners and operators say a portion of their sales come from catering.
“As restaurants look to diversify revenue streams, catering and events are top of mind as attractive growth areas,” said Aman Narang, COO and Co-Founder of Toast. “However, an additional service model can mean taking on managing multiple systems that often operate in silos. With Toast Catering & Events, we brought the entire catering and event order management lifecycle — from invoicing to inventory management and accounting — into the Toast platform. By fully integrating the solution into our platform, restaurant owners and operators can not only save time but also better position themselves to build a successful, smoothly operating business.”
Read More: Future of RFID: The Cost of Inaccurate Inventory
Restaurant owners, operators, catering and event managers, and staff can now seamlessly manage the multi-week process of planning and executing events and catering orders. Additionally, the Toast Catering & Events platform allows restaurants to:
- Customize for every occasion: The Catering & Events platform is designed to keep guests satisfied through each step of the planning and execution process. Whether solving for dietary restrictions, designating whether an order is pick-up or delivery, or flagging special pricing, Toast Catering & Events offers the tools and the ability to create digital contracts, quotes, and estimates efficiently. It can support high-volume orders and projects of all kinds.
- Manage everything in one place: Many restaurant owners and operators have managed their catering and event orders manually, on handwritten forms, or through revenue reporting on multiple systems. Through integration with Toast POS, restaurants can see updates and reporting for event orders and all their lines of service on a single platform. The digital experience includes menu integration, customer lists, a calendar view, and integrated sales reporting to create a seamless all-in-one platform experience.
- Easily access transparent pricing and estimates: Guests can quickly access and understand costs and efficiently begin the planning process. They can easily submit catering and events inquiry forms directly online. Payments are simplified as well — guests can use an online invoicing tool to make deposits and payments for an order or event.
- Boost efficiency: With Toast Catering & Events, restaurants can skip the paperwork and automate repetitive tasks with features like digital invoice creation, payment processing, prepping and packing, and even repeat catering orders.
“Toast Catering & Events has integrated our events into our POS seamlessly and even prints the prep tickets at a scheduled time so it is very ‘hands-off,’” said Emily Sands, Private Event Sales Director at Elicit Brewing. “My favorite piece of the system so far is the integration with my calendar. It makes it easy to keep my staff in the loop on what’s going on and what’s coming soon.”
Read More: SalesTechStar Interview with Shaun Shirazian, Chief Product Officer at Pipedrive