Orders Hub: General FAQ
What is the Orders Hub?
The Orders Hub in the Toast POS app displays all orders on one screen. The following sections describe the various features and functions available on Orders Hub.
Which orders will I be able to see in the new Orders Hub?
All orders with a takeout or delivery dining behavior will be visible on the Orders Hub, including Toast online orders, Toast Delivery Services orders, Integrated 3rd party delivery orders, and manually entered takeout or delivery phone orders.
Is there a cost to use the Orders Hub?
No, Orders Hub is a new capability of the Toast POS and is available for no additional cost.
When will Orders Hub go live on my POS?
Orders Hub is currently live for all customers. You do not need to do anything to activate Orders Hub on your POS.
How is this Orders Hub going to impact my workflows?
Orders Hub is a new mode built to be the best experience for takeout and delivery orders. Other existing modes you might be using will still exist, and your workflows won't be disrupted as you're learning to use the Orders Hub.
Can I text my guests with the Orders Hub?
Yes. However, please note that Orders Hub cannot currently send text messages to the following area codes: 684, 268, 246, 441, 345, 767, 809, 473, 671, 876, 664, 670, 787, 869, 758, 784, 868, and 649.
Learn more here: Manage Order Ready Texts From the Orders Hub
Workflow on Orders Hub FAQ
Can you switch users in the Orders Hub?
Yes! To switch users, select the Switch User button to return to the passcode screen.
What do the different statuses at the top mean in Orders Hub?
Note: In Orders Hub, when a new order comes in, a blue dot appears in the tab and next to the order entry. The blue dot indicates that the order is unread, meaning no action has been taken for the order. Once the order is selected, the blue dot disappears.
The top navigation displays orders by the following five statuses:
Needs Approval: displays orders that need to be manually approved before they can be fulfilled
Scheduled: displays orders that are scheduled to be fulfilled at a future date and time
Active: This is Order Hub’s default view. The Active tab displays orders that are currently being prepared
Order Ready: displays orders that have been fulfilled and are ready for pickup or delivery
Completed: displays orders that have been completed (Guests can pick up their takeout order, or drivers can collect orders for delivery)
The number of orders in each status is located next to the status name. To find more information about the different statuses, please see: Orders Hub: Status Breakdown.
What can we see in the Overflow Menu of Orders Hub?
Note: Options in the overflow menu may vary depending on the device size and orientation.
The overflow menu (the ⋮ icon) at the top right of the screen displays the following options:
Find Checks & Issue Refund: Select this to open the Advanced Check Search screen.
Device Status: Select this to view device status information.
How do customers manage online orders with Orders Hub?
Note: To use the Manage Online Orders prompt on Orders Hub, you must have Pending Orders Mode permission. To learn more about permissions, please see the Permissions Reference Guide. Without this permission, one will not be able to access the Orders Hub!
The Manage Online Orders button at the top right opens a dialog box where you can manage online orders. The dialog box has the same functionality as the Manage Online Orders prompt on the Pending Orders screen. From the dialog box, you can:
Turn on / snooze / turn off online ordering availability
Adjust takeout and delivery delays
See Manage Online Order Volume (Delaying/Snoozing Orders) for more information. Select the OK button to save your changes or the CANCEL button to exit the dialog box.
How do you create a new order?
Note:
To use the New Order button, you must have Quick Edit Mode and Pending Orders permissions. The Jobs page on the Toast administration back-end provides a place where you can edit Employee Permissions. See our Permissions Reference Guide for more information.
Do not select the Dining Option button in the menu selection area. The Dining Option button does not affect off-premise orders:
The New Order button at the top right opens the Quick Order screen. On this screen, you can manually enter an off-premise dining order. On the Quick Order screen, select the Dining button at the bottom left, next to the Discount button, and select an off-premise dining option.
Can I manually fire a scheduled order in Orders Hub?
On an auto-fire configured device, you can manually fire a scheduled order in Orders Hub by selecting the Fire Now button on the detailed order information screen.
Can we void an item/order within Orders Hub?
Yes! Items and orders can be voided in the Orders Hub. To void an item(s) or an order:
Select the Update button on the order entry. This opens the Quick Order screen. For instructions on how to void an item or an order, see Void Items, Payments, and Checks. The behavior for voided items or orders may differ depending on whether the order has been paid or not.
Unpaid order
Voiding an item(s) crosses out the item(s) on the order entry. The unpaid order remains in the Active tab.
Voiding an unpaid order removes it from the Orders Hub. To void an unpaid order, click on the Update button and then navigate to the overflow menu at the top right on the Quick Order screen. Click on Void Order and select the reason for the void. The order is removed from the Orders Hub.
Paid order
Voiding an item(s) crosses out the item(s) on the order entry. The paid order remains in the Active tab. On the detailed information view, the Pay $ button displays the negative amount due back to the guest. A dialog box appears prompting you to either dismiss the error or edit the order to pay the amount to the guest, or update the order.
Voiding a paid order removes it from the Orders Hub. To void a paid order, select the Update button and then navigate to the overflow menu at the top right on the Quick Order screen. Select Void Order and void the payment. Select and confirm the amount to be voided. Reopen the orders hub and select the Update button to void the order. The order is removed from the Orders Hub.
Single item order
For orders that only contain one item, void the order instead of the item. Voiding the order instead of the single item removes the order from the Orders Hub. If you void the item, the order remains in the Active tab on Orders Hub. The order will remain until an action is taken. Available actions are: Print, Update, or Complete.
Can we sort orders in the Orders Hub?
Yes! To sort orders, click the dual arrows icon. A menu appears specifying sorting criteria. You can sort orders by:
Due time - first
Due time - last
Order number - oldest
Order number - newest
Can we search for an order in the Orders Hub?
Note: Dine-in dining option orders will not appear in the search results.
Yes! To search for an order(s) in the orders hub, click the magnifying glass. You can search by the following criteria:
Order number
Guest name
Guest email
Guest address
Guest phone number
Dining option
As you type, the orders hub automatically searches and shows a list of orders that match the entered characters:
Can I manually fire a Scheduled order from the Orders Hub screen?
On an auto-fire configured device, you can manually fire a Scheduled order from the Orders Hub screen by selecting the Fire Now button on the detailed order information screen.
Orders Hub: Device-Specific FAQ
Which devices are Orders Hub supported on?
Orders Hub is supported on most Toast tablets except for Elo V1 devices. Orders Hub will not be available on Elo V1 devices.
Can multiple devices use and access Orders Hub?
Yes, the orders hub can be used on multiple devices. However, make sure only ONE device is set to Auto-Fire.
Do I need to have an auto-fire device enabled to use Orders Hub?
Orders Hub can be used on a non-auto-fire device, however, at least one Toast POS device in the restaurant must be configured to auto-fire. This is necessary to fire orders and them into the Active state.
What are various auto-fire device scenarios that I may encounter when using Orders Hub?
Orders Hub can only be used with an auto-fire device. The recommendation is to enable auto-fire on only one device per restaurant; however, there are instances where none or more than one auto-fire device may be used in a restaurant.
If a restaurant has ONE auto-fire device and one non-auto-fire device:
Scheduled orders will appear on both devices, however, the Fire Now button will only be available on the auto-fire device. When the order is ready to be prepped, the order moves to the Active tab on both devices. The kitchen/prep station printer automatically prints the ticket on the auto-fire device.
If a restaurant has TWO auto-fire devices:
Scheduled orders will appear on both devices and both devices can “Fire Now”. When the order is ready to be prepped, the order moves to the Active tab on both devices. The kitchen/prep station printer automatically prints on one of the devices. It is strongly recommended that only one device be configured to auto-fire, as there is a risk of double printing, as you cannot determine which device prints the ticket.
If a restaurant does not have an auto-fire device:
Scheduled orders appear on the device, however, the Fire Now button is inactive. When the order is ready to be prepped, the order remains in the Scheduled tab. The order cannot be moved to the Completed tab. The kitchen/prep station printer does not automatically print the ticket. If the restaurant enables a device to auto-fire, the scheduled order moves to the Active tab, and the kitchen/prep station printer prints the ticket.
What happens to Scheduled orders if the auto-fire device is inoperable?
In the instance that the auto-fire device is inoperable, scheduled orders will stay in the Scheduled tab on the Orders Hub screen. To move orders into the Active tab and ready them for KDS fulfillment, turn on/enable your auto-fire device. Once auto-fire is enabled, all Scheduled orders automatically move to the Active tab, are readied for KDS fulfillment, and new delivery times are provided.
If you cannot enable auto-fire on your device, configure a different device to auto-fire.
If an order is completed on a KDS, does it automatically move the order over to the Order Ready or Completed tab?
Not currently, but this is something we are exploring. Toast recommends having a device dedicated to the Orders Hub to manage all off-premise orders.
Can I switch the Orders Hub to dark mode?
Yes, you can easily change to dark mode in Device Setup on your device. Learn more about it here.
Orders Hub: Permission-Specific FAQ
Are certain permissions required to access and use the Orders Hub? How can servers edit online orders without needing a manager's approval?
Yes! To use Orders Hub as a whole, you must have Pending Orders Mode/Orders Hub Mode (1.5) permission selected.
To use the Manage Online Orders prompt, you must have the Throttle Online Orders permission selected. See Manage Online Order Volume (Delaying/Snoozing Orders) for more information. The Manage Online Orders button at the top right opens a dialogue box where you can manage online orders. This dialogue box has the same functionalities as the Manage Online Orders prompt on the Pending Orders screen. From the dialogue box, you can:
Turn on/snooze/turn off online ordering availability
Adjust takeout and delivery delays
First Party Delivery (1PD - Uber Eats, GrubHub, Doordash) workflow updates in the Orders Hub will not prompt users to dispatch a driver for 1PD orders if no driver is assigned. Users will need Delivery Mode Permissions to complete a delivery order.
The Jobs page on the Toast Web administration provides a place where you can edit employee permissions. For more information about permissions, see the Permissions Reference Guide for more info!
To use the Manage Online Orders prompt on Orders Hub, do I need to enable specific permission?
Yes, to use the Manage Online Orders prompt on the orders hub, you must have permission to access the Pending Orders Mode. If you do not have permission to access Get Help with Pending Orders Mode, you will encounter an error trying to access the ONLINE ORDERING PROMPT on the orders hub. For more information about permissions, see the Permissions Reference Guide.
How can I allow servers to edit online orders without needing a manager's approval?
Orders Hub: Takeout/Delivery-Specific FAQ
How are Takeout and delivery quote times displayed with Orders Hub?
Note: If you’re using the order price quote time strategy, quote times associated with the first price interval are displayed.
Current takeout and delivery quote times are displayed at the top of the Orders Hub screen. Quote times displayed affect online orders and orders placed via POS. The quoted time does not apply to third-party orders. You can configure these times in the Quote time strategy section on the Takeout & Delivery page in the Toast administration back-end.
I’m offering both takeout and delivery dining options for online ordering. Why am I only seeing the quote time for one of them?
The quoted time for a specific dining option is displayed on the orders hub screen only if both of the following conditions are satisfied:
You have selected Delivery as a dining option on the Online Ordering page in the Toast Web administration.
You have turned on the Delivery or Takeout toggle in the Toast Online Ordering section on the Takeout & Delivery page.
Orders Hub: Delivery Dispatch-Specific FAQ
Am I able to dispatch delivery drivers through Orders Hub?
First-party delivery orders cannot be marked as complete in Orders Hub without having a driver assigned to the order. If the user attempts to complete an order without a driver assigned they will receive a prompt that will allow them to dispatch the driver through Delivery mode before the order can be marked as complete in Orders Hub.
How do we manage first-party delivery (aka Toast Delivery) orders?
Toast offers Delivery Mode, a built-in function that allows you to manage delivery orders, dispatch drivers, and mark orders as complete. The Toast Delivery Mode is different from Toast Delivery Services, as Toast Delivery Mode uses your own drivers and is not an on-demand delivery service.
An active order that is ready to be marked as complete must be assigned a driver before it can be completed. To assign and dispatch a driver in the Orders Hub:
On the order ready order entry, select the Mark as complete button. If a driver has yet to be assigned and dispatched for the order, a dialog box appears prompting you to select the Dispatch driver button or select the Cancel button to cancel out of the screen.
If you select the Dispatch driver button, this opens the Delivery Mode screen. On this screen, you can select the DISPATCH DRIVER button to dispatch a driver. Note: Make sure that Users have delivery mode permissions set, and that delivery orders can only be completed by the delivery driver OR someone with those permissions.
On the Delivery Mode screen, after you dispatch a driver, the order will move to the EN ROUTE tab on the top navigation.
On the Orders Hub screen, you will be able to mark an order as complete. This moves the order to the Completed tab on the Orders Hub and moves the order to the DELIVERED tab on the Delivery Mode screen.
Note: The workflow is slightly different for paid and unpaid orders.
If an active order has not been paid for yet, the orders hub will prompt you to select the Pay $ button on the Order Ready tab. This opens the payment screen where you can complete the payment.
After completing the payment, on the orders hub screen, you can assign and dispatch a driver and then mark the order as complete.
My restaurant uses our own drivers for deliveries. How do I dispatch drivers and manage delivery orders with Orders Hub?
When a delivery order in Orders Hub is ready to be dispatched to one of your drivers, select Complete on the order in the Order Ready tab.
A new screen will appear prompting you to select Dispatch Driver. Once selected, the Delivery Mode screen will appear.
Here, select the Dispatch Driver button on the top-right corner of the screen.
Then, select the driver you are dispatching the order to and select OK.
Troubleshooting FAQ
In-store order orders are incorrectly appearing in the Active tab in Orders Hub when they're supposed to be for counter service only. How do I fix it?
Check the order settings in Orders Hub and ensure that the order is not configured as a scheduled order.
If your device is set to auto-fire, it might cause the orders to move to the active tab. Be sure to check the order details page and confirm if the order fulfillment type is set to counter service.