Toast Tables Pre-Authorized Tabs Waitlist is currently in limited release with select customers. If you would like to sign up for the beta, navigate to Toast Shop and sign up in the Test Kitchen. This feature is not currently available for International customers

Enable you to turn tables faster and spend less time printing receipts and processing payments.
Allow your guests to track their tabs throughout the meal quickly.
Offer a VIP payment experience to your guests that enables them to pay as soon as they’re ready to leave.

Enable Toast Tables Pre-Authorized Tabs

If Toast Tables Pre-Authorized Tabs have not been turned on for you yet, sign up in the Test Kitchen, and the Toast team can turn them on for you".

Additionally, for Toast Tables Pre-Authorized Tabs to work, you must turn on the settings in Toast Tables. This is to ensure guests pre-authorize the correct check:

Log in to Toast Web and navigate to Waitlists & Reservations > Settings > Toast Integrations.
Toggle Start Order on POS to On.
Next, select Dine in from the Create orders with the following Dining Option drop-down menu.

Note: This will require you to assign a server to each table at the time of seating in the host app.

Staff Training

Below are a few important highlights for your staff as part of getting started with Toast Tables pre-authorized tabs:

Start Order on POS: If you are not currently using the “Start Order on POS” configuration required for pre-authorized tabs, your staff should know that an order will be created when a guest is seated from the host app. You must assign a server to the order when the guest is seated.
Host Training: Your hosts or anyone interacting with guests joining the waitlist should be aware that guests will receive the SMS message allowing them to pre-authorize their tab. Mention the feature if you would like to promote it.
Monitoring Payment Status: Servers can track whether guests have closed out their pre-authorized tab themselves with these 2 tools:
1. POS notifications: Servers receive POS notifications when guests have successfully paid via Toast Pay or failed to pay and may need help. A quick video on how POS notifications work is here.
2. Table management POS screen: On the table management screen, the guest's table changes from yellow to white once the guest's payment has been completed through a pre-authorized Toast Tables tab.
Closing Out Tabs with 20% Tip: If the guest does not close the check, your staff can close out using the guest’s pre-authorized card.
1. Note: Guests have been instructed via SMS that a 20% tip will be added by default if they don’t close out themselves, so your staff should always add a 20% tip upon closing out the check.
Split Checks: If your staff splits the check, the pre-authorized card will only remain attached to the original check. You must collect payment per your usual payment workflow for any checks split off.
Guest Digital Receipts: If the guest closes the check themselves, they will receive a digital receipt via email. If your staff closes out the check, they should send a digital receipt via the POS, and Toast will pre-populate the guest’s phone number.

Guest Experience

While on the waitlist, guests receive a contactless payment link to put a card on file. This will allow them to view their bill later and pay whenever they like.
When a guest pays, your staff will receive a POS notification immediately confirming the check has been closed.
This order will appear as a pre-authorized tab on the POS that your servers can close out themselves, adding a default tip amount.

Restaurant Experience

Once guests have pre-authorized their tab, the order will show up as a pre-authorized tab on the POS that either the guest will close out, or your servers can close out themselves, adding a 20% default tip amount.

See here for a video overview of the feature, including the guest and restaurant experiences:

Preauthorized tabs on Toast Tables

Frequently Asked Questions

Why has Toast released pre-authorized tabs?

Waiting for your check is a bad guest experience and slows down table turn times, so we are introducing a free feature for Toast Tables waitlist guests to pre-authorize payment in advance.

How do I turn on Toast Tables Pre-Authorized Tabs?

Toast will turn on pre-authorized waitlist tabs. You can sign up for the beta in the Test Kitchen section of the Toast Shop.

Are Toast Tables reservations supported today?

No, they are not, but they are a feature that we plan to add.

Can walk-ins at my restaurant use this feature?

You can temporarily add walk-ins to your waitlist to give them access to this feature and then immediately seat them from the Toast Tables app. We are exploring a separate workflow designed for walk-ins that we plan to test in 2024.

How do I know if a guest has paid their check?

Your staff can track whether guests have closed out their pre-authorized tab themselves with these 2 tools:

POS notifications: Servers receive POS notifications when guests have successfully paid via Toast Pay or failed to pay and may need help. A quick video on how POS notifications work is here.
Table management POS screen: On the table management screen, the guest's table changes from yellow to white once the guest's payment has been completed through a pre-authorized Toast Tables tab.

How does tipping work?

If the guest closes out the tab, they will select a tip, and see the tip options and default tip amount that you have set in Toast web.
If your staff closes out the tab, they should add a 20% tip. The guest has been instructed via SMS that a 20% tip will be added if they do not close the check themselves.

How do split checks work?

If your staff splits the check, the pre-authorized card will only remain attached to the original check. You must collect payment per your usual payment workflow for any checks split off. We plan to build a workflow that makes it easier for guests to split the checks by item to reduce the burden on your staff.

What happens if the guest’s pre-authorized card is declined?

If the guest attempts to close out the tab and the card is declined, they will be instructed to close it with your staff instead.
If your staff attempts to close out the tab and the card is declined, the guest’s phone number will be on the order to facilitate collecting payment.