POS device setup is the collection of device-specific settings that control how an individual Toast Point of Sale (POS) device behaves during service. These settings cover the device name and primary mode, receipt printing and digital receipts, cash handling, kitchen display and ticket routing, payment processing, and the order screen layout. Each Toast device has its own Device Setup — the settings you choose on one device do not apply to other devices in the restaurant.

Use POS device setup when you are configuring a new device for the first time, reassigning an existing device to a different role (for example, repurposing a terminal as a Kitchen Display System (KDS) screen), or adjusting a single setting on one device without affecting others.

Who uses it: Restaurant managers, owners, and anyone with access to the Toast POS device at the restaurant.

Requires:

Note: Availability of individual settings depends on the device type (Toast Flex, Toast Go®, Elo terminal, or a device configured as a KDS screen). Settings that apply only to certain device types are marked inline.

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Follow these steps on any terminal — including a terminal configured as a Kitchen Display System (KDS) screen — to enter Device Setup:

Expected outcome: The Device Setup screen opens, listing all device-specific settings for this device.

[Image: Device Setup under the Setup header on the Toast POS device.]

[Navigation path requires validation — conversation data shows users reporting difficulty locating the back arrow. Confirm: (a) is this path current on all device types (Toast Flex, Toast Go®, Elo, KDS-mode device)? (b) Should a screenshot or alternate path be added — for example, from the main menu or a long-press gesture?]

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Each setting below can be configured individually from the Device Setup screen. Changes apply only to the device you are configuring.

Name the device so your staff can distinguish it from other devices in the restaurant.

Expected outcome: The device name appears in the Closed Drawer Report and other reports that identify which device a sale was entered on.

Select the default screen that appears when a user logs in with a passcode on this device. Options include:

[Information missing: requires input on which Primary Mode options are available on each device type — for example, is "Kitchen Display/Expo" selectable on a Toast Go® handheld or only on Toast Flex and Elo terminals?]

Set how long Toast waits, in minutes and seconds, before returning the device to the passcode login screen after inactivity. Shorter timeouts are more secure. Staff can still select switch user and manually log out before the timeout occurs.

Note: A device configured as a KDS screen does not return to the passcode login screen automatically. Instead, the screen timeout setting determines whether the device returns to the main menu or the passcode screen when the user selects the back arrow to close the KDS. If the KDS has been open beyond the screen timeout without interaction, the back arrow returns the user to the passcode login screen.

To force employees to be logged out of the POS screen as soon as they are idle, select the shortest available timeout.

Choose which printer this device prints guest receipts to. All pre-configured printers appear and can be selected. If a cash drawer is used on this device, the printer associated with the cash drawer should be chosen here.

When set to Yes, the guest can enter a tip, sign (if required), and enter their contact info to receive a text or email receipt. Digital receipts must also be configured in Toast Web before the device-side setting takes effect.

See also: Configure Digital Receipts.

Allow the Guest Feedback workflow to appear on the handheld device. This feature must also be enabled in Toast Web.

See also: Enable and Manage Guest Feedback.

Enable or disable suggested tip amounts on digital receipts. This setting only appears when Digital Receipts is set to Yes.

When enabled, a physical copy of the receipt always prints, even if the guest selects SMS, email, or no receipt.

Set to Yes if this device has a cash drawer assigned to it in Toast Web and accepts cash payments. If you have already set up cash drawers in Toast Web, you only need to toggle this Yes or No here.

See also: Set Up Cash Drawers.

Choose whether to prompt, print, or not print a receipt for cash payments. Skipping the prompt speeds up cash transactions.

Set to Yes if the device is attached to a cash drawer that should automatically open for every cash payment. This assigns all cash payments to the selected drawer. Leave disabled if staff keep cash until the end of the shift.

This option appears only when a menu has been hidden from everyone. Use it to re-enable any hidden menus you need access to from this device.

Important: Important for Online Ordering. Designate this device as the restaurant's auto-firing device. The auto-firing device manages scheduled and auto-approved online orders by firing tickets to the kitchen when needed.

Only one device per restaurant should be set as the auto-firing device.

Auto-Firing device can also be set in Toast Web, on the Online Ordering page. This is where Approval Mode is set.

[Verify whether this is Toast Web or Toast POS — confirm the label "Approval Mode" matches the current UI on the Online Ordering page in Toast Web.]

Assign the device to a specific revenue center so you can track what portion of sales comes from each service area of the restaurant. Especially useful when devices are dedicated to distinct service areas (for example, a bar terminal versus a dining-room terminal).

See also: Create and Assign Revenue Centers.

Assign the device to a default service area. Service areas configured in Toast Web appear in the selection list.

See also: Create Service Areas and Table Setup.

Set the device to automatically assign a specific dining option to all orders taken on it. For example, you might dedicate one device to takeout orders or curbside pickup. All previously configured dining options appear.

See also: Set Up Custom Dining Options.

Adjust the number of stored orders the device keeps locally during the day.

Enable this setting if the device is used as a kiosk and should accept credit card payments directly from guests at the kiosk.

Toggle between light mode and dark mode on the Toast POS display.

See also: Set Up the Toast POS. [Link may be broken – requires validation — confirm target article is current and the referenced Dark Mode section exists.]

The following additional settings are available on the Device Setup screen:

[Information missing: requires input on what each of these "Additional Device Setup" settings controls. Source article lists the names only, with no descriptions. Do not publish this section until SME input is provided.]

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These settings control how the order entry screen behaves on this device.

Allow staff to edit multiple items on an order at once by multi-selecting them.

If your restaurant uses SKUs and a barcode scanner, set this to Yes. If you have already imported SKUs into Toast Web, no further action is required here.

See also: Use Barcodes with Toast.

When set to Yes, the device shows the most up-to-date takeout and delivery quote times in the action bar.

Customize the size of the menu grid to display more or fewer buttons. Button size changes automatically as you add or remove rows and columns.

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These settings appear on devices configured as a Kitchen Display System (KDS) screen and control how kitchen tickets display, route, and fulfill.

Enable a notification sound when a new ticket appears on the KDS screen.

Set to Yes to show a consolidated view of all prep station tickets on this KDS device. Enabling Kitchen Expediter greys out the Prep Stations selector because the expediter view consolidates all prep stations. Set to No to choose which specific prep station tickets this device displays.

See also: Configure Ticket Routing and Filter Tickets on Your KDS Device.

Filter which tickets display on this KDS by selecting the courses and dining options that apply to this station. This is especially useful when a KDS is dedicated to a specific workflow — for example, takeout and delivery tickets only, or drinks only. All previously configured dining options appear for selection.

Allow two expediter screens to share a staged fulfillment workflow. On the first expediter screen, fulfilling an order changes how tickets display on the second expediter screen; the second expediter screen is responsible for final order fulfillment.

This setting is greyed out if Kitchen Expediter is set to No.

Important: Two-Level Fulfillment must first be enabled in Toast Web under Kitchen Setup before it can be configured on a device.

See also: Set Up KDS Two-Level Fulfillment.

When this device is assigned to a specific prep station (and Kitchen Expediter is set to No), select which prep station it represents. All previously created prep stations appear. If Kitchen Expediter is set to Yes, this selector is greyed out.

See also: Configure and Assign Prep Stations.

Select the prep stations that should not print tickets for orders entered from this device. Commonly used on a bar terminal that does not need tickets to print at the bar station.

Select which prep stations should automatically print a ticket when the entire ticket is marked as fulfilled.

Choose whether the KDS uses a double-press gesture to fulfill or unfulfill a ticket.

Set to Yes, show timers to display the average fulfillment time on the KDS. Useful for staff monitoring kitchen pacing.

The following additional kitchen setting is available on the Device Setup screen:

[Information missing: requires input on what "Production Items" under Additional Kitchen Setup controls. Source article lists the name only, with no description.]

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These settings apply to devices that accept card payments.

If your restaurant accepts credit card pre-authorization (for example, opening a tab at a bar), first enable pre-authorization on the Payment Options page in Toast Web, then set this toggle to Yes or Allow on the device.

See also: Card Pre-Authorization Configuration & Device Setup.

For Card Readers that accept Tap and Insert card payments, set EMV Enabled to On. Also check that the card readers listed in the Card Readers section of Device Setup appear correctly.

Important: EMV requires a current firmware/app version on the card reader. If EMV fails to enable, see the Known limitations entry below.

See also:

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Open View is an order-entry layout that simplifies taking orders with many modifiers by displaying items and all their modifiers at once. It is especially well-suited to quick service and high-volume establishments with small or medium-sized menus — for example, cafes, bars, breweries, and food trucks — where speed and accuracy across numerous modifiers are important.

See also: Get Started With Open View.

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The issues below come up frequently and are not obvious from the settings themselves. For each, the recommended article is the canonical home for troubleshooting — this article does not duplicate those steps.

Some devices (including Toast Go® 3 handhelds) require a card reader firmware update before EMV Enabled will successfully toggle on. If toggling EMV Enabled produces an "update required" message or the update fails to download, the firmware update is most likely necessary to continue use.

See also: EMV Payments FAQ for EMV enablement troubleshooting.

[Suggested approach – requires validation — the sequence "firmware update required → update delivered over the network → may require restart" is inferred from Fin conversation transcripts, not from the source article. Confirm with Hardware or Payments SME before publishing.]

If the card reader does not appear under the Card Readers section of Device Setup, the device may need to re-detect the reader or the reader may need a firmware update. This article does not cover card reader recovery steps.

See also:

Two-Level Fulfillment must be enabled in Toast Web under Kitchen Setup before it becomes configurable on the device. If the setting is greyed out or missing, check Toast Web first.

See also: Set Up KDS Two-Level Fulfillment.

Order Auto-Firing can be set on exactly one device per restaurant. If you enable auto-firing on a new device without disabling it on the previous device, online orders may not fire correctly.

See also: Troubleshoot Your Autofire Device.

[Information missing: requires input on whether a Toast Flex 3 (or any Toast device) can simultaneously serve as a payment terminal AND a Kitchen Display System, and any licensing implications. This is a direct, recurring user question that is not currently answered in the source article or the top related articles. Please provide guidance from Hardware, Payments, or Subscriptions SME.]

Running a device in KDS mode (or adding a KDS device) will require a specific subscription entitlement.

[Information missing: requires input on the specific subscription/entitlement required to run a device as a KDS. Do NOT include pricing (per terminology rules) — route users to Toast Shop or Toast Customer Care for pricing questions.]

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[Related articles need to be added from KB — URLs above are preserved from the source article where available. "EMV Payments FAQ," "Configure and Assign Prep Stations," "Get Help With Your Card Reader," "Troubleshoot Your Autofire Device," and "Card Reader Not Recognized in Device Setup on Toast Go®" were identified as top co-served articles in the Step 2 Fin conversation pull but the canonical public URLs were not verified in this session — confirm each URL resolves before publishing.]

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