Technology

Toast launches integrated drive-thru platform for quick-service restaurant chains

Photo: Oksana - stock.adobe.com

April 14, 2026

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Toast has launched Toast Drive-Thru, a digital platform designed for quick-service restaurants to manage order accuracy and labor efficiency through a single system, according to a press release.

The product launch targets a market of more than 140,000 drive-thrus in the U.S. restaurant industry, according to data from Technomic. The platform integrates point-of-sale software, digital menu boards and audio systems, which have historically operated through disconnected vendors.

The system includes hardware from Delphi by Toast and incorporates AI voice ordering integrations.

"In the drive-thru lane, every second matters. As one of the important service models for QSR profitability, brands are constantly being pushed to balance speed and guest convenience with efficiency. At the same time, AI is giving brands new opportunities to impact this equation," Steve Fredette, president and co-founder of Toast, said in the press release. "By seamlessly integrating POS, KDS, Outdoor Digital Menu Boards and AI voice ordering partnerships, Toast Drive-Thru gives operators the tools they need to keep pace with peak demand today, and the flexible foundation required to adopt new innovations in the future."

The platform features a new drive-thru mode for staff to tag vehicle information and identifies orders for payment. It also utilizes an order confirmation screen to allow guests to verify their items.

"Toast has always made it easy and intuitive for our staff to enter orders, and even more so now in our drive-thrus with POS Drive-Thru Mode. It gives our staff options to easily highlight the make, model, and color of the vehicle on each drive-thru order, which helps streamline the ordering process," Gilberto Salinas, manager of information systems at Palenque Group, said in the press release.

Salinas added that the technology changed his team's workflow: "Before implementing Toast's Advanced Order Confirmation Screen, our staff had to repeat drive-thru orders back to guests before firing them, which took extra steps. Now guests can verify their orders right on the screen, helping to save time. The Order Confirmation Screen also helps to make sure the experience guests have in our drive-thrus matches Taco Palenque's brand identity, which is a necessity for our drive-thru operations."

The company stated that integrations with additional AI voice ordering partners will follow in 2026. The solution will be available on a rolling basis, starting with brands that have 15 or more locations.