screenshot of digital products

Toast's Menu Builder for Websites

TLDR; Toast’s new Menu Builder enables restaurant operators to design custom digital menus with pre-built layouts and real-time syncing with the POS system. Early feedback shows it will save time, improve menu management, and enhance branding.

The Menu Builder

The new Menu Builder is designed to solve this challenge by providing restaurant owners with a powerful yet intuitive tool for creating dynamic, custom-designed menu pages. With dozens of pre-built menu layouts to choose from, this feature allows for quick customization without the need for a designer. All layouts are componentized, meaning each section—such as item names, descriptions, prices, and images—are integrated to the POS, ensuring that updates made in the POS system are automatically reflected in the digital menu. This componentized structure allows for scalability and flexibility as the restaurant’s offerings evolve.

Key Features

User Testing & Research Insights

I began the design process by conducting customer research—interviewing 10 restaurant operators and analyzing their feedback to uncover the key challenges they faced with their online menus. The main pain points included:

Inconsistent Menu Versions

8 out of 10
9 out of 10
90%
Restaurant operators expressed frustration with managing multiple versions of their menu across their website, third-party ordering platforms, and in-store displays.
Emphasized the need for a unified solution to ensure that their branding remains consistent across all customer touchpoints.
Mentioned that these inconsistencies not only confused customers but also undermined their brand identity.
"It’s a nightmare to update menus in different places – one version here, another there. My brand suffers from the inconsistency."

Branding & Aesthetic Limitations

6 out of 10
8 out of 10
100%
Noted that the default online ordering menu was too uniform, lacking the aesthetic appeal needed to reflect their brand identity.
Indicated they would be more inclined to adopt a platform that allowed for robust customization.
Felt that a non-customizable design negatively impacted the perceived quality of their brand.
"Our brand has a unique style, but the online ordering menu looks generic everywhere. I need more creative control to reflect my identity in my menu."

With these insights, I started by designing guest-facing menu layouts that prioritized visual appeal and adaptability. This helped me define the core components—such as menu lists, item cards, pricing structures, and category sections—that were essential for a cohesive and dynamic menu experience. Each component was built with full customization controls, allowing users to adjust layouts, borders, background colors, fonts, and more. This approach enabled restaurant owners not only to override the default website theme when needed but also to receive best-practice guidance, ensuring that their menus remained both on-brand and user-friendly.

Throughout the process, continuous usability testing helped refine the editor experience, ensuring that restaurant operators could create and manage professional, visually consistent menus that accurately reflected their brand across all platforms.

Phased Implementation Approach

We rolled out the Menu Builder in phases to ensure a seamless launch:

  1. Building the Foundation – Designed core components (menu lists, item cards, pricing structures) with full customization options and POS integration for real-time updates.
  2. Guest-Facing Layouts – Developed pre-designed templates to guide users, offering both structured branding options and flexibility to override styles when needed.
  3. Future Optimization & Expansion – As the feature rolls out more broadly, we plan to track adoption, refine customization controls, and expand layout options based on real-world usage and business needs.

Impact on Toast Websites

The Menu Builder is a significant addition to the Toast Websites product, transforming how restaurant owners create and manage their online presence. By bridging the gap between menu content and website design, it enhances brand consistency while ensuring menus remain accurate and up to date. Key impacts include: