How to Create a Seamless Guest Experience Using the Toast Order with Google Integration

Google may have opened its first office (well, garage...) in 1998, but today it’s a household name. A verb, even.

And with billions of searches per day happening on Google, it’s easy to see how the search engine has become pivotal for any business looking to attract or retain customers — restaurants included.

Today, we’re going to cover the latest product innovation by Google, Order with Google, and how the direct integration with the Toast Point of Sale (POS) can improve operations and revenue.

In this article, you’ll learn:

• What Order with Google is,
• How the Toast Order with Google integration works, and
• The benefits of using Order with Google for your restaurant.

Let’s dive in.

What is Order with Google?

This feature allows Google users to place food orders from restaurants directly on Google and, in turn, provides restaurant owners with a new channel to collect even more orders.

With millions of restaurant guests searching for restaurants online, Order with Google allows restaurants to activate an important new channel and drive awareness by tapping Google Search and Maps as an efficient ordering channel and marketing engine. Order with Google makes it simple for restaurant guests to search for the food they’re craving, connect with restaurants in the area, and pay ahead (via Google Pay™) or on arrival. 

In short, Order with Google allows restaurants to accept online orders for pickup or delivery directly through their Business Profile on Google Search and Maps.

How the Toast and Order with Google integration works

Toast, the all-in-one platform built for restaurants, recently announced a new Order with Google integration. This means restaurants can take more orders and reach new customers all while taking advantage of the simple reporting, order management, and restaurant-first platform that Toast has to offer.

Existing Toast customers using Toast Online Ordering can start using the Order with Google integration by following four simple steps:

• Create a Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business), if you don’t have one already
  • Confirm that you are not opted out of food ordering on your Google Business Profile. If previously opted out, view Set up, turn on, or turn off the "Order online" button on your Google Business Profile help page.
• Enable the Order with Google toggle in Toast's backend
• Make sure you have visible Online Ordering menus in Toast
• Enable Online Ordering in Toast's backend, if you haven’t already

(Are you a current Toast customer looking for step-by-step instructions? Check out this Toast Central article to get set up.)

Once you’ve done the above, you’re ready to start taking advantage of the Toast and Order with Google integration. You will be able to see all of your off-premise orders, including those made via Order with Google, on the Orders Hub. You can also run a report to see how much order volume is coming through Order with Google by filtering your report by order source (Order Source: Google).

From the guest's standpoint, Order with Google provides a great ordering experience. When guests find your restaurant via Order with Google, they can order directly through Toast. Guests will see your Online Ordering menu and quote time before placing their order.

All in all, the Toast Order with Google integration allows restaurants who already offer off-prem options — or are considering offering takeout and food delivery for the first time — to reach more guests by allowing them to order directly through you from Google Search and Maps, commission free.

The benefits of using the Toast Order with Google integration

Now that we’ve talked about what it is and how it works, let’s talk about how it can help your restaurant.

The Order with Google integration allows restaurants using Toast Online Ordering to unlock a new channel for more orders. Order with Google is fully integrated with the Toast Point of Sale and is seamless for restaurant owners and guests alike. Let’s dive into the three biggest benefits of offering Google food ordering to your guests.

Unlock a new commission-free channel for more orders

The Order with Google integration allows restaurants to meet guests where they are and tap into the millions of guests already ordering food through Google Search and Maps.

Now, Toast restaurants can sell to guests through three ordering channels: Toast Online Ordering, Toast TakeOut App, and Order with Google. Toast Delivery Services customers can also toggle on Order with Google to enable a delivery option via Google. Toast empowers restaurants to grow their takeout and delivery businesses while protecting their bottom line from third-party commission fees. By using the Toast Order with Google integration, you can list Toast as your “preferred” partner in order to encourage guests to place orders via Toast rather than a third-party platform — such as Doordash or Grubhub — in order to save on commission and fees.

Get up and running easily

Order with Google is fully integrated with Toast POS, so your restaurant’s menu, hours, and quote times automatically update on Google in real-time.

Your team can easily track and manage Order with Google in Toast Orders Hub alongside your other online ordering channels. Plus, you can toggle these channels on and off at any time in order to ensure your kitchen is not overloaded.

Offer guests a seamless ordering experience

Guests can easily search for your restaurant, read reviews, see photos, order, and pay from you in just a few taps or clicks.

Order with Google supports takeout, delivery orders, and payment ahead or on arrival, whether you’re using your own drivers or Toast Delivery Services.

Start reaching potential guests today with the Toast Order with Google integration

Whether they know your restaurant’s name or they’re just searching for “food near me,” the Order with Google integration can unlock a new sales channel for your restaurant while preserving your bottom line.

But don’t just take it from us. Here’s a quote from Michael Lin, President of Sunright Corporation, on how the Toast Order with Google integration has been going so far:

“We’re seeing a big trend where our guests want to order ahead through technology because of the simplicity, so we were excited to turn on the Toast Order with Google integration. Tons of guests find us by searching ‘Bubble tea shops near me’ so it's great how seamless Order with Google is for our guests. All of the information they need is on one page and they can easily browse pictures and then order without being redirected to a new page.”

Ready to get started? Existing Toast customers can learn more about using Order with Google here. Not using Toast in your restaurant yet? Learn more about how to switch to Toast and request a free demo today to learn why more than 74,000 restaurants love Toast.