In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is critical for restaurants looking to grow their brand and streamline operations. One of the most significant steps in establishing this presence is connecting your domain to your restaurant’s website and online ordering system. For restaurant owners using Toast Websites or Toast Online Ordering Pro, managing your domain is a breeze—but it’s important to understand the options available and how each solution can help your business thrive.
Why Your Domain Matters
Your domain is your restaurant’s digital home—it’s the address where your customers find you online. Whether it’s a fully functioning website or a subdomain dedicated to online ordering, the right URL can boost your brand’s visibility and make it easier for guests to find you.
For Toast Websites users, connecting your domain is the final step before publishing your website and sharing all the essential pages you’ve created. For Toast Online Ordering Pro users, connecting a subdomain (like order.yourrestaurant.com) offers guests a convenient, streamlined link to place their orders, while maintaining a professional and cohesive brand presence.
In both cases, the connection process is simple and gives you full control over your restaurant’s digital experience.
Connecting a Domain: The Options
When it comes to connecting a domain to your Toast platform, restaurant owners have two main options:
- Connect a Domain You Already Own: If you’ve previously purchased a domain through a third-party provider (such as GoDaddy, Bluehost, etc.), you can easily connect it to Toast. This option ensures that your established domain remains tied to your restaurant, making the transition to Toast’s platform smooth without losing any of the branding or search engine optimization (SEO) benefits you’ve built.
- Purchase a Domain Directly Through Toast: If you’re setting up a website for the first time, Toast makes it easy to purchase a domain directly through the Toast Web configuration page. This removes the extra steps of dealing with third-party services and streamlines the entire setup process within the Toast ecosystem.
Both of these options ensure that your domain is connected properly, allowing you to publish your website or online ordering system without hassle.
Using a Subdomain for Online Ordering Pro
For Toast Online Ordering Pro users, connecting a subdomain such as order.yourrestaurant.com is a key step in improving your guests’ online experience. This pre-configured subdomain provides a direct, easy-to-remember URL for placing orders. It’s particularly useful for restaurants with multiple locations, as the URL will automatically route customers to a Location Picker first, making it easier for them to find the nearest spot to order from.
Connecting your subdomain doesn’t just offer convenience for your customers—it also reinforces your branding. Every time a guest visits your ordering page, they’ll be reminded of your restaurant’s professional, seamless digital presence.
Transitioning from Online Ordering Pro to Toast Websites
If you’re upgrading to a full Toast Website from Online Ordering Pro, it’s important to note that any previously linked custom subdomains will be disconnected as part of the transition. This is to ensure that your new website can take full control over your domain and avoid conflicts between the website and the online ordering subdomain.
During this transition, Toast recommends updating the public Online Ordering link found on your Restaurant Info page. Make sure this link is visible across all your customer-facing platforms—such as Google My Business and social media profiles—so that your guests can continue placing orders smoothly while your website is under construction.
Keep Your Online Presence Current
One of the most important lessons to take from this process is the need to maintain a consistent and up-to-date online presence. Make sure that wherever your customers find you online, they can easily access the most current ordering links. By keeping information updated on platforms like Google My Business, Facebook, and Instagram, you can avoid confusion and ensure that your customers always have a seamless experience ordering from your restaurant.
Conclusion: Building a Strong Online Presence with Toast
Whether you’re setting up your first website with Toast or transitioning from Toast Online Ordering Pro, connecting your domain is a critical step in creating a polished, professional, and seamless digital experience for your guests. With options to use an existing domain or purchase a new one through Toast, and tools like subdomains for online ordering, Toast makes it easier than ever to manage your online presence.
By following this guide, you can ensure that your restaurant’s website and online ordering system is not only easy for your customers to find but also easy for you to manage. As your restaurant grows, Toast gives you the tools to scale your digital presence alongside it.
