Toast Inc. Unveils Toast IQ Grow: A Game-Changer for Restaurant Marketing

In the competitive world of food service, operators often find themselves wearing multiple hats: marketer, scheduler, inventory manager, and finance lead. Toast's new offering aims to lighten this load significantly. The announcement includes over 20 updates across various operational areas, including marketing, payroll, and inventory management.

Steve Fredette, President and Co-Founder of Toast, emphasized the importance of this new solution, stating, “The work of growing a business can often get pushed aside by the work of running it. We think AI agents can change that by actually doing a lot of that work, starting with marketing.” He further elaborated on Toast’s vision for the Toast IQ ecosystem to evolve into an agentic platform that empowers customers to focus on growth without sacrificing daily operational efficiency.

At the heart of Toast IQ Grow lies the Marketing Agent, which utilizes artificial intelligence to build audiences and automate marketing campaigns across various channels. This innovative feature allows operators to identify opportunities for growth, such as re-engaging lapsed customers with personalized offers or recommending campaigns to encourage repeat visits.

In a pilot program, restaurants that utilized the Marketing Success Manager saw an average sales growth of over 8% compared to similar establishments, with the top-performing 25% experiencing a remarkable 40% increase in sales within the first month.

Offered at a bundled price of $499/month, Toast IQ Grow presents a comprehensive, integrated solution compared to the traditional approach of piecing together various marketing tools. The package includes:

Restaurants like Matoi in San Diego have already begun reaping the benefits of Toast IQ Grow. The restaurant reported generating $3.4K in attributed email revenue within just two months, achieving more than three times the cost of the service. The integration of marketing efforts has transformed their strategy from an opaque expense into a measurable, ROI-driven growth engine.

In addition to Toast IQ Grow, Toast has revamped its Toast Local consumer app. This upgraded platform now features enhanced capabilities for diners, including:

Tyler Paolini, Owner and Chef at Holdfast Specialty Seafood, praised the effectiveness of Toast's offers, highlighting how a simple promotion can significantly increase customer retention.

Toast has not only focused on marketing but has also implemented platform-wide updates to enhance daily operations. Key updates include:

To further support operators, Toast introduced Toast Finance, which includes integrated financial products to help manage cash flow and access funding. The inclusion of Auto Payroll and Payroll Success Partners simplifies payroll processes, ensuring compliance and accuracy.

With the launch of Toast IQ Grow and the enhancements to its platform, Toast Inc. is poised to redefine the way restaurants manage marketing and operations. By integrating AI technology with human expertise, the company aims to empower operators to focus on what they do best—serving great food while growing their businesses sustainably. As Toast continues to innovate, it remains committed to supporting the restaurant industry's transformation in an increasingly competitive landscape.