Product Walkthrough
How to Automatically Sync Your Toast POS Menu with WordPress
A guided look at how Toast POS and WordPress connect: what data moves, how the API in between works, and the six steps that keep a restaurant menu synced without manual re-entry.
- Toast Partner API
- Any WordPress theme
- No WooCommerce required
menu-sync.trace
Toast
POS
WP Toast
Plugin
WordPress
Website
Customer
sees current menu
sync: connected
last event · 00:02:14 ago
The Concept
What Menu Sync Actually Means
Without sync, Toast POS and the WordPress site are two menus that happen to describe the same restaurant. With sync, the website simply mirrors whatever Toast says is true right now.
-
Margherita Pizza
$14.00· last edited by hand, 11 days ago
- Margherita Pizza $16.00 · synced from Toast POS, 2 min ago
- Truffle Fries · still listed, 86'd in Toast since Tuesday
- Truffle Fries marked unavailable · removed from site automatically
- Seasonal Special · not on site, never manually added
- Seasonal Special $18.00 · appears the moment it's added to Toast
Without sync: The website reflects whatever was last typed in by hand.
With sync: The website reflects whatever Toast POS says right now.
Architecture
How Data Travels from Toast POS to Your Website
Five handoffs, start to finish. Expand any step to see what actually moves through it.
Toast POS
source of truth
Every menu edit a restaurant makes a new item, a price change, an 86’d dish happens here first, inside the same system already used to run service.
menu_categories
menu_items
prices
modifiers
API Connection
GET/toast/menus/v2
WP Toast Plugin authenticates with Toast’s official Partner API using credentials the restaurant connects once, then requests the current menu on a regular interval. Nothing is scraped or manually exported.
oauth token
restaurant_guid
polling interval
WP Toast Plugin
transform · map · cache
The plugin translates Toast’s data format into WordPress content, matches it to the template you’ve chosen, and caches it so the site stays fast between syncs.
template mapping
image handling
change detection
WordPress
shortcode renders menu
A single shortcode, dropped anywhere on the site, displays the current menu. It works inside any theme, with no page rebuild required when the menu changes.
[toastpressshowmenus]
any theme
Website Visitors
always current
Whoever loads the menu page sees exactly what’s set up in Toast POS at that moment, with no gap between what’s served and what’s shown.
Data Reference
What Gets Synced from Toast to WordPress
Everything that defines the menu travels across nothing needs to be rebuilt or retyped on the WordPress side.
menu_categories
Menu Categories
The sections a menu is organized into.
“San Marzano tomato, fior di latte, basil”
menu_items
Menu Items
Every dish listed under those categories.
“Margherita Pizza”
prices
Prices
Current pricing for each item, kept exact.
$16.00
descriptions
Descriptions
The copy that tells diners what’s in a dish.
“San Marzano tomato, fior di latte, basil”
modifiers
Modifiers
Add-ons, sizes, and customization options.
“Extra cheese +$1.50”
images
Images
Item photography, pulled in with the item.
margherita-pizza.jpg
menu_structure
Menu Structure
Ordering and layout, so the site matches Toast.
category order · item order
Setup
Setting Up Menu Sync, Step by Step
Six steps, done once. Click a step to see what happens in it.
Connect Toast
Authorize Access
Import Menu
Choose Template
Publish
Auto-Updates
Step 1 of 6
Connect Toast POS
From the WordPress admin dashboard, open WP Toast Plugin and start the connection to your Toast POS account. No separate export tool needed.
wp-admin → WP Toast Plugin → Connect Account
Step 2 of 6
Authorize Data Access
Grant the plugin permission to read your Toast menu through the official Partner API. This is a one-time authorization, not a recurring login.
Toast Partner API → authorize read access
Step 3 of 6
Import Menu Data
The plugin pulls in your current categories, items, prices, descriptions, modifiers, and images in a single first import.
Importing: 6 categories · 42 items · 118 fields
Step 4 of 6
Choose a Menu Template
Pick from ready-made templates that control how the synced menu looks, so it matches your site’s branding without custom design work.
6 templates available · preview before publishing
Step 5 of 6
Publish on WordPress
Drop the generated shortcode onto any page. The menu appears immediately, styled to the template you chose.
[toastpressshowmenus] → live on /menu/
Step 6 of 6
Automatic Updates Continue
From here, every future change made in Toast POS is picked up on the next sync no further setup, exports, or manual edits.
Sync: running in the background
In Practice
A Restaurant's Website Before and After Sync
Same restaurant, same menu change. Toggle between how the website behaves without and with automatic sync.
Margherita Pizza — $14.00
outdated
Truffle Fries — $9.50
86’d in Toast
Seasonal Special
not listed
Time to Update
15–30 min
Accuracy
Depends on memory
Ongoing Effort
Every single change
Margherita Pizza — $16.00
synced
Truffle Fries
removed automatically
Seasonal Special — $18.00
added automatically
Time to Update
Near 0 min
Accuracy
Matches Toast exactly
Ongoing Effort
None runs on its own
Live Demo
A Look Inside the WP Toast Plugin Dashboard
The parts of the plugin a restaurant owner actually touches, once, during setup.
Plugin Settings
Toast API Connection
● connected
Restaurant GUID
8f2a-••••-••••
Sync Interval
every 15 min
Image Sync
every 15 min
Sync Dashboard
Last Sync
2 minutes ago
Items Updated
3 changed
Items Removed (86’d)
1 removed
Sync Status
● healthy
Menu Management
Categories
6 synced
Items
42 synced
Manual Overrides
0 active
Shortcode
[toastpressshowmenus]
Template Selection
Active Template
“Classic Card”
Accent Color
matches site branding
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How often does syncing happen?
WP Toast Plugin checks Toast POS on a regular interval and pulls in any changes automatically, so there’s no export or re-upload step to remember.
Do menu prices update automatically?
Yes. Prices sync along with categories, items, descriptions, modifiers, and images, so a price change in Toast carries over without retyping it.
What if I change a menu item?
The next sync picks it up new items, edited descriptions, or items marked unavailable all reflect on WordPress without a separate edit.
Can I customize the design?
Yes. Ready-made templates control layout and styling, so the synced menu can match your branding without touching the sync itself.
Do I need coding knowledge?
No. Setup happens from the WordPress admin dashboard connect Toast credentials, choose a template, and place a shortcode.
Does it require WooCommerce?
No. WP Toast Plugin works with any WordPress theme and doesn’t depend on WooCommerce being installed.
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