Manually Enter Card Payments

Learn how to take payments on your POS.

Click on this link for the complete Toast Manual Card Entry Instructions:

Step 1: Ring Up the Order

Add all items to the guest's check as you normally would in the Toast POS system.

Step 2: Initiate Payment

Tap the Pay ($) button at the bottom of the screen to open the payment screen.

Step 3: Select Credit Payment

Tap Credit to begin processing a credit card payment. This will prompt the system for card details.

Step 4: Choose "Key in Card Number"

Instead of swiping, inserting, or tapping the card, select the "Key in card number" option on the payment screen.

This will display the "Enter credit card number" screen.

Step 5: Enter Card Information

On the entry screen, you'll need to input:

Card number (all 15-16 digits)
Expiration date (MM/YY format)
CVV code (3-4 digit security code on back of card)
ZIP code (billing address ZIP code)

Type each field carefully and verify accuracy before proceeding.

Note: If you need to cancel and return to the previous screen, select "Cancel payment".

The cashier can also select "Continue without tip or signature" if needed.

Step 6: Guest Signs

The guest will be prompted to provide their signature on the screen to authorize the transaction.

Step 7: Receipt Options

The guest-facing display will ask the guest to select their preferred receipt option:

Print (printed receipt)
Text (SMS receipt)
Email (emailed receipt)
No receipt

If digital receipts are not enabled and a printer is configured, the system will automatically print both a Merchant Copy and a Customer Copy.

Step 8: Payment Complete

Once the receipt option is selected, the payment is processed and the transaction is complete!

If your restaurant has a loyalty program enabled, guests may also be prompted to sign up or claim reward points.

Important Security & Compliance Notes:

⚠️ PCI Compliance: Always ensure card information is entered securely. The Toast system encrypts all manually entered card data.

⚠️ Higher Processing Fees: Manual card entry (card-not-present transactions) typically incur higher processing fees than swiped or inserted cards due to increased fraud risk.

⚠️ Permissions: Manual card entry may need to be enabled in your Toast settings. Contact your manager or Toast support if this option doesn't appear.

Troubleshooting:

If the "Key in card number" option doesn't appear:

Check that EMV is enabled on your device (Settings > Device Setup > Payment Processing)
Verify your payment processing settings allow manual entry
Contact Toast support to enable the feature for your account

How to Split Checks

To learn how to split checks, check out this article: Split Checks on the POS.