Toast - Building Digital Presences for Local Restaurants & Businesses
2025 - Product Design & User Research
OVERVIEW
As a Web Design Specialist at Toast, I managed 250+ client accounts simultaneously — all at different stages of the build process. My work spanned the full lifecycle of each project: sending intake forms, collecting content, designing restaurant websites inside Toast's website builder, and managing two rounds of revisions before taking sites live.
FEATURED BUILDS
Nettie's Pizza — A Neapolitan pizzeria in Clayton, MO by a 5x James Beard Award semifinalist. Built around a warm, story-driven brand with online ordering and gift cards.
Fink's Backyard — A laid-back outdoor bar and restaurant in Springtown, TX with live music, a dog-friendly patio, and a kids' play area. Built around a community-first brand with a casual, Texas backyard feel.
Joe's NY Pizza Upstate — A family-owned NY-style pizza spot serving three locations across Clemson, Seneca, and Central, SC. Built with multi-location support, online ordering, catering, and a rewards program.
Fork & Vine Social — A tapas restaurant in Decatur, GA with a warm, eclectic vibe and a globally inspired sharing menu. Built with a gallery, careers page, and online ordering.
For every site I took live, I configured SEO to help each restaurant show up in local search. I also updated DNS records across whichever domain provider the client was using to connect their domain to the Toast platform.
TAKEAWAYS
The biggest thing I took away from this role was how much communication drives a project forward. With 250+ accounts moving at once, I learned to follow up consistently — looping in sales reps and reaching out directly via email to keep things from stalling. When clients were frustrated with the constraints of the website builder, I focused on being transparent about what was possible and finding the best alternative within those limits. Not every client walked away thrilled, but I made sure every client felt heard. On the design side, I leaned on strong typography, photography, and copy to build sites that looked credible and drove conversions — even within a templated system.
