MCP for Designers: a Short Explainer Video on Model Context Protocol

One of the most exciting and most challenging aspects of building AI-first experiences is keeping pace with an industry that evolves so rapidly. At Toast, we're addressing this challenge by sharing our insights frequently, tailoring our communication to reach different audiences effectively.

Over the past few months, you’ve likely been hearing more and more about Model Context Protocol (MCP) and the way it’ll reshape how we create AI-first experiences. If you're a designer who's heard MCP mentioned, it might have seemed like technical mumbo jumbo or an underlying tech that didn't feel essential to your role. However, MCP represents a fundamental shift that impacts not only how we build experiences but also what we build.

This is a short explainer video Brenna (our lead Designer on Sous Chef, our AI assistant for operators) and I worked on together last week. I hope it helps more designers get closer to the way MCP will shape their future experiences and it may also be helpful for many non-Design non-technical teams within your company!

Note: this video is provided for informational purposes only and any Toast specific details are subject to change.