Disorganized, lack of transparency and poor career growth prospects - Anonymous employee Toast Inc Employee Review

1.0
22 Sept 2020
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Culture prior to the COVID-19 layoffs was great - worked with very warm, friendly and kind people who've made a positive impact on me for life - Nice benefits (unlimited PTO, commuter benefits etc)

Cons

- Lack of transparency on company performance - Base salary was not competitive - Disorganized, the 'hyper growth' they were going through prior to COVID-19 did not seem well thought of at all, unclear as to how hiring and investment decisions as well as resource allocations were made. This led to an imbalance where some employees were overburdened and some had excess capacity. The hiring also became very middle management heavy. Seemed doomed to crash even w/o the pandemic. - Didn't seem like individual career growth was valued and nurtured - Layoffs - I understand that the layoffs were inevitable, but they were poorly handled. A lot of spiel about how we were all a family - but ofc, standard corporate lingo - they could not walk the talk. Serious concerns of former employees were ignored and brushed aside despite multiple emails and attempts to reach out. They ended up laying off too many employees and started hiring again barely 2 months after the layoff. The same roles popped up again but were rebranded to low-ball potential applicants. Really? Terribly executed. How do you cut half the workforce after just getting Series F and then backtrack saying you've laid off too many? This is not an 'oops' moment, it is the result of awful planning and lack of transparency. - Abysmal culture post COVID-19 layoffs - employees overburdened with work and stretched thin. Many left. - Not very diverse, gave off a tech bro vibe at times. Burning through money to have flashy and gimmicky events added to that. - Lack of job security due to the restaurant industry still being volatile.

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Toast Inc Response
5y
Although this is tough feedback to read, I really appreciate you taking the time to leave this review. We are grateful for feedback from current and former Toasters, as we strive to get better, especially in this time of so much uncertainty. Diversity, equity and inclusion are front and center, and we've invested in resources, dialogue and ensuring we are improving representation across all areas of our business. We've increased the frequency of company and team meetings, Ask Me Anythings, and surveys, to provide as much communication as possible in this time that has been difficult for so many. And as we work tirelessly to support our customers, we know that can take a toll on work/life blend, and we are making sure that all Toasters are getting time to recharge. Again, I truly appreciate your feedback and wish you the best in whatever is next for you. My door is always open if you’d like to discuss further. - Annie Drapeau, CPO

Explore other reviews about Toast Inc

5.0
28 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Flexible hybrid work, great culture working for the company, benefits and pay is pretty good as well

Cons

Can feel hard to move within the company as opportunities don't open up often for specialist to move upwards

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Toast Inc Response
1w
We appreciate you sharing a candid review with us. We’re delighted that the culture and benefits are resonating with you. We'd recommend reaching out to your People Success Partner to discuss your feedback further.
4.0
8 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

-Strong pay (if you hit your numbers) -Ambitious goals that challenge you -Competitive landscape that will force you to get better beyond exclusively selling -Founders still very involved and very visible to the company and employees -Team cultures are always strong -For sales, you always get in touch with prospects, which is an underrated pro -When leadership promotes internal mobility and career development they mean it and support it

Cons

-Numerous Sales teams that share the same markets/TAMs. Customers and prospects get exhausted of outreach - Since going public, the goal posts keep moving forward even if 60% of the org hit goal. -A number of core leaders have left, new ones still learning the ropes which was hindering the orgs and teams

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