Everything changed after Toast went public.
Leadership feels completely out of touch, and our core values might as well not exist. Accountability is scarce, and we no longer prioritize doing right by the customer.
Account Executives are being given fewer and fewer opportunities, with workable TAMs shrinking while new pilots and teams siphon off accounts that once made sense to pursue. It’s hard to ignore the impression that Toast is intentionally pushing out long-tenured, higher-earning employees by drastically limiting their earning potential. The model now seems designed to make everyone replaceable and capped.
Benefits, spiffs, and bonuses have either disappeared, worsened, or been restructured in ways that feel rigged—ensuring employees don’t actually get paid out for the work they’ve done. Communication is poor, with changes often not announced until you discover another team has already taken your deal.
The growth team, once valuable, now feels disconnected—pressuring accounts to spend more despite having no rapport or real understanding of the business. What used to feel like a customer-first culture now comes across as short-sighted upselling.
I used to be proud to work at Toast. That pride is gone. What was once genuine care for employees and customers has eroded into something that feels driven by corporate greed or, worse, deliberate manipulation. Feedback sessions that once gave employees a voice have almost vanished. Leadership used to do monthly feedback sessions which are super rare. Now, it feels like nothing we say matters.
It’s sad to write this, but many AEs are already looking elsewhere—and it’s hard to blame them.
