Strong Disagreement with the Implementation of Order Processing Fee

[Tarek]

Dear Toast POS Community and support,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to express my deep concern and strong disagreement regarding the recent announcement of implementing a $0.99 Order Processing Fee for customers on orders of $10 and above through Toast Online Ordering Channels. As a long-time customer of Toast POS and a proud owner of a coffee shop that uses Toast, I must emphasize that this decision is both short-sighted and detrimental to the success and satisfaction of our valued customers.

To begin with, the current subscription fee of $50 per month that we already pay is intended to cover the cost of utilizing the Toast POS system and accessing the necessary tools to enhance our business operations. We initially subscribed to Toast with the understanding that it would provide us with a reliable and comprehensive solution for managing our orders efficiently. Implementing an additional fee on top of our existing subscription feels like a breach of trust and an unexpected burden on our business.

Furthermore, the imposition of a $0.99 Order Processing Fee directly contradicts the principles that initially attracted us to Toast POS. One of the key factors that made Toast an appealing choice was the ability to offer pickup ordering to our customers conveniently and without any additional costs. This feature has been instrumental in enhancing our customer experience, driving sales, and ensuring customer loyalty. By introducing this fee, you not only diminish the attractiveness of your platform, but you also risk alienating customers who have come to appreciate the seamless and cost-effective nature of Toast's online ordering system.

While I understand that companies need to innovate and explore new avenues for revenue generation, I strongly believe that this particular approach is misguided. Charging customers an additional fee for using your ordering channels would undermine the trust we have established with our clientele. It is essential to remember that the success of our coffee shop heavily relies on the satisfaction and loyalty of our customers. By implementing this fee, you risk damaging the goodwill we have built with our patrons over the years.

Moreover, the timing of this decision is particularly unfortunate. As the global economy recovers from the challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic, businesses, especially small enterprises like ours, are struggling to regain their footing. Introducing a new charge now would undoubtedly place an unnecessary financial burden on our customers and discourage them from using Toast Online Ordering Channels. Rather than supporting our efforts to rebuild and thrive, this decision appears to be hindering our progress.

I implore you to reconsider this ill-advised decision and rescind the proposed $0.99 Order Processing Fee. Instead, I encourage Toast POS to explore alternative revenue streams or business models that do not involve passing on costs to the very customers who have helped build your brand and platform. As a loyal customer, I genuinely believe that focusing on improving existing services, developing innovative features, and providing exceptional customer support would serve your company's interests far better than introducing additional charges.

I urge you to consider the long-term implications of this decision, both for Toast POS and for the countless businesses like mine that rely on your services. I hope that you will take this feedback seriously and reevaluate the implementation of the proposed fee. Your commitment to listening to the needs and concerns of your customers will undoubtedly play a crucial role in maintaining a positive and mutually beneficial relationship between our businesses.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I trust that you will make a wise and customer-centric decision that reflects the core values of your company.

Sincerely,

A concerned valued customer of Toast POS

[Rob]

Thank you for taking the time to explain your frustrations with this rollout. I want to assure you this has been relayed to our internal teams. I have explained a bit about this fee in the thread listed here:
https://community.toasttab.com/t5/guest-experience/order-processing-fee-to-guest-on-mobile-ordering/...

[5297]

I really hope Toast seriously considers how ridiculous this is. If their shareholders knew how ticked all the restaurant owners are over this everyone would be selling off asap. Not looking good for Toast right now.

[nkotselas]

They don' t care. I met with Toast's gm of financial tech and he literally compared buying food at restaurants with booking flights. That the "ticketed price brings the customer in but the customers are willing to stomach the fees that show up later". Bro wants us to look like spirit airlines lmao he also said its normal to charge such a fee - i've never once had this fee in all my years of ordering food online. 

Had a good meeting with lightspeed today. Meeting with spot on pos tomorrow. Both of which already confirmed they don't have such a fee. 

Rip Toast 

[Jparker]

Agree that nothing will be done: 

Toast does not care about us restaurants (their customers) just generating new revenue streams.   Trying to package this online charge to our loyal customers and "say it benefits restaurants".   When all it will do is give them a new revenue steam.  What they need to work on is customer service agent training and fixing POS platform issues.      

They will not have to deal with fallout from this fee we will.... 

[escoop]

Jparker please read my post and let me know what you think

https://community.toasttab.com/t5/guest-experience/online-ordering-processing-fee-alternatives-email...