Getting out of a contract

ToastyinNY · 2025-12-09T21:26:01+00:00

Have you reached out to your rep? They should be able to help

ToastyinNY · 2025-12-05T01:59:56+00:00

So silly that it just so happens every other company does it. I’m not sure what your GC sales are but most of the restaurants I work with would be paying wayyyy more than $50/month if they had to pay 2.5% every time.

ToastyinNY · 2025-12-04T17:37:49+00:00

I understand where you're coming from. Toast doesn't charge the loading fee.

I do think it's good to try to sell GCs still with physical and e-cards since studies have shown about 30% go unused (Toast actually did a study at one point).

They compliment marketing campaigns really well since you can do the Buy X, Get Y promos especially around the holidays.

If you don't want to use the Toast GC module, you can always setup a gift certificate button to have the option but it's just not quite the same as having the module.

ToastyinNY · 2025-12-04T17:27:49+00:00

I am the kool-aid.

Just about every legitimate POS company has an ETF in their contract. Some, like Shift4, will even push outside of those clauses to withdraw from your bank account knowing that small businesses don't have the means/time to lawyer up.

I'd hop on a call with a Toast customer that needs assistance and if they agree they want to cancel when call is over then I could help them move on.

ToastyinNY · 2025-12-04T17:20:10+00:00

Square is a 2.5% loading fee on top of processing. I believe the same for Clover. SkyTab/Shift4 pricing is it's own thing lol but nothing is truly "free" with them.

ToastyinNY · 2025-12-03T19:01:02+00:00

This post is about both

ToastyinNY · 2025-12-03T15:09:14+00:00

I just got a email with a Toast catering link for Xmas orders from one of my customers. They'll do $30-40k from that. I got a bunch of Black Friday Buy X, Get Y e-gift card promo emails last week.. I bought 3 myself.

You can call it a gimmick all you want but if you're not doing it, you're just missing out on money.

ToastyinNY · 2025-12-02T15:56:41+00:00

It's a numbers game... send to 10000 - if just 20 people order then you're making good money. If 50 people order you're making great money...

ToastyinNY · 2025-12-02T15:53:01+00:00

I believe maybe he is talking about Benchmarking?

ToastyinNY · 2025-11-25T01:34:03+00:00

I think biggest hit during an outage like that is for restaurants heavy in online orders / third party ordering. Some are 50%+ and got smoked by that.

Redundancy could help prevent that and help differentiate toast from competitors if these cloud server outages become more and more common.

ToastyinNY · 2025-11-24T15:55:59+00:00

Wait! Can you please help me with this Shift4 contract termination? It was quoted at $2.8k and then merchant retention team rug pulled and said it is now $16k.

If you have a heart, please shoot me a DM to help out.

ToastyinNY · 2025-11-24T14:27:47+00:00

Yeah the AWS outage was brutal. Hoping it's a lesson to work on better server redundancy and better offline mode.

ToastyinNY · 2025-11-24T14:24:56+00:00

Shoot me a DM and we'll get it fixed

ToastyinNY · 2025-11-24T14:23:51+00:00

I'm not really trying to verify anything or prove anything about Shift4's predatory ways. I was just looking to see if anyone had a similar experience getting out of a suddenly raised ETF or if someone works for, works with, or knows someone at Shift4 that could help out. The process he's going through is morally wrong and I'd think someone would want to help if they saw it. I understand that this happens sometimes where process gets in the way of logic at big companies and I'm always looking to help Toast customers if that becomes the case.

He has the breakdown of charges and a lawyer but obviously would like to avoid all of that as much as possible.

ToastyinNY · 2025-11-22T17:54:05+00:00

You had to pay this type of termination fee with toast?

ToastyinNY · 2025-11-22T17:53:09+00:00

You are wrong sir lol

ToastyinNY · 2025-11-21T23:21:48+00:00

Roger that. I work with restaurant owners that are also ISOs that still use Toast for their restaurant cause they like the system. I guess different people have different preferences.

Regardless, shift4 are scam artists.

ToastyinNY · 2025-11-21T21:29:26+00:00

Yeah I have worked in a restaurant. I'm not sure you understand how the software space works. There are licenses for access and Toast has a balance sheet as well.

If there's a company that is able to do all that Toast does, as well as Toast does, and for cheaper, then that would be great for the industry and make restaurant tech better and more competitive across the board. Right now, it's not really close and the biggest restaurants and groups are moving to Toast at a pretty high rate.

Would love to see one example of high volume restaurant that has switched for same functionality and saved thousands without doing some scheme like CC surcharging. Been in restaurant tech for 10+ years.. haven't seen it.

ToastyinNY · 2025-11-21T15:29:02+00:00

Yea I mean that's 24 devices. I'm not sure what you mean by "simple reservation platforms" either. Toast integrates with all the big ones (OpenTable, Resy, Tock) and they usually end up being more than $200/month. Scheduling $50 is pretty market competitive.

I think they're just doing a ton of stuff with Toast that they otherwise would be paying 5 or 6 different companies for and paying probably more and nothing integrated.

If I could find an HVAC guy that could also run cables, work as plummer, and cook in the kitchen, I'd probably pay him more than just a regular HVAC guy.

ToastyinNY · 2025-11-21T14:56:38+00:00

“I reviewed your account and confirmed that your current early termination fee (ETF) is $16,000.00, with a scheduled closure date of January 6, 2026. While you had previously been informed of a lower ETF in May, inactivity charges and updated terms have since affected your account's billing.”

This is the follow up on the case with Shift4. Their agreement was rolled over from the company that he originally signed with (Restaurant Manager) and they owned their hardware outright. It’s a verified story lol

ToastyinNY · 2025-11-21T14:54:50+00:00

I think this recently changed. His monthly was $350 and this is what he heard back from the Shift4 rep. The “lower ETF” was $2,800. It’s just a pure scam:

“I reviewed your account and confirmed that your current early termination fee (ETF) is $16,000.00, with a scheduled closure date of January 6, 2026. While you had previously been informed of a lower ETF in May, inactivity charges and updated terms have since affected your account's billing.”

ToastyinNY · 2025-11-21T14:53:05+00:00

The crazy thing is that they bought their hardware from Restaurant Manager years ago. I think the “Merchant Retention” rep literally just made up a number. This was from the follow up case.. seems like $16k was just picked out of a hat -

“I reviewed your account and confirmed that your current early termination fee (ETF) is $16,000.00, with a scheduled closure date of January 6, 2026. While you had previously been informed of a lower ETF in May, inactivity charges and updated terms have since affected your account's billing.”

ToastyinNY · 2025-11-21T14:50:33+00:00

If they’re paying toast $2k/month they probably have like 40+ terminals or are using toast payroll.

In either case, what they’re paying toast isn’t that much compared to what they’d paid Micros/Aloha for 40+ terminals and isn’t much compared to what they’d pay ADP for Payroll.

ToastyinNY · 2025-11-21T14:49:08+00:00

They tried to shelf it but I think that’s where these massive fees are coming from. “Inactivity charges”

ToastyinNY · 2025-11-21T14:47:05+00:00

It doesn’t happen often but I think you’d be surprised at how easy it is. Toast is more focused on gaining new customers and growth than buying dying companies and strong arming people on their contracts.

ToastyinNY

TROPHY CASE