Toast Announces 2026 - 2027 Independent Customer Advisory Board to Drive the Future of Hospitality

BOSTON, MA – Toast (NYSE: TOST), the all-in-one digital technology platform built for restaurant and retail businesses, announced its 2026 - 2027 Customer Advisory Board (CAB). This newest class brings together a diverse group of 19 new and 8 returning restaurant leaders to serve as a strategic compass for Toast’s innovation, ensuring our solutions remain grounded in the real-world needs of operators.

The Customer Advisory Board (CAB) serves as a critical strategic partner that provides a real-world pressure test for our most ambitious innovations. By bringing together a spectrum of industry leaders, Toast fosters a collaborative community where the industry’s most forward-thinking operators work directly with our leadership to tackle pressing challenges—from optimizing AI-driven tools like Toast IQ to evolving modern service models. This partnership is incredibly valuable because it ensures our R&D investments remain firmly anchored in the daily operational realities of high-pressure hospitality environments. By listening to CAB members discuss essential priorities we are able to move faster and with greater confidence to deliver solutions that empower our customers to succeed.

We are proud to welcome Emma’s Torch as the first-ever non-profit culinary social enterprise to join our Independent Customer Advisory Board, bringing a crucial perspective on workforce development and community-driven hospitality.

“Toast succeeds only when our customers succeed. Our Customer Advisory Board provides the critical bridge between our engineering teams and the front lines of the restaurant,” said Kelly Esten, Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Enterprise at Toast. “This group represents some of the most forward-thinking minds in hospitality. Their collaboration helps us strip away operational complexity so that our technology can help power their busy and complex operations.”

For board members, the CAB offers a unique seat at the table to influence the technology that powers their businesses. Our recent sessions made it clear that the focus for the year ahead centers on three core pillars: delivering measurable ROI, securing first-party guest ownership, and driving operational simplicity.

“While it is common for vendors to prioritize building great relationships with their clients, it's unique to experience a vendor that substantially invests in meaningful and tangible partnerships,” said Krishna Buford, owner of Flava Wings in Houston. “At the core of the program is Toast’s desire to learn the holistic details of its customers’ businesses to provide optimal functionality. Being a part of CAB is less about perks, but more about building camaraderie with colleagues and industry leaders, while working in tandem with the company that plays such an integral role in powering my day-to-day business operations.”

“Serving on Toast’s Advisory Board has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career because it brings together an incredibly diverse group of independent restaurant operators,” said Raheel Gauba, Partner at Ma'am Saab. “That diversity creates conversations you simply can’t have anywhere else. What stands out most is that Toast keeps a constant finger on the pulse of what restaurants actually need to succeed. We’re helping envision the future of hospitality together.”

The 2026 -2027 CAB will continue to meet quarterly and participate in ongoing conversations with Toast product teams and leadership, sharing early feedback on upcoming releases and operator priorities. For more information on our Customer Advisory Board and to meet the members, visit pos.toasttab.com/customer-advisory-board.

 2026-2027 Customer Advisory Board Members

• Alexis Blair, President – Alicart Restaurant Group, New York, NY

• Andrei Stern, CFO and Co-Founder – SuViche Hospitality Group, Miami, FL*

• Brendon Mendoza, Owner – Wingman Birdz + Brewz, Walla Walla, WA

• Charly Pierre, Owner – Fritai, New Orleans, LA

• Chiedu Idayi, Owner – Pass D Jollof, Houston, TX

• Danny Pizarro, Chief Marketing Officer – The Salty Donut, Miami, FL*

• Darien Kapture, SVP, Food & Beverage Operations – Black Family Hospitality, Austin, TX

• Denise Dixon, Owner & Operator – Yeah Man Jamaican Restaurant, Marietta, GA*

• Eric Soller, Founder – Old Scratch Pizza, Dayton, OH*

• Evan Kidera, Owner – Señor Sisig, San Francisco, CA

• Holly Robinson, Owner – Sunny Hill, Seattle, WA

• Irene Li, Founder / Chef – Mei Mei Dumplings, Boston, MA

• Jared Cohen, Chief Operating Officer – Protein Bar & Kitchen, Chicago, IL

• Jefferson Macklin, Partner – Traveler Street Hospitality Group, Boston, MA*

• Jenny Cauhorn, Owner – Riverbend Music Center (EVT Management), Cincinnati, OH

• Joe Fontana, Founder & Owner – Fry the Coop, Chicago, IL

• John Myers, CTO – Big Tree Hospitality, Portland, ME*

• Julie Nguyen, Co-Owner, – Mamba Hospitality Group, Houston, TX*

• Kira O'Brien, Chief Impact Officer – Emma's Torch, Brooklyn, NY

• Krishna Buford, Owner – Flava Wings, Houston, TX

• Lillian Brandao, Owner – Estella, Boston, MA

• Matthias Kiehm, Principal - Convivum Hospitality, Boston, MA

• Raheel Gauba, Partner – Ma'am Saab, Charleston, SC*

• Sergi Rostoll, Chief Operating Officer – Teleferic Barcelona, Palo Alto, CA

• Shayna Ferullo, Owner – Snowy Owl Coffee Roasters, Brewster, MA

• Tony Scotto, CEO – THB Bagelry & Deli, Baltimore, MD

• Wahed Jawad, Owner – Colorado Grill, White House, TN

* Denotes a returning member of the Customer Advisory Board. We are grateful for our past CAB members and the continued partnership whose ongoing insights continue to play a vital role in our collective success.