Toast Doubles Down on Food Insecurity Fight with $150K in Restaurant Grants — Toast, Inc.

Event summary

Toast opens applications for its 2026 Changemakers Program, offering $150,000 in grants to 15 U.S. restaurants fighting food insecurity.
Each recipient will receive $10,000 to support and scale community feeding efforts, part of Toast's $5 million, five-year commitment.
Program is open to all eligible U.S. restaurants, not exclusively Toast customers, aiming to support industry-wide solutions.
Applications close October 1, 2026, with grant recipients announced November 10, 2026.

The big picture

Toast's Changemakers Program reflects a growing trend among restaurant tech platforms to leverage their networks for social impact. With food insecurity affecting 13.7% of U.S. households in 2024, the initiative positions Toast as a leader in corporate social responsibility within the hospitality sector. The program's expansion in 2026 underscores the company's long-term commitment to addressing systemic issues while fostering community engagement among its customers.

What we're watching

Program Scale: Whether Toast can sustain or expand the $150,000 annual grant commitment amid broader industry challenges.
Impact Measurement: How Toast will track and report the long-term effectiveness of the grants in combating food insecurity.
Industry Engagement: The pace at which non-Toast customers participate, signaling the program's cross-industry appeal.