February 23, 2026  |   

Disclosure: POSadvice.com may earn a referral fee if you purchase through links on this page. This does not affect our independent reviews or rankings.

\n\n

📰 Breaking News • March 2020

Pandemic Hits Restaurants: POS Companies Rally to Support

As COVID-19 forces mass restaurant closures, technology companies step up with emergency relief programs

100K+
Restaurants Closed
$240B
Revenue Lost
8M+
Jobs Affected
🚨 The Crisis

In March 2020, the restaurant industry faced its darkest hour. Mandatory closures swept the nation, and businesses that had been thriving days earlier were suddenly fighting for survival. The POS companies that powered these restaurants responded with unprecedented speed.

🆘 Emergency Relief Programs

🟦 Square’s Response

  • 90-day fee waiver for all affected merchants
  • Free online store for any Square seller
  • Curbside pickup tools launched in 48 hours
  • $1B emergency lending through Square Capital

🟥 Toast’s Response

  • Deferred billing for all restaurant customers
  • Free online ordering module activated for all plans
  • Toast Now — commission-free delivery marketplace launched
  • $25M restaurant relief fund
🔑 Key Takeaway: The pandemic proved that cloud POS companies could adapt overnight — legacy systems couldn’t. This accelerated the cloud migration that continues today.
“In 72 hours, we went from a dine-in restaurant to a fully digital takeout operation. Toast made that possible.”
— Restaurant owner, Brooklyn, NY
💡 Restaurants that had modern POS with online ordering capabilities were 3x more likely to survive the first 90 days of the pandemic.

POSadvice.com — Independent Reviews

Find Your Perfect POS System

Answer 3 quick questions. Get free, no-obligation quotes from top providers matched to your business.

Get Free Quotes →

Takes 2 minutes · No spam · No commitment

Related Reading: For a complete comparison, see our guide to the Best POS System for Small Retail Stores 2026.

\n\n