TouchBistro, a Toronto-based startup providing point-of-sale and restaurant management software, temporarily laid off 131 employees, representing 23% of its 560-person workforce, due to the devastating impact of COVID-19 on its core restaurant client base. The layoffs, announced in March 2020, primarily affected teams in Canada, the U.S., and the U.K., while employees in Mexico faced salary reductions and a shortened workweek. As restaurants globally were forced to close or pivot to takeout, TouchBistro shifted its focus to developing free or discounted tools to support customers' cash flow and delivery operations. CEO Alex Barrotti reduced his salary to zero, and the company maintained benefits and stock option vesting for laid-off staff, aiming to preserve the business for recovery once the pandemic subsided.
