Otter logo

Order aggregation hub (not a POS)

Otter + DirectOrders

Otter does one job well: it pulls DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub into a single tablet so your kitchen is not juggling four screens. What it does not do is reduce the 15 to 30 percent commission on every one of those orders, or give you a branded channel of your own. DirectOrders adds the commission-free direct channel and Voice AI, and routes those orders into the same Otter queue.

Get a demo See how it connects

How orders reach your kitchen

Same hub, a new commission-free spoke

DoorDash15 to 30% fee
Uber Eats15 to 30% fee
Grubhub15 to 30% fee
DirectOrders0% commission

Otter tablet

One unified order queue

Your kitchen

Same workflow

The kitchen workflow Otter already centralized does not change. Over time, the mix on the tablet shifts from mostly marketplace toward a healthier balance of marketplace and commission-free direct orders.

Why restaurants run DirectOrders with Otter

  • Receive direct orders on the same Otter tablet your staff already uses
  • Eliminate the need for a separate device or app for direct orders
  • Compare direct order revenue against third-party marketplace channels
  • Reduce missed orders by consolidating all channels into one stream
  • Maintain existing Otter workflows for kitchen and fulfillment operations

How it connects

Live in about a day

1

Keep Otter for marketplace order aggregation

DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub orders continue flowing through your Otter tablet as usual.

2

Add DirectOrders as your commission-free direct channel

Customers order through your branded DirectOrders website, and orders appear alongside marketplace orders on Otter.

3

Compare direct vs. marketplace performance in one view

Track which channel drives more revenue and shift marketing spend toward the higher-margin direct orders.

Where Otter fits, and where DirectOrders complements it

Otter is built as a back-of-house order aggregation layer. It is genuinely useful: instead of a separate tablet from DoorDash, another from Uber Eats, and another from Grubhub, your kitchen sees one consolidated queue. Otter has been a smart back-of-house investment for restaurants juggling multiple marketplaces, especially during busy services where staff cannot reliably switch between three or four tablets.

But Otter is not a customer-facing ordering experience. It does not give your restaurant a branded ordering website, a customer database of your own, Voice AI for phone orders, or a way to reach customers across Google, Instagram, WhatsApp, Apple Maps, or ChatGPT search. And critically, Otter does nothing about the 15 to 30 percent commission that marketplaces take on every order it consolidates. Otter makes the marketplace mess easier to manage; it does not make the marketplace cost go away.

DirectOrders complements Otter by adding the customer-facing direct ordering surface that Otter does not provide. Direct orders placed through your DirectOrders website route into Otter alongside the marketplace orders, so the kitchen workflow Otter already centralized continues to work the same way. Over time, the goal is for the mix on the Otter tablet to shift from mostly marketplace toward a healthier balance of marketplace and direct, with direct orders carrying zero per-order commission.

What Otter does not do, and DirectOrders does

Otter aggregates marketplace orders but does not reduce commissions

Otter consolidates orders from DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub into one tablet, but every order still carries 15 to 30 percent marketplace fees. DirectOrders adds a commission-free direct channel so you can shift volume away from marketplaces.

No branded customer-facing ordering experience

Otter is a back-of-house aggregation tool. It does not give your customers a branded ordering website. DirectOrders provides the customer-facing ordering experience that feeds into your Otter workflow.

No Voice AI for phone orders

Otter handles digital marketplace orders but does nothing for phone calls. DirectOrders adds Voice AI that answers your phone, takes orders conversationally, and routes them into the same kitchen workflow.

No customer database from marketplace orders

Marketplace orders through Otter do not share customer contact information with you. DirectOrders captures every email and phone number from direct orders, building a database you own for repeat business.

No marketing tools for customer retention

Otter focuses on order flow, not customer relationships. DirectOrders adds SMS marketing, email campaigns, and loyalty tools to turn first-time direct customers into regulars.

Marketplace dependency stays high without a direct channel

Otter makes marketplace orders easier to manage but does not reduce your dependence on them. DirectOrders gives you a direct channel that, over time, shifts revenue toward commission-free orders.

By the numbers

  • Third-party marketplace delivery commissions typically range from 15 percent to 30 percent of order subtotal. Otter helps a restaurant manage marketplace order volume in one tablet, but the only way to actually reduce that commission cost is to shift volume to a direct channel.

    Source: U.S. House Small Business Committee report on online food delivery platforms

  • U.S. restaurant industry sales were forecast at roughly 1.1 trillion dollars in 2024, with off-premise revenue now a structural share of restaurant business. A meaningful share of that off-premise revenue is still flowing through marketplaces, which is exactly the volume a direct channel is built to recapture.

    Source: National Restaurant Association State of the Industry

Common questions about Otter + DirectOrders

Do I need to remove my marketplace apps to use DirectOrders with Otter?+

No. DirectOrders adds a new direct ordering channel alongside your existing marketplace connections. You can run both simultaneously.

How do direct orders appear on the Otter tablet?+

Direct orders placed through your DirectOrders website are sent to Otter and appear in the same order queue as your DoorDash, Uber Eats, and other marketplace orders.

Will I save money by routing orders through DirectOrders instead of marketplaces?+

Yes. Orders placed directly through your website carry no marketplace commissions, which typically range from 15% to 30% per order.

Can I use Otter for my own delivery drivers alongside DirectOrders?+

Otter aggregates orders from multiple sources. DirectOrders handles delivery fulfillment through Uber Direct, DoorDash Drive, or your own drivers. The two systems complement each other: Otter manages order flow, DirectOrders manages the customer-facing ordering experience.

How long does it take to connect DirectOrders with Otter?+

Setup is straightforward. Once your DirectOrders ordering page is live, the integration routes direct orders into your Otter tablet alongside marketplace orders. Most restaurants are fully connected within a day.

How does adding DirectOrders alongside Otter actually reduce my marketplace dependency?+

Otter consolidates DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub orders onto one tablet, which makes them easier to manage but does not reduce the 15 to 30 percent commission each marketplace takes. DirectOrders adds a commission-free direct channel that, over time, shifts customer demand toward your own ordering website. Many restaurants see a meaningful share of marketplace customers convert to direct after the direct channel is live, because the customer is already familiar with your menu and the direct experience is faster and cheaper for them. The Otter tablet still consolidates all incoming orders; the mix on it shifts from mostly marketplace to a healthier blend of marketplace and direct.

Keep reading

DirectOrders features

Other integrations

ToastCloverSquareEpson kitchen printer

Add a commission-free channel to your Otter setup

Book a demo and we will stand up your branded ordering site and Voice AI, then route direct orders into your existing Otter tablet. Your marketplace connections stay live.

Get a demo View pricing