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POS Integration (iPad, multi-location)

Revel + DirectOrders

Revel is an iPad POS built for QSR chains and franchises, with one of the largest REST APIs in the category. Keep Revel for in-store and tableside across every location, and run a single, branded, commission-free direct ordering channel with Voice AI and courier-cost delivery on top, configured per location from one dashboard.

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One DirectOrders dashboard

Location 1

Revel iPad POS + DirectOrders direct channel

Location 2

Revel iPad POS + DirectOrders direct channel

Location 3

Revel iPad POS + DirectOrders direct channel

Location N

Revel iPad POS + DirectOrders direct channel

Delivery zones, hours, prep times, and Voice AI are configured per establishment, while ownership of the customer database and the direct ordering brand stays centralized across the whole group.

Why Revel chains add DirectOrders

  • Keep Revel Systems for in-store POS, kiosk ordering, KDS, and multi-location reporting
  • Launch a branded online ordering website with zero per-order commissions
  • Build a first-party customer database with emails and phone numbers from every direct order
  • Offer delivery through Uber Direct and DoorDash Drive without paying marketplace commissions
  • Scale direct ordering across multiple locations from a single DirectOrders dashboard

The Revel Open API

Roughly 140 REST resources, and the ones that matter

Revel publishes its Open API at developer.revelsystems.com. Responses are JSON, auth is an API key and secret, and each merchant has its own revelup.com endpoint. These are the resources a restaurant ordering integration leans on.

Order / OrderAllInOne

Read and create full orders, including the all-in-one create call.

DirectOrders: Roadmap: push direct and Voice AI orders into Revel per establishment.

Product

Read the product catalog that backs each location's menu.

DirectOrders: Speeds menu import across every location from one dashboard.

OrderHistory

Pull historical orders for reporting.

DirectOrders: Keeps direct-channel reporting reconciled with Revel.

Payment

Record payments and tenders against an order.

DirectOrders: Tenders stay consistent between channels.

API key + secret

Auth via the API-AUTHENTICATION header (key:secret), not OAuth.

DirectOrders: DirectOrders authenticates per establishment. Keys are powerful, so scope is handled carefully.

revelup.com endpoint

Each merchant calls its own https://[subdomain].revelup.com/resources/.

DirectOrders: Per-establishment routing maps cleanly to a multi-location group.

Today DirectOrders runs alongside Revel as a separate channel, menu imported once, tickets printing to your Epson at each location. The API sync above is the build target.

Limitations to know

API keys, not granular OAuth

Revel authenticates with an API key and secret rather than per-scope OAuth. That is powerful but blunt, so the connection is treated with care and least privilege.

Enterprise configuration depth

Revel is built for chains, so establishments, menus, and tax setup are configured per location. A direct ordering rollout is coordinated location by location from a central dashboard.

Native online ordering and processing

Revel's own online ordering carries per-order economics, and Revel is now part of Shift4, so in-store processing is tied to that relationship. DirectOrders runs its own gateway for the direct channel.

Step by step

Rolling DirectOrders out across a Revel group

Most Revel restaurant groups pilot DirectOrders at one or two locations in 7 to 14 days, then roll out across the footprint. Keep Revel for in-store POS, kiosks, KDS, and multi-location reporting. Import your menu into DirectOrders. Configure delivery, Voice AI, and your branded ordering domain per location. Route kitchen printing to each location's existing Epson printer. There is no Revel firmware change, no Revel kiosk change, and no KDS change.

  1. 1

    Keep Revel in place for in-store POS, kiosks, and KDS

    Each location's Revel iPad terminals, self-order kiosks, kitchen display screens, and multi-location reporting all stay exactly as configured. None of the in-store experience changes.

  2. 2

    Import your Revel menu into DirectOrders

    The DirectOrders team imports your existing Revel menu (categories, modifier groups, prices, photos) into the DirectOrders dashboard, with per-location variation where it exists. Chain-wide menus can be configured once and inherited per location.

  3. 3

    Configure per-location delivery, hours, and Voice AI

    Each location gets its own delivery zones, pickup hours, prep times, and tip configuration. Turn on Uber Direct or DoorDash Drive per location. Activate Voice AI on each location's phone number.

  4. 4

    Point ordering domains at DirectOrders

    Centralize the chain brand at one ordering domain with per-location routing, or point per-location subdomains at DirectOrders. The DirectOrders team configures whichever shape fits your brand architecture.

  5. 5

    Wire DirectOrders to each location's Epson kitchen printer

    DirectOrders connects over each location's local network to its existing Epson printer. Online and Voice AI orders print on the same thermal tickets the kitchen already uses for Revel tickets at that location.

  6. 6

    Pilot, then roll out across the footprint

    Most groups pilot one or two locations for the first two to four weeks before rolling out across the rest of the footprint. The centralized DirectOrders dashboard makes the roll-out a configuration exercise per location, not a re-platforming exercise.

Typical go-live: Pilot locations go live in 7 to 14 days. Multi-location roll-out typically completes in 30 to 60 days from kickoff depending on footprint size, with no Revel POS change required at any location.

Revel native online ordering vs DirectOrders

This table compares Revel's native online ordering against running DirectOrders as your direct ordering channel alongside a Revel iPad POS deployment. Revel terminals, kiosks, KDS, and multi-location reporting stay unchanged in either case.

DimensionRevel native online orderingDirectOrders
Pricing modelPer-terminal POS pricing that scales with each location and deviceFlat monthly subscription for the direct ordering channel that does not scale per device, plus standard card processing on the DirectOrders gateway
Branded ordering pageRevel-hosted experience with limited per-brand customizationFully branded on your own domain, your photos, your menu structure, your reorder flow, with per-location pages under one chain brand
Multi-location customer databaseLives in each location's Revel account, harder to centralize across the chainChain-wide first-party database owned by the restaurant group, exportable, usable in SMS, email, and loyalty tools
Phone order channelNo Voice AIVoice AI answers calls 24 by 7 across the entire footprint, takes orders conversationally, prints tickets per location
Ordering channels beyond a websiteSingle endpoint per location15+ channels including Google Search and Maps, Instagram, WhatsApp, Apple Maps, ChatGPT search, and SMS, configured centrally
Delivery fulfillmentThird-party integrations for courier dispatchUber Direct and DoorDash Drive integrated at courier cost, configured per-location from the central dashboard
Kiosk and KDS impactNative to Revel; the in-store experience stays in RevelDoes not touch Revel kiosks or KDS. Kiosks stay on Revel, KDS keeps routing in-store tickets, DirectOrders only handles online and Voice AI phone channels
Payout timing on online ordersFollows Revel's standard payment processor scheduleSame-day payouts available so direct online order revenue is not stuck in a deposit queue

What Revel actually is, and why franchise groups use it

Revel Systems launched in 2010 with an iPad-based restaurant POS aimed at the quick-service, fast-casual, and multi-location segments. The product was an early answer to legacy NCR Aloha and Micros deployments in chain restaurants, and it found a real customer base among growing restaurant groups that wanted iPad simplicity with enterprise reporting. Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe acquired Revel in 2019, and the company has continued to focus on the multi-location and franchise segment.

On the hardware side, Revel pairs iPad terminals with self-order kiosks (Revel was an early entrant in restaurant-grade kiosk), kitchen display screens, mobile POS for line busting and tableside, and an integrated payment processor. On the software side, Revel offers advanced inventory management, labor scheduling, multi-location reporting, menu engineering, and a native online ordering module.

Revel's strengths show up at scale. Multi-location reporting is real (not just per-location dashboards stitched together). Inventory management is robust. The kiosk experience is mature. For a franchise group adding stores or a fast-casual concept rolling out a national footprint, Revel is a credible choice.

Where Revel's online ordering hits its ceiling for multi-location growth

Revel's native online ordering is designed as an extension of the POS, not as a standalone direct ordering brand. For a chain that wants a simple takeout page tied to each location's Revel menu, it works. But it does not give the multi-location group the kind of centralized direct ordering experience that competes with national QSR brands.

The storefront is a Revel-hosted experience with limited per-brand customization. Voice AI for phone orders is not part of Revel's product line. Native distribution to Google, Instagram, WhatsApp, and ChatGPT search is not included. The customer database from online orders lives inside each location's Revel account, which makes it harder to centralize a chain-wide customer view. Delivery fulfillment depends on third-party integrations rather than native Uber Direct or DoorDash Drive dispatch with centralized control.

On the economics side, Revel's per-terminal pricing model scales with each location and device. That is logical for the POS side, but it pushes operators toward a flat-rate alternative on the direct ordering side as the chain grows.

How DirectOrders fits across a Revel multi-location footprint

DirectOrders does not modify Revel. The iPad terminals continue to run dine-in and counter ordering. The Revel self-order kiosk experience stays in place for in-store customers. The Revel KDS continues to route kitchen tickets for in-store orders. The Revel processor continues to handle card-present payments.

Alongside Revel, DirectOrders runs the centralized direct online ordering channel across all locations. Each location gets its own branded ordering page with location-specific menu, delivery zones, and hours, all managed from a single DirectOrders dashboard. Voice AI handles phone orders across the footprint. Uber Direct and DoorDash Drive deliver at courier cost. Online orders print on the same Epson kitchen printers each location already uses for Revel tickets, so back of house workflow is unified per location.

For franchise groups, this is the pattern that keeps the iPad POS, kiosk, and KDS experience identical at every store while standardizing the direct online channel under one chain-wide brand and one customer database.

What Revel does not do, and DirectOrders does

Revel's online ordering is limited for direct growth

Revel offers online ordering capabilities, but they are designed as extensions of the POS, not as a standalone direct ordering brand. DirectOrders gives you a fully branded website focused on converting online visitors into repeat customers.

Per-terminal pricing adds up at scale

Revel charges per-terminal fees that grow with each location and device. DirectOrders adds online ordering with a flat subscription that does not increase per device, making it cost-effective for multi-location groups.

No Voice AI for phone orders

Revel has no AI phone answering. DirectOrders adds Voice AI that handles calls across all your locations, takes orders conversationally, and captures revenue your front desk would miss during busy service.

Limited ordering beyond Revel's own channel

Revel's online ordering is a single endpoint. DirectOrders distributes your menu across 15+ channels: Google, Instagram, WhatsApp, Apple Maps, SMS, and more, bringing orders from where customers already are.

Delivery orchestration not built in

Revel does not include delivery driver dispatch. DirectOrders integrates Uber Direct and DoorDash Drive so franchise and multi-location groups can offer delivery without building a fleet or paying marketplace commissions.

Customer data stays inside Revel's platform

Online order data is locked within Revel. DirectOrders builds a separate customer database with emails, phone numbers, and order history that you own, export, and use for direct marketing across all locations.

By the numbers

  • Revel Systems was acquired by Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe (WCAS), one of the largest private equity firms in U.S. healthcare and technology, in 2019. That ownership structure has anchored Revel's continued focus on multi-location and franchise restaurant groups.

    Source: Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe portfolio

  • Franchise restaurants account for a substantial share of U.S. restaurant sales, and the International Franchise Association forecasts continued growth in franchise units. Multi-location and franchise groups are the segment where the gap between a per-terminal POS economics model and a flat-rate direct ordering economics model becomes most visible.

    Source: International Franchise Association Economic Outlook

  • Third-party marketplace delivery commissions typically range from 15 percent to 30 percent of order subtotal. For multi-location Revel groups doing meaningful delivery volume, the chain-wide impact of routing volume to a direct channel is substantial.

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

  • Revel publishes its restaurant product family (iPad POS, kiosk, KDS, mobile, multi-location reporting) on its official site, along with industry pages for quick-service, fast-casual, and pizza.

    Source: Revel Systems official product pages

Common questions

Does DirectOrders replace Revel Systems?+

No. DirectOrders adds a direct online ordering channel that operates alongside your Revel Systems POS. Your iPads, kiosks, KDS screens, and in-store workflows remain completely unchanged. DirectOrders handles the online ordering channel independently.

We have multiple locations on Revel. Can DirectOrders support all of them?+

Yes. DirectOrders supports multi-location restaurant groups. Each location can have its own menu, hours, delivery zones, and ordering page, all managed from a centralized dashboard. This mirrors the multi-location management approach you are used to with Revel.

Can DirectOrders work with our Revel kiosk setup?+

DirectOrders does not interact with Revel kiosks directly. Kiosks continue to operate through Revel for in-store self-ordering. DirectOrders handles the online and phone ordering channels separately, giving you a dedicated direct ordering experience for off-premise customers.

How do online orders reach our kitchen?+

DirectOrders sends order notifications through its dashboard and can route orders to your existing Epson kitchen printer. Online orders print on the same thermal tickets your kitchen already uses for Revel dine-in and kiosk orders, keeping the workflow consistent.

Is there a long-term contract required?+

No. DirectOrders does not require long-term contracts. You can start with a flat monthly subscription and cancel if it is not the right fit, which is important for restaurant groups that want to test direct ordering across one location before committing across an entire franchise footprint.

How does DirectOrders compare to Revel's native online ordering on per-order economics?+

Revel charges per-terminal POS pricing that scales with each location and device, and Revel's online ordering capabilities are designed as POS extensions. DirectOrders uses a flat monthly subscription that does not scale per device, plus standard card processing on the DirectOrders gateway with zero per-order commission. For multi-location and franchise groups, the flat subscription shape becomes meaningful at scale.

What is the typical go-live timeline for a Revel restaurant group?+

Single Revel locations are live on DirectOrders in 7 to 14 days. Multi-location groups typically pilot one or two locations first (same 7 to 14 day timeline) and then roll out across the rest of the footprint. The DirectOrders dashboard centralizes menus, delivery zones, and reporting across all locations, while each location's Revel POS continues to run independently.

Keep reading

DirectOrders features

Other POS integrations

NCR AlohaMICROSToastEpson kitchen printer

Roll direct ordering across your Revel locations

Book a demo and we will map your establishments, import menus, and configure Voice AI and delivery per location. Your Revel iPads stay exactly as they are.

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