# DirectOrders: Full Context

> Commission-free restaurant online ordering platform with 15+ channels, Voice AI, and same-day payouts.

Last updated: 2026-07-12

This file is the deep-context companion to https://www.directorders.com/llms.txt. It contains the complete catalog of DirectOrders pages, features, pricing, guides, tools, comparisons, integrations, and city coverage, with absolute URLs for citation.

## About

DirectOrders is a commission-free online ordering platform built for independent restaurants and small chains. Instead of paying 15% to 30% per order to delivery apps like DoorDash or Uber Eats, restaurants pay a flat monthly fee and keep 100% of their order revenue. The platform provides a branded website, 15+ ordering channels (including Voice AI phone ordering, ChatGPT, Instagram DM, and Google Business), same-day payouts, and full customer data ownership.

Founded in 2026 by Pankaj Avhad. Based in the United States. Available on Web, iOS, and Android.

Website: https://www.directorders.com
Twitter/X: https://x.com/DirectOrdersCom
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/directorders
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directordersofficial
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@directorders

## Pricing (Detailed)

- **Pro Plan**: $249/month founding rate ($449/month standard rate): the full omnichannel ordering platform with zero commission fees. Branded website with online ordering, 15+ ordering channels, same-day payouts, customer data ownership, POS sync (Toast, Square, Clover, Lightspeed, Revel), marketing tools, and delivery via your own drivers or Uber Direct and DoorDash Drive.
- **Pro + Voice Plan**: $349/month founding rate ($799/month standard rate): everything in Pro plus AI voice phone ordering with 500 Voice AI minutes included.
- Zero commission on every order, on every plan. Restaurants keep 100% of order revenue (standard card processing applies).
- No per-order fees. No annual contract. Cancel anytime.
- 14-day free trial. No card required to start.
- Go live in about 2 hours, or DirectOrders sets you up white-glove for free.
- Prices valid through 2026-12-31.

How this compares to third-party marketplaces: DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub charge 15% to 30% commission per order. At $20,000 per month in online orders, a 25% commission is $5,000 per month. DirectOrders replaces that percentage with a fixed monthly fee, so the savings grow as order volume grows.

Pricing page: https://www.directorders.com/pricing
Machine-readable pricing: https://www.directorders.com/pricing.md

## Features (Detailed)

Features hub: https://www.directorders.com/features

### Zero Commission Online Ordering
Take online orders for your restaurant, commission-free. Website, phone, Instagram, and Google orders land in one POS-synced dashboard with same-day payouts. Restaurants pay a flat monthly fee with no percentage taken from orders, so costs stay predictable regardless of order volume.

**Page**: https://www.directorders.com/features/ordering

### Branded Restaurant Website
Restaurant website builder with online ordering built in. SEO-optimized, mobile-first, ranks on Google, and recommended by AI search engines. Live in 2 hours with zero commission. Designed to convert visitors into direct orders.

**Page**: https://www.directorders.com/features/website

### Voice AI Phone Ordering
Voice AI answers every restaurant call 24/7 in 76+ languages, takes phone orders, handles modifications, and upsells, so no order is ever missed. It handles the full ordering flow (menu questions, customizations, payment) while staff focus on food. Included in the Pro + Voice plan with 500 minutes per month.

**Page**: https://www.directorders.com/features/voice-ai

### 15+ Ordering Channels
Be where your customers are. Take orders from the restaurant website, Instagram, WhatsApp, SMS, Google, ChatGPT, Voice AI, and more. All orders flow into one dashboard with zero commission.

**Page**: https://www.directorders.com/features/channels

### Menu Brain
AI-powered menu intelligence. Upload a menu in any format and AI adds calories, allergens, and dietary tags to every dish. Customers can type "something spicy under $15" and find it instantly, with smart search, nutrition information, allergen and dietary filtering, and personalized recommendations.

**Page**: https://www.directorders.com/features/menu-brain

### Delivery Integrations
Restaurant delivery software that auto-dispatches the cheapest driver across Uber Direct, DoorDash Drive, and the restaurant's own team. Zero commission, the restaurant's own brand, and no giving up customer data.

**Page**: https://www.directorders.com/features/delivery

### Discovery & AI Search Optimization
Get the restaurant recommended by Google, ChatGPT, and Perplexity: menu, photos, hours, and a direct order link. DirectOrders handles the technical setup, including structured data and AI search readiness.

**Page**: https://www.directorders.com/features/discovery

### Marketing Automation
Marketing automation for restaurants: email, SMS, push notifications, loyalty rewards, birthday campaigns, and abandoned cart recovery. Set once, runs forever, bringing customers back for repeat orders.

**Page**: https://www.directorders.com/features/marketing

### Same-Day Payouts
Same-day Stripe payouts: money in the restaurant's bank account the day customers pay, not 7 to 30 days later. Zero payout fees, zero commission.

**Page**: https://www.directorders.com/features/payouts

### Commission-Free Catering
Commission-free restaurant catering: a branded catering page, catering menu, quotes, and deposits today, plus net-30 house accounts, group ordering, and an AI catering concierge on the roadmap.

**Page**: https://www.directorders.com/features/catering

### Customer Data Ownership
Every order builds the restaurant's own customer database (names, emails, phone numbers, order history), not the platform's. Restaurants use that first-party data for remarketing, loyalty, and repeat orders.

**Page**: https://www.directorders.com/features/marketing

## Blog Posts (Complete Catalog)

Blog index: https://www.directorders.com/blog

- [Restaurant Industry Outlook 2027: 10 Forecasts From 80+ Sources](https://www.directorders.com/blog/restaurant-industry-outlook-2027): Ten dated forecasts for US restaurants in 2027, aggregated from 80+ sources: the NRA expects 4.8% sales growth, USDA forecasts restaurant prices up 2.6% vs 1.8% for groceries, and 13 states raise minimum wages.
- [Restaurant Customer Retention Statistics for 2027: 50+ Numbers](https://www.directorders.com/blog/restaurant-customer-retention-statistics): Sourced restaurant retention statistics: only 7 to 36 of every 100 first-time guests return in 2026 data, loyalty guests who reach a fourth visit return 95% of the time, and the 70%, 67%, and 25% to 95% claims are traced to their origins.
- [Restaurant Text Message Marketing Rules for 2027: TCPA, 10DLC](https://www.directorders.com/blog/restaurant-sms-marketing-rules): US rules for restaurant marketing texts: prior express written consent, 10DLC registration, the federal 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. window and stricter state hours, STOP honored within 10 business days, and TCPA damages of $500 to $1,500 per text.
- [In-House Delivery Cost vs Uber Direct and DoorDash Drive (2027)](https://www.directorders.com/blog/restaurant-in-house-delivery-cost): What in-house delivery really costs per order: in a 2027 California example an own driver costs $8 to $24 per order depending on deliveries per hour, while Uber Direct starts at $7.99 and DoorDash Drive at $6.99.
- [Which POS Systems Integrate With Online Ordering? 2027 Chart](https://www.directorders.com/blog/pos-online-ordering-integrations): A 2027 chart of 12 POS systems: all accept partner online orders, but only Square opens its API to any developer. Compares APIs, partner approval, and integration fees for Toast, Square, Clover, Lightspeed, and more.
- [Kitchen Order Tickets (KOT) in 2026: Stop Lost, Wrong, and Duplicate Orders](https://www.directorders.com/blog/restaurant-kitchen-ticket-workflow): Run kitchen order tickets (KOT) so nothing gets lost, remade twice, or cooked with a missed change: routing, KDS vs printer, fire times, outage drill, 9 launch tests.
- [Restaurant Opening Budget for 2026 and 2027: Costs, Cash, Timing](https://www.directorders.com/blog/restaurant-opening-budget): A restaurant opening budget that survives 2026 costs: setup, pre-opening, contingency, operating cash, landlord allowance timing, a 3-month cash model, and 2027 refresh rules.
- [How to Run a Restaurant Without Being There Every Shift (2026)](https://www.directorders.com/blog/run-restaurant-without-owner-every-shift): Run a restaurant without working every shift: audit your interruptions, give every task an owner and a backup, set decision limits, verify training, and step away in stages.
- [How to Choose a Restaurant Location: Rent, Research, 2027](https://www.directorders.com/blog/how-to-choose-restaurant-location): Choose a restaurant location with rent math, customer research, building and lease checks, and AI. Includes a practical checklist for planning a 2027 opening.
- [Toast Partner API Explained for Restaurant Owners (2026)](https://www.directorders.com/blog/toast-partner-api-restaurant-guide): What the Toast Partner API is, how partners create orders in Toast, what approval takes and costs, and how the DoorDash Toast integration really works.
- [ezCater Commission: What Restaurants Pay in 2026](https://www.directorders.com/blog/ezcater-commission-catering-fees): How much does ezCater charge restaurants? The reported 15% commission, 2.99% processing, ezDispatch and ezOrdering fees, plus the direct catering math.
- [Restaurant Food Cost Percentage: Formula & 2026 Benchmarks](https://www.directorders.com/blog/restaurant-food-cost-percentage): What is a good food cost percentage for a restaurant? The formula, how to cost a menu item step by step, and 2026 benchmarks by type, from pizza to steakhouse.
- [Commissary and Central Kitchen Guide for Restaurants (2026)](https://www.directorders.com/blog/commissary-central-kitchen-guide): What is a commissary food service system? Definition, central kitchen examples, cook-chill rules, 2026 rental costs, and when to centralize production.
- [Delivery App Commission Rates 2026: Every Platform Compared](https://www.directorders.com/blog/delivery-app-commission-rates-2026): How much does DoorDash charge restaurants? Every delivery app's 2026 commission rates, verified against vendor pricing pages, in one reference table.
- [Restaurant Marketing Automation: 5 Flows That Pay](https://www.directorders.com/blog/restaurant-marketing-automation-flows): Five trigger-based flows set once that drive repeat direct orders on autopilot: welcome, winback, birthday, abandoned cart, and review requests.
- [Restaurant Profit Margin Benchmarks (2026 Data Study)](https://www.directorders.com/blog/restaurant-profit-margin-benchmarks-2026): The 2026 benchmark study: net margin, prime cost, food and labor cost, and revenue per seat by segment, plus how a 30% commission collapses a thin margin toward zero.
- [Restaurant Phone Ordering System: 2026 Buyer Guide](https://www.directorders.com/blog/restaurant-phone-ordering-system-buyer-guide): Compare the 5 types of restaurant phone ordering systems by cost, coverage, and data ownership, then pick the right one with a missed-call cost model.
- [How to Track Your Restaurant's AI Search Visibility (2026): Tools, Manual Methods, and What to Measure](https://www.directorders.com/blog/track-restaurant-ai-search-visibility): 83% of restaurants are invisible in ChatGPT (Local Falcon, 2026). Here is the operator-grade playbook for measuring whether ChatGPT, Perplexity, AI Overviews, Claude, and Copilot actually cite your restaurant: 7 metrics, 13 query buckets, 12 tools, and a free GA4 setup that catches the 70% of AI traffic that hides as Direct.
- [Should You Mark Up Menu Prices on DoorDash and Uber Eats?](https://www.directorders.com/blog/delivery-app-menu-price-markup): DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub all allow it. Covering a 30% commission takes a 43% markup, and DoorDash ties markups to up to 37% fewer sales. Full math.
- [How to Take Online Orders for Your Restaurant (2026 Guide)](https://www.directorders.com/blog/how-to-take-online-orders-for-your-restaurant): The complete guide to restaurant online ordering: 5 methods compared, real costs, step-by-step setup, and how to keep 100% of your revenue instead of paying 15-30% to delivery apps.
- [Restaurant Failure Rate 2026: 17% Fail Year One, Not 90%](https://www.directorders.com/blog/restaurant-failure-rate): What percentage of restaurants fail? BLS data shows 14 to 17% close in year one, not 90%. See real survival statistics for years 1, 5, and 15.
- [4 Types of Food Service Systems Every Restaurant Should Know](https://www.directorders.com/blog/types-of-foodservice-systems): The 4 types of food service systems: conventional, commissary, ready-prepared, and assembly-serve, compared by cost, staffing, and profit margin.
- [FIFO vs LIFO for Restaurants: Which Method to Use and Why](https://www.directorders.com/blog/fifo-vs-lifo-restaurants): FIFO vs LIFO in a restaurant is two questions, not one: physical stock rotation in the kitchen (always FIFO, required by FDA Food Code) and inventory accounting for COGS and taxes (almost always FIFO too). Worked example, decision flow, and citations.
- [Restaurant POS System Cost 2026: Toast, Square, 5 More](https://www.directorders.com/blog/restaurant-pos-system-cost): How much does a restaurant POS system cost? $1,000 to $10,000+ in year one. 2026 pricing for Toast, Square, Clover, Lightspeed, SpotOn, and more.
- [What Is the 30/30/30 Rule for Restaurants? (2026 Math)](https://www.directorders.com/blog/30-30-30-rule-for-restaurants): The 30/30/30 rule for restaurants: 30% food, 30% labor, 30% overhead, 10% profit. NRA and BLS data show the real 2026 split is 33/34/27. Full P&L inside.
- [Restaurant Tech Stack 2026: What You Need and What It Costs](https://www.directorders.com/blog/restaurant-tech-stack): What technology does a restaurant need? All 13 layers of the restaurant tech stack, September 2026 prices for each, and what the full stack costs at three sizes.
- [How to Get More Direct Orders and Stop Losing Money to Third-Party Apps](https://www.directorders.com/blog/how-to-get-more-direct-orders-restaurant): A step-by-step playbook for restaurant owners to migrate customers from DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub to their own branded ordering site and keep them coming back.
- [PCI Compliance for Restaurants: What You Actually Have to Do](https://www.directorders.com/blog/pci-compliance-for-restaurants): Small restaurants are Level 4: one self-assessment a year, a scan in some setups. Find the SAQ for your terminal, POS and ordering page, and clear the fee.
- [Restaurant Online Ordering Trends for 2026 and 2027](https://www.directorders.com/blog/restaurant-ordering-delivery-trends-2026): Our 2026 online ordering predictions scored, plus the 2027 trends: Google Maps now takes Toast and Square orders, 74.9% of restaurants miss AI recommendations, and delivery app fees rose.
- [How to Use Data to Improve Your Restaurant Online Ordering](https://www.directorders.com/blog/data-improve-restaurant-online-ordering): Your ordering platform generates data every day. Here is how to actually read it, act on it, and turn numbers into more revenue, with sourced benchmarks for conversion, cart abandonment, and repeat-customer rate.
- [Restaurant Allergen Labeling Rules: What the Law Requires (2026)](https://www.directorders.com/blog/restaurant-allergen-menu-labeling-requirements): Do restaurants have to list allergens on the menu? What federal law, the FDA Food Code, state rules, and California SB 68 actually require, in plain English.
- [AI Tools for Restaurants: What They Do and What They Cost (2026)](https://www.directorders.com/blog/ai-tools-for-restaurants): AI tools restaurants use in 2026, by job: phone answering, scheduling, waste, reviews, bookkeeping. Verified prices, payback math, and a 30-day pilot plan.
- [DoorDash Error Charges: What They Are and How to Dispute Them](https://www.directorders.com/blog/doordash-error-charges-dispute): DoorDash charges 25% to 100% of a missing or wrong item plus tax and gives you 14 days to dispute; Uber Eats and Grubhub allow 30. Steps, evidence, and fixes.
- [Key Features of a Restaurant Inventory Management System](https://www.directorders.com/blog/restaurant-inventory-management-system-features): The inventory management features that actually matter for restaurants -from real-time tracking and auto-reorder alerts to recipe costing and auto-86'ing items when stock runs out.
- [Top Restaurant Delivery Software: Compare Your Options](https://www.directorders.com/blog/top-restaurant-delivery-software): An honest comparison of 7 delivery management platforms for restaurants -covering features, pricing, pros, cons, and which fits different operation sizes and styles.
- [Local SEO for Restaurants: Rank Higher and Get More Orders](https://www.directorders.com/blog/local-seo-for-restaurants): A practical guide to local SEO for restaurants. Optimize your Google Business Profile, rank for local keywords, manage reviews, and get found by AI search engines.
- [50 Restaurant Social Media Post Ideas (With a 30-Day Calendar)](https://www.directorders.com/blog/restaurant-social-media-post-ideas): 50 restaurant social media post ideas, doable with a phone, a 30-day calendar, what Instagram, TikTok and Google say they rank, and how posts become orders.
- [How to Create a Winning Restaurant Online Ordering Strategy](https://www.directorders.com/blog/restaurant-online-ordering-strategy): A complete framework for building an online ordering strategy that grows direct orders, reduces third-party dependency, and increases profit margins.
- [Pros and Cons of Food Delivery Services for Restaurants](https://www.directorders.com/blog/pros-cons-food-delivery-services): An honest look at whether DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub help or hurt your restaurant. When to use them, when to go direct.
- [Menu Engineering for Restaurants: Matrix, Math and Template](https://www.directorders.com/blog/restaurant-menu-engineering): Menu engineering sorts dishes into Stars, Plowhorses, Puzzles and Dogs by popularity and contribution margin. The 70% rule, a worked example and a template.
- [How to Increase Average Order Value at a Restaurant (2026)](https://www.directorders.com/blog/increase-restaurant-average-order-value): Average order value formula, where to find it in your POS, published benchmarks, and the upselling tactics that lift the check, plus a 30-day test plan.
- [12 Restaurant Email Templates You Can Send This Week](https://www.directorders.com/blog/restaurant-email-templates): 12 copy-and-paste restaurant email templates (welcome, win-back, birthday, catering, reviews) plus CAN-SPAM rules, 20 subject lines and a one-week plan.
- [How to Add an Order Button to Google, Instagram and Facebook](https://www.directorders.com/blog/add-order-button-google-instagram-facebook): Exact click paths to add your own ordering link on Google Business Profile, Instagram and Facebook, set it as preferred, and remove DoorDash or Grubhub links.
- [Restaurant Loyalty Programs: How to Build One That Works](https://www.directorders.com/blog/restaurant-loyalty-programs-guide): A practical guide to designing, launching, and measuring a restaurant loyalty program that actually drives repeat orders and increases customer lifetime value. Covers points, visit, tier, cashback, and subscription models plus a six-point evaluation framework.
- [How to Get Your Restaurant Recommended by ChatGPT (Step by Step)](https://www.directorders.com/blog/get-restaurant-recommended-by-chatgpt): How to get your restaurant recommended by ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI: what each reads, per its own docs, then 7 steps and a copy-ready JSON-LD block.
- [DoorDash Alternatives for Restaurants: 6 Options (2026)](https://www.directorders.com/blog/doordash-alternatives-for-restaurants): DoorDash takes 15% to 30% per order. Compare the 6 best DoorDash alternatives for restaurant owners with honest pricing and trade-offs for each.
- [ChowNow Pricing in 2026: Plans, Fees and What You Really Pay](https://www.directorders.com/blog/chownow-pricing-fees): ChowNow costs $229 to $449 a month plus a $119 to $499 setup fee and 2.95% + $0.29 processing. Every fee, delivery cost and all-in math at three volumes.
- [How Long Do DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub Take to Pay Restaurants?](https://www.directorders.com/blog/how-long-delivery-apps-take-to-pay-restaurants): DoorDash deposits Thursday for Monday to Sunday sales, or daily at no charge. Uber Eats deposits Mondays, daily for $1 a day. Grubhub up to twice a week.
- [Does DoorDash Share Customer Data With Restaurants? (2026)](https://www.directorders.com/blog/does-doordash-share-customer-data-with-restaurants): No. DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub keep marketplace customers' emails and phone numbers. What you see per order, which products share data, and the NYC law.
- [10 Best Online Ordering Systems for USA Restaurants in 2026](https://www.directorders.com/blog/best-online-ordering-systems-for-restaurants): DirectOrders ranks #1 among the best online ordering systems for USA restaurants in 2026, ahead of Toast, Owner.com, ChowNow, Square Online, Olo, and GloriaFood. Honest commission, channel, and AI feature comparison.
- [Hidden Costs of Zero Commission Ordering Platforms 2026](https://www.directorders.com/blog/hidden-cost-zero-commission-platforms): Owner.com, ChowNow, BentoBox, Toast, and Square advertise zero commission ordering. The real annual cost runs $4,200 to $40,000. Line-by-line math.
- [How to Remove Your Restaurant From DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub](https://www.directorders.com/blog/remove-restaurant-from-doordash): How to pause, remove, or cancel your restaurant on DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub: 7, 60, and 3-day notice rules, unauthorized listing laws, exit plan.
- [DirectOrders vs Owner.com: Full Comparison](https://www.directorders.com/blog/directorders-vs-owner-comparison): Side by side comparison of DirectOrders and Owner.com on pricing, customer fees, ordering channels, voice AI, payout speed, and contract terms. Sourced from each platform's published pricing page.
- [How to Take Phone Orders at a Restaurant: Script and Checklist](https://www.directorders.com/blog/how-to-take-phone-orders-restaurant): A restaurant phone order script, a training checklist for new staff, the safe way to take card payments by phone, and how to count the calls you miss.
- [Restaurant Marketing Trends 2026 and 2027: 5 Channels That Work](https://www.directorders.com/blog/restaurant-marketing-2026-trends): The 5 restaurant marketing channels that still work in 2027, scored against 2026: Google Business Profiles supply 45.2% of AI restaurant citations, and the rules for marketing texts changed again.
- [How to Switch From Toast POS: Contract, Data Export and Timeline](https://www.directorders.com/blog/how-to-switch-from-toast-pos): Leaving Toast POS: what the Merchant Agreement says about auto-renewal, notice and early termination fees, how to export data, and an 8-week cutover plan.

## Resource Guides

Resources hub: https://www.directorders.com/resources

- [Restaurant Online Ordering: The Complete Guide for 2026](https://www.directorders.com/resources/restaurant-online-ordering): Everything restaurant owners need to know about online ordering: marketplace vs direct, setup, costs, and how to maximize profit per order.
- [Build a Restaurant Website That Actually Drives Direct Orders](https://www.directorders.com/resources/restaurant-direct-ordering-website): How to create a restaurant website optimized for conversions, search rankings, and AI discovery, with practical advice for independent operators.
- [Restaurant Delivery Integrations: Own Drivers, Uber Direct, and DoorDash Drive Compared](https://www.directorders.com/resources/restaurant-delivery-integrations): A practical guide to delivery integration options: when to use your own drivers, when to use Uber Direct or DoorDash Drive, and how the costs compare.

- [AI Ordering for Restaurants: Voice AI, Chat, and Automated Discovery](https://www.directorders.com/resources/ai-ordering-for-restaurants): How AI is transforming restaurant ordering through voice assistants, chat-based ordering, intelligent upselling, and AI-powered discovery.
- [Online Ordering Setup Time: What to Expect and How to Launch Fast](https://www.directorders.com/resources/restaurant-online-ordering-setup-time): A realistic guide to setup timelines: what takes minutes, what takes hours, what causes delays, and a day-by-day launch plan.
- [Restaurant Customer Data Ownership: Why It Matters and How to Use It](https://www.directorders.com/resources/restaurant-customer-data-ownership): Why owning your customer data is the most important long-term asset in your restaurant business, and practical strategies to use it for repeat orders.

## Interactive Tools

Tools hub: https://www.directorders.com/tools

- [DoorDash Fee Calculator: True Cost Including Hidden Fees](https://www.directorders.com/tools/doordash-fee-calculator): Already on DoorDash? You are paying more than the commission rate. Add your marketing spend, tablet rental, sponsored-listing bids, free-delivery promotions, and refund absorption to see what DoorDash actually costs per order. Most owners discover the real effective rate is 28-35%, not the advertised 25-30%, once every line item is added.
- [Restaurant Commission Calculator: Compare All Delivery Apps](https://www.directorders.com/tools/commission-calculator): Compare DoorDash, UberEats, and Grubhub commission rates side by side against a zero-commission flat fee. Pick your restaurant size and see exactly how much each platform takes per order, per month, and per year, with a tier-by-tier breakdown of Basic, Plus, and Premier visibility plans plus a hybrid math model for restaurants running multiple platforms.
- [Restaurant Break-Even Calculator: Sales and Covers You Need](https://www.directorders.com/tools/break-even-calculator): Enter your fixed costs, variable cost percentages, delivery app mix and average check to find the monthly sales and orders a day you need to break even.
- [Direct Ordering Launch Checklist](https://www.directorders.com/tools/direct-ordering-launch-checklist): A phased checklist to launch direct ordering fast: from menu prep to go-live day to your first 100 orders. Covers every step most restaurants miss.
- [Menu Optimization Checklist](https://www.directorders.com/tools/menu-optimization-checklist): Optimize your digital menu for higher conversion and larger orders. Covers structure, naming, photos, pricing psychology, upsells, and common mistakes that kill AOV.
- [Restaurant SMS Templates: AI-Powered Marketing Playbook](https://www.directorders.com/tools/sms-order-pickup-template): 50+ copy-ready SMS templates for every customer moment: transactional, reorder nudges, birthdays, game day, weather triggers, new menu alerts, and AI-personalized campaigns with cadence rules.
- [Missed Call Revenue Calculator for Restaurants](https://www.directorders.com/tools/missed-call-revenue-calculator): See what unanswered phone orders cost your restaurant at peak and after hours, and how much AI voice ordering recovers 24/7 while you keep 100% direct.
- [Restaurant Automation Revenue Calculator](https://www.directorders.com/tools/restaurant-automation-revenue-calculator): Model the annual revenue winback, abandoned cart, and welcome flows recover for your restaurant, and see how much stays commission-free versus a marketplace 25% skim. Enter your orders, ticket, and lapsed guests for a live estimate.
- [Restaurant Survival Score Calculator](https://www.directorders.com/tools/restaurant-survival-score): Score your restaurant's 5-year survival odds from 0 to 100 across 8 controllable levers: prime cost, labor, direct vs marketplace revenue, repeat rate, cash runway, menu, reviews, and tech stack. See your single highest-impact fix.

## Competitor Comparisons

### DirectOrders vs DoorDash
DoorDash charges 15% to 30% commission on every order and owns the customer relationship. DirectOrders is a flat monthly fee with zero commission, and restaurants own all customer data.

**Page**: https://www.directorders.com/vs-doordash

### DirectOrders vs Uber Eats
Same commission model comparison as DoorDash. Uber Eats takes a cut of every order; DirectOrders does not.

**Page**: https://www.directorders.com/vs-ubereats

### DirectOrders vs Grubhub
Grubhub charges commissions and controls the customer experience. DirectOrders gives restaurants full control and data ownership.

**Page**: https://www.directorders.com/vs-grubhub

### DirectOrders vs Toast
Toast is primarily a POS system with added online ordering. DirectOrders is purpose-built for direct ordering with 15+ channels and AI features. They can work together.

**Page**: https://www.directorders.com/vs-toast

### DirectOrders vs Owner.com
Both focus on direct ordering. DirectOrders differentiates with 15+ channels, Voice AI, Menu Brain, and transparent flat pricing.

**Page**: https://www.directorders.com/vs-owner

### DirectOrders vs ChowNow
ChowNow pioneered commission-free ordering. DirectOrders compares with zero transaction fees, 15+ channels, and AI features that ChowNow lacks.

**Page**: https://www.directorders.com/vs-chownow

## POS & Platform Integrations

DirectOrders works alongside existing POS systems and kitchen hardware. Restaurants keep their current in-store setup while routing online, phone, and AI orders through DirectOrders. Each page below explains how DirectOrders fits with that vendor.

Integrations hub: https://www.directorders.com/integrations

- [Toast](https://www.directorders.com/integrations/toast): Run direct online ordering alongside Toast POS.
- [Square](https://www.directorders.com/integrations/square): Add commission-free direct ordering while continuing to use Square in-store.
- [Clover](https://www.directorders.com/integrations/clover): Connect Clover POS operations with commission-free online ordering.
- [Lightspeed (formerly Upserve)](https://www.directorders.com/integrations/lightspeed): Run Lightspeed Restaurant in-store with direct ordering channels on top.
- [Revel](https://www.directorders.com/integrations/revel): Use Revel POS alongside DirectOrders.
- [SpotOn](https://www.directorders.com/integrations/spoton): How DirectOrders fits SpotOn family POS deployments.
- [TouchBistro](https://www.directorders.com/integrations/touchbistro): Direct ordering for TouchBistro restaurants.
- [NCR Aloha](https://www.directorders.com/integrations/ncr-aloha): Direct ordering alongside NCR Aloha installations.
- [Micros (Oracle)](https://www.directorders.com/integrations/micros): Direct ordering alongside Oracle MICROS systems.
- [Aldelo](https://www.directorders.com/integrations/aldelo): Direct ordering for Aldelo POS restaurants.
- [Lavu](https://www.directorders.com/integrations/lavu): Direct ordering for Lavu iPad POS restaurants.
- [Heartland](https://www.directorders.com/integrations/heartland): Direct ordering alongside Heartland POS.
- [Otter](https://www.directorders.com/integrations/otter): How DirectOrders compares with and fits alongside Otter order aggregation.
- [Epson (Kitchen Printer)](https://www.directorders.com/integrations/epson): Online and Voice AI orders print on the same Epson thermal kitchen tickets you already use.

## City Coverage

DirectOrders serves restaurants in 300+ US cities. City guides with local market data, commission math, and delivery economics are published progressively. Current featured cities:

- [San Francisco, CA](https://www.directorders.com/locations/san-francisco-ca)
- [Oakland, CA](https://www.directorders.com/locations/oakland-ca)
- [Los Angeles, CA](https://www.directorders.com/locations/los-angeles-ca)
- [San Diego, CA](https://www.directorders.com/locations/san-diego-ca)
- [San Jose, CA](https://www.directorders.com/locations/san-jose-ca)
- [Chula Vista, CA](https://www.directorders.com/locations/chula-vista-ca)
- [Torrance, CA](https://www.directorders.com/locations/torrance-ca)
- [New York, NY](https://www.directorders.com/locations/new-york-ny)
- [Chicago, IL](https://www.directorders.com/locations/chicago-il)
- [Houston, TX](https://www.directorders.com/locations/houston-tx)
- [San Antonio, TX](https://www.directorders.com/locations/san-antonio-tx)
- [Dallas, TX](https://www.directorders.com/locations/dallas-tx)
- [Fort Worth, TX](https://www.directorders.com/locations/fort-worth-tx)
- [Austin, TX](https://www.directorders.com/locations/austin-tx)
- [Arlington, TX](https://www.directorders.com/locations/arlington-tx)
- [Allen, TX](https://www.directorders.com/locations/allen-tx)
- [Round Rock, TX](https://www.directorders.com/locations/round-rock-tx)
- [Phoenix, AZ](https://www.directorders.com/locations/phoenix-az)
- [Glendale, AZ](https://www.directorders.com/locations/glendale-az)
- [Surprise, AZ](https://www.directorders.com/locations/surprise-az)
- [Seattle, WA](https://www.directorders.com/locations/seattle-wa)
- [Denver, CO](https://www.directorders.com/locations/denver-co)
- [Nashville, TN](https://www.directorders.com/locations/nashville-tn)
- [Charlotte, NC](https://www.directorders.com/locations/charlotte-nc)
- [Columbus, OH](https://www.directorders.com/locations/columbus-oh)
- [Indianapolis, IN](https://www.directorders.com/locations/indianapolis-in)
- [Jacksonville, FL](https://www.directorders.com/locations/jacksonville-fl)
- [Hollywood, FL](https://www.directorders.com/locations/hollywood-fl)
- [Sterling Heights, MI](https://www.directorders.com/locations/sterling-heights-mi)
- [Hillsboro, OR](https://www.directorders.com/locations/hillsboro-or)
- [Layton, UT](https://www.directorders.com/locations/layton-ut)
- [Fargo, ND](https://www.directorders.com/locations/fargo-nd)
- [Hartford, CT](https://www.directorders.com/locations/hartford-ct)
- [Las Cruces, NM](https://www.directorders.com/locations/las-cruces-nm)

All locations: https://www.directorders.com/locations

## Machine-Readable Resources

- [Pricing (Markdown)](https://www.directorders.com/pricing.md)
- [llms.txt (Summary)](https://www.directorders.com/llms.txt)

## FAQ

### What is DirectOrders?
DirectOrders is a commission-free restaurant online ordering platform. Restaurants get a branded website, 15+ ordering channels, Voice AI phone ordering, and same-day payouts: all for a flat monthly fee with zero per-order commissions.

### How is DirectOrders different from DoorDash or Uber Eats?
DoorDash and Uber Eats charge 15% to 30% commission on every order and own the customer relationship. DirectOrders charges a flat monthly fee, so restaurants keep 100% of order revenue and own all customer data.

### What are direct orders?
Direct orders are orders placed through a restaurant's own website or channels rather than through third-party delivery apps. The restaurant owns the customer relationship, the data, and keeps more profit on every transaction.

### Does DirectOrders handle delivery?
Yes. Restaurants can use their own drivers, or DirectOrders integrates with Uber Direct and DoorDash Drive for on-demand delivery without marketplace commissions.

### What is Voice AI phone ordering?
DirectOrders' Voice AI answers restaurant phone calls and takes orders automatically using conversational AI. It handles the full ordering flow so staff can focus on the kitchen.

### What is Menu Brain?
Menu Brain is DirectOrders' AI-powered menu system that provides smart search, nutrition information, allergen filtering, and personalized recommendations to help customers find what they want faster.

### How fast can a restaurant launch?
Most restaurants can go live with DirectOrders in 2 hours with a full menu and checkout flow.

### Does DirectOrders work with my existing POS?
Yes. DirectOrders integrates with Toast, Square, Clover, Lightspeed, and Revel. You can keep your existing POS for in-store operations while routing online orders through DirectOrders.

### How do same-day payouts work?
Instead of waiting days or weeks for payment, DirectOrders deposits order revenue into the restaurant's bank account the same day the orders are placed.

### Who is DirectOrders for?
DirectOrders is built for independent restaurants and small chains that want to reduce dependency on third-party delivery apps, own their customer data, and keep more profit from every order.

### What is AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)?
AEO is structuring your content so AI assistants like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews can recommend your restaurant when customers ask questions like "best Italian near me."

### How much does online ordering cost for restaurants?
Pricing varies by platform. DirectOrders uses a flat monthly fee ($249/month founding rate for Pro, $349/month founding rate for Pro + Voice) with zero commissions, so restaurants keep more profit compared to marketplaces that charge 15% to 30% per order.

### Do customers prefer ordering direct?
Yes. Most customers prefer direct ordering when prices are transparent and there are no surprise fees at checkout. Direct ordering also allows restaurants to offer loyalty rewards and personalized experiences.

## Contact

- Sales: https://www.directorders.com/demo
- Support: https://www.directorders.com/contact
- Website: https://www.directorders.com