5 Best POS Equipped With Drive-Through Ordering Systems

Revel Systems Drive-Through System Features

Revel Systems is an excellent POS software and hardware provider with the following drive-through lane features:

• Offline mode so outdoor systems will work whether there’s WiFi or not
• Order display that can be placed outside in drive-through lanes in the form of an iPad or television
• Two-way video chat between customers and servers
• Order items show up on outdoor ordering systems outside while customers order
• Servers have the option to enter customer names, vehicles, and phone numbers
• Items are automatically sent to designated kitchen display systems
• Customers can pay without servers ever leaving the drive-through ordering queue
• Drive-through ordering queue separate from in-person and takeout orders
• Integration with Delphi Display Systems, which offers drive-through timers, drive-through headsets, digital menu boards, and more
• Automatically or manually update digital menus/signage boards to reflect the latest menu offerings and promotions

Revel Systems POS Pricing

Revel Systems advertises a $99/month plan for merchants, which requires you to sign a three-year contract with the POS provider, use the company’s in-house payment processing system (Revel Advantage), and use a minimum of two terminals. The bare minimum pricing becomes $198/month (two terminals at $99/month each).

Since you’ll likely have more than two terminals at your drive-through restaurant, you’ll be paying more than $198 per month.

If you decide against signing this contract, you’ll have to contact Revel for a custom quote.

There’s also a one-time implementation fee, which starts at $674. Make sure to ask about implementing drive-through integrations with Delphi Display Systems.

Hardware Cost

Revel Systems is iPad-based. You can purchase iPads to use as registers, kitchen display systems, order display systems (to place outdoors in drive-through lanes), and self-serve kiosks indoors.

The company offers Revel-compatible card readers, iPad stands, printers, routers, access points, and more. Revel does not disclose pricing online, so you’ll have to contact a representative for a quote.

In some cases, you can bring your own hardware accessories. For example, if you have an Epsom kitchen printer or Verifone card reader, you may be able to add it to your POS setup.

Payment Processing

Revel advertises that its in-house payment processing system, Revel Advantage (backed by Worldpay), offers the lowest flat-rate payment processing for business owners. You have to complete a request form, fill out business information on an order form, and get a custom payment processing rate.

In general, the more transactions you process, and the less “risky” your business is, the lower your payment processing rates will be.

You can also integrate Revel with a number of third-party payment processing providers, such as Heartland, TSYS, Elavon, and Chase Merchant Services (formerly Chase Paymentech).

Contract Requirements/Warnings

Be wary of Revel’s contract length and lack of transparency in terms of pricing and payment processing fees. Make sure to read your merchant agreement carefully before signing anything.

Also, try to negotiate some form of a free trial or month-to-month pricing before making a long-term commitment, and shop around for payment processing rates to get a sense of what a fair rate for your business looks like.

Where Revel Systems Really Shines For Drive-Through Restaurants

Revel Systems offers a fully connected POS ordering, checkout, and kitchen order display screen solution so that no orders ever get lost in the shuffle. This is very important for fast-paced restaurants taking orders from multiple customer touchpoints. Servers will also appreciate the two-way ordering chat, the ability to write down a customer’s name and vehicle information, and the ability to take orders and payments without leaving the ordering screen.

Revel’s POS integrations with digital menu and signage boards, drive-through headsets, and drive-through timers will also help restaurants with drive-through lanes run smoothly and efficiently.

Toast Drive-Through System Features

Toast is an all-around excellent POS system for restaurants, but large restaurants with drive-through/pickup options will appreciate these features the most:

• Loyalty program that syncs with payment methods, so drivers can earn points without having to pull out a physical loyalty card
• Durable Android-based handheld POS systems to take curbside orders
• Online ordering for curbside pickup
• Self-ordering restaurant kiosks and contactless QR code ordering, so users can order from their car or indoors and get their order brought out to their cars
• Order routing to specific kitchen display systems
• Automated and manual menu item syncing between locations
• Menu item performance reports across locations
• Integrations with digital signage board software
• Invoice generator
• Excellent floor planning to manage drive-through, takeout, and dine-in options

Toast Drive-Through POS Pricing

Toast advertises the following monthly software pricing plans:

• Starter: $0/month (higher payment processing fees account for this “pay-as-you-go” plan)
• Standard: $69/month (one location, two POS system maximum for this pricing)
• Essentials: $165/month
• Custom: Custom pricing

The most notable Toast POS paid add-ons include gift cards, a loyalty program, and an online ordering platform. Pricing for these features will vary depending on your monthly software plan level.

Hardware Cost

Toast POS software only works with proprietary Toast hardware, so you have to purchase all new hardware.

The only hardware pricing that Toast openly advertises is its Starter Kit, which only includes one to two handheld or countertop POS terminals.

The Starter Kit is available only on the Starter and Standard plans and doesn’t allow for the number of devices a drive-through restaurant needs, so it’s probably best to sign up for at least the Essentials plan and get a custom hardware quote.

Payment Processing

You can only use Toast as your payment processing provider. If you own a larger or multi-location drive-through restaurant business, you’ll get a custom payment processing quote from Toast.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

Contracts with Toast are set for at least two years, with huge early termination fees if you decide to cancel your contract early. Also, the price of Toast software increases with every new contract term. You have to buy Toast hardware and can’t do anything with it if you decide to use another restaurant POS provider.

Essentially, Toast POS is a huge investment that you shouldn’t take lightly.

Keep this in mind before signing on with Toast, and make sure to negotiate the best payment processing rate for your business.

Where Toast Really Shines For Drive-Through Restaurants

Toast offers highly durable, versatile restaurant-grade hardware and flexible software so that servers, cooks, and managers in large restaurants can easily take care of customers and behind-the-scenes operations. With Toast, you can offer customers several ways to skip the line. This includes online ordering for pickup, drive-up self-ordering options, and curbside ordering with a server stationed outside with a handheld POS.

The POS also has great features to accommodate dine-in customers, making Toast a great option for versatile, sit-down/fast casual restaurants that offer takeout and drive-through options.

talech Drive-Through System Features

talech is an affordable POS system that offers some of the best drive-through/curbside order pickup features, including:

• Online ordering platform and QR code ordering for pickup and delivery
• Contactless order status tracking and notifications
• Customers can alert servers that they’ve arrived with the “I’m here” button in order confirmation emails
• Customers get a collection code so servers can identify their order
• Purchase ordering and inventory alerts
• Convert registers to self-service kiosks
• Purchase ordering and inventory alerts
• Meal combos and BOGO deals
• Kitchen printers and kitchen display system integrations

talech Drive-Through POS Pricing

talech offers monthly subscriptions ranging from $0 to $99/month (includes one terminal.) Drive-through restaurant owners should opt for the $99/month Premium plan, and add as many devices as they need at an extra $29/device/month.

talech does not charge extra for features like an online ordering platform, loyalty program, or gift cards on the Premium plan, making it a relatively straightforward and affordable POS solution for restaurant owners.

Hardware Cost

talech has partnered with several hardware providers to offer restaurant business owners the freedom to choose what works for them. You may use iPad-based or Android-based hardware for your register setups. There are countertop and handheld POS systems available.

You may choose from providers such as Ingenio, Moby, and Epson for card readers and other peripheral hardware.

You can source your hardware on your own, being mindful of compatibility and warranty information, or purchase it directly from talech.

Payment Processing

talech also offers many payment processing options from providers such as Global Payments, Chase Merchant Services, Elavon, Bank Of America Merchant Services, and Worldpay.

With the freedom to choose your own payment processor, you can get the best payment processing rates.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

talech contracts are refreshingly straightforward compared to many other restaurant POS providers on this list.

You may sign up for a monthly or yearly talech contract, with no cancellation fees or refunds if you choose to stop using talech software. If you reactivate a canceled contract, you will be charged a reactivation fee.

Sign up for a monthly contract before dedicating yourself to an annual one.

Where talech Really Shines For Drive-Through Restaurants

talech is a highly affordable option for drive-through restaurants, as owners can get an online ordering platform, loyalty program, digital/physical gift card program, and employee management features for $99/month. POS hardware is also affordable and you have the freedom to choose whether you want to work with Android or iPad-based devices.

One of the best features of talech is its excellent online ordering for pickup system. Customers can easily order for your branded website and get an email confirmation with status updates. They can alert servers that they’ve arrived and servers can carry orders out. Customers can show their order confirmation number before driving away, which will ensure they have the right order (and you’re not paying to correct mistakes).

Lavu Drive-Through System Features

Lavu offers the following features for drive-through restaurants:

• Offline ordering and payments mode
• Self-serve kiosks for takeout orders
• Quick-serve mode to take orders faster
• Automated drive-through order firing to Lavu KDS
• Online and QR code ordering to take contactless orders
• Nutritional information on menu items

With Lavu’s numerous integration partners, you can set up more restaurant features, such as:

• Digital menu boards
• Purchase ordering, stock taking, and perishable inventory tracking
• Text-to-pay/park-to-pay (great for curbside ordering)
• Customer ordering that includes a “pay at the drive-through window” option

Lavu Drive-Through POS Pricing

Lavu offers three subscription plans, all of which include one terminal:

• Starter: $79/month
• Growth: $149/month
• Optimize: $299/month

Note: You get a $10/month discount if you use Lavu’s in-house payment processor, Lavu Pay.

You can also start with the lowest-level plan and only add on the features you need. For example, you can add on:

• Additional Terminals: $30/month/device
• Self-Service Kiosk: $50/month
• Online Ordering: $99/month (included free on Growth and Optimize plans)
• Open API Access: $30/month

Hardware Cost

Lavu software is iPad-based, so you can purchase any compatible iPad to start taking orders.

Card readers cost $59, and KDS screens range from $729 to $2,799.

Lavu also offers a $259 iPad case with an optional hand strap available, so servers can take POS devices outside and take curbside orders.

Payment Processing

Lavu integrates with several payment processors, including in-house processor LavuPay as well as PayPal, Square, Moneris, and Heartland.

While you are charged more every month to use an external payment processor, you might get better payment processing rates from a provider other than Lavu Pay. Shop around to find the best payment processing rates and you’ll save in the long run.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

Users have reported that Lavu sales representatives attempt to lure potential customers into long-term contracts and equipment leases.

It’s best to buy your POS hardware outright or finance equipment so you don’t get stuck paying a lot of interest or risk your hardware being taken away if you decide to cancel a software subscription.

In general, carefully read through any merchant agreement terms, take advantage of free trials, and consider signing up for a month-to-month contract before committing for the long run.

Where Lavu Really Shines For Drive-Through Restaurants

Lavu has spent a lot of time building integration partnerships to help restaurant owners succeed. Drive-through restaurant owners will appreciate integrations with digital signage boards, text-to-pay/park-to-pay features, ordering with a cash acceptance option, and advanced restaurant inventory software.

With Lavu, there’s a lot of flexibility in terms of payment processors, POS hardware, and add-on features. Restaurant businesses both large and small can build the custom drive-through POS solution they need.

MYR POS Drive-Through System Features

MYR (Master Your Rush) is an emerging POS provider that offers excellent drive-through restaurant features, including:

• Back-office with franchise portal
• Automated royalty invoicing from franchisers to franchisees
• Send different order items to different KDS
• Designated dispatch screen to ensure all orders are completed and correct before being handed off
• Accept orders through your own branded app, website, social media profiles, phone, and Google My Business profile
• Fast phone ordering system remembers customers’ previous/favorite orders
• Automatically push phone orders to KDS for fulfillment
• Automated inventory tracking and reordering system
• Send servers to take curbside orders with MYR POS mobile ordering app
• Multi-location performance reports monitoring how your franchise is doing

MYR POS Drive-Through POS Pricing

The Single Location plan starts at $80/month ($880 with annual billing.)

However, franchises will need to get on the custom-quoted Multi-Locations and Franchises plan. Many MYR features, including most drive-through features, do come at an extra cost.

Hardware Cost

MYR is available in the form of iPad apps, so you can use any iPad you like.

The company offers a line of card readers and hardware accessories. You must contact MYR for pricing.

Payment Processing

MYR integrates with payment providers such as Payroc and TD Merchant Solutions. You’ll need to get a quote on payment processing fees.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

MYR offers monthly and annual plans. If you cancel your plan early, you still have to pay through the end of your subscription term. Start with a monthly plan to minimize any amounts owed if you decide to stop using MYR.

All hardware sales through MYR are final. If you purchase hardware through MYR, you have five days from when you received your hardware to notify the company that your order was received in good condition, or the 30-day limited warranty will not recover any repairs or replacements.

If you return your hardware, the company will charge a restocking fee.

Where MYR POS Really Shines For Drive-Through Restaurants

While MYR is not as well known as other restaurant POS providers, the company keeps up with, and at times surpasses the competition. Franchise owners will appreciate franchise-specific features such as automated royalty invoicing, location performance reports, and the franchise partner portal.

All drive-through restaurant owners will find that the software’s fast-paced ordering system, custom KDS order fulfillment options, and ability to remember a customer’s previous owners will dramatically decrease order fulfillment times. Orders will not only be fast, but they’ll be correct, with servers being guided by a designated dispatch screen. You will master your rush with this software.