Revel Systems

Revel Systems
Name	Revel Systems
Type	Private
Industry	Point of sale software
Founded	2010
Founders	Lisa Falzone, Chris Ciabarra
Headquarters	San Francisco, California
Products	Point of sale systems, payments, analytics

Revel Systems is an American technology company that develops cloud-based point of sale (POS) software and integrated payment systems primarily for retail and hospitality industries. The company combines mobile hardware, software-as-a-service delivery, and third-party integrations to provide inventory, analytics, and payments solutions for restaurants, retailers, and franchise operations. Revel has competed in markets alongside legacy POS vendors and modern cloud-native providers.

Overview

Revel builds a POS platform that unifies front-of-house order management, back-of-house inventory, and payments processing for customers including independent operators, chains, and franchise networks. Key aspects of the offering include touchscreen terminals, iPad-based client applications, centralized reporting, and offline-capable local servers to maintain operations during Internet outages. The platform positions itself in segments served by competitors such as Square (company), Toast, Inc., Clover Network, and Lightspeed Commerce while integrating with payment processors, accounting systems, and delivery platforms.

History

The company was co-founded in 2010 by Lisa Falzone and Chris Ciabarra in San Francisco, emerging amid a wave of mobile-first POS entrants that followed the proliferation of the iPad. Early growth was driven by customer wins in the restaurant sector and partnerships with hardware providers. Over time the firm expanded internationally and broadened its product set to address retail, healthcare, and franchise requirements. Leadership changes and strategic financing rounds marked the firm’s evolution against competitors like Square (company), Toast, Inc., and Clover Network.

Products and Services

Revel offers a suite of products targeting multiple verticals: - POS terminals and iPad clients for quick-serve and full-service restaurants, retail stores, and convenience markets. - Back-office modules for inventory, employee management, scheduling, and customer relationship management (CRM). - Payments processing services and integrated gift and loyalty programs. - Enterprise features for multi-location operations including reporting, role-based access, and API endpoints.

These services are aimed at businesses that also evaluate solutions from Oracle Corporation (specifically Oracle Micros), NCR Corporation, and cloud-native vendors such as ShopKeep and Square (company).

Technology and Integrations

The platform employs a hybrid cloud architecture combining on-premises appliances with cloud-hosted services to provide resiliency and offline operation. The software stack supports APIs for integrations with third-party systems, enabling connections to accounting packages like QuickBooks, payroll providers such as ADP, reservation platforms like OpenTable, and delivery marketplaces including DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. Payments integrations target major acquirers and processors, and hardware compatibility includes peripherals from manufacturers such as Epson and Star Micronics.

Market Presence and Customers

Revel’s customer base spans independent restaurants, multi-unit chains, franchisors, and retailers across the United States, with deployments reported in international markets. Notable vertical penetration includes quick-serve restaurants, cafés, grocery, and healthcare point-of-sale implementations. The company often competes for accounts alongside Toast, Inc., Square (company), Lightspeed Commerce, and legacy incumbents like NCR Corporation and Oracle Corporation.

Funding and Corporate Structure

The firm has pursued multiple funding rounds involving venture capital and strategic investors to support software development, sales expansion, and internationalization. Investors and financing activities placed the company among well-funded POS startups of its era alongside peers such as Toast, Inc. and Shopify. The corporate structure reflects private ownership with executive leadership reporting to a board of directors composed of investors and industry executives.

Controversies and Legal Issues

Like many payment and POS providers, the company has faced scrutiny over merchant contracts, chargeback processing, and service reliability during outages. Legal and regulatory scrutiny in the payments ecosystem can involve acquirers, interchange rules, and data security standards such as Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. Disputes in the POS sector have included litigation over contract terms, interoperability, and intellectual property, similar to cases involving firms like Square (company) and Toast, Inc..

Category:Point of sale companies Category:Technology companies based in San Francisco