Menus - User Guide

Overview

The Menus section allows you to create curated collections of meals from your existing categories. Think of menus as predefined selections that group specific dishes together for different purposes:

Breakfast Menu - Morning items only
Lunch Menu - Midday offerings
Dinner Menu - Evening selections
Kids Menu - Child-friendly options
Seasonal Specials - Limited-time offerings

Menus make it faster to create orders by providing quick access to relevant meal selections instead of browsing through all categories.

Important: Before creating menus, you must first set up your categories and meals in the Categories & Meals section.

Understanding Menus

What is a Menu?

A menu is a named collection of meals selected from your existing categories. For example:

Your restaurant might have 50 total meals across 8 categories
Your "Lunch Menu" might include only 15 specific meals
Your "Kids Menu" might include just 8 child-friendly items

Key Concepts

Menus don't duplicate meals - they reference existing items from Categories
One meal can appear in multiple menus - "Caesar Salad" can be in both Lunch and Dinner menus
Prices come from the original meal - updating a meal's price automatically updates it in all menus
Deleting a menu doesn't delete meals - the meals remain in their categories

Managing Menus

Viewing Your Menus

When you open the Menus section, you'll see a list of all your existing menus showing:

Menu name (e.g., "Breakfast Menu", "Dinner Menu")

If you haven't created any menus yet, you'll see: "No Menu yet"

Creating a New Menu

Click the + Add button (floating button in the top-right corner)
Enter a name for your menu (e.g., "Lunch Menu", "Weekend Brunch")
Select meals from the categorized list:
- Meals are grouped by category (same as Categories & Meals section)
- Categories and meals within each category are sorted alphabetically
- Click the checkbox next to each meal to include it
- You can select meals from multiple categories
- At least one meal must be selected
Click Save

✅ Success! You'll see: "Menu created"

Tips for creating menus:

Use descriptive names that indicate when/how the menu is used
Select only relevant items - don't include everything
Consider grouping by time of day, meal type, or special occasion
You must select at least one meal (empty menus aren't allowed)

Editing a Menu

You can update the menu name or change which meals are included:

Find the menu in the list
Click the ⋮ (three dots) menu button on the right
Select Edit
Make your changes:
- Update the menu name
- Check/uncheck meals to add or remove them
Click Save

✅ You'll see: "Menu updated"

Common reasons to edit:

Adding new seasonal items to an existing menu
Removing discontinued items
Adjusting the selection based on popularity
Renaming menus for clarity

Viewing Menu Details

To see which meals are in a specific menu:

Click on any menu from the list
You'll see two tabs:
- Data - shows all meals currently in this menu
- Audit - shows the history of changes

The Data tab displays meals grouped by category, with both categories and meals sorted alphabetically.

Deleting a Menu

⚠️ Warning: This action is irreversible, but only deletes the menu itself. The individual meals remain in your Categories & Meals section.

Click the ⋮ menu button next to the menu
Select Delete
Confirm when prompted

✅ You'll see: "Menu deleted"

When to delete:

Seasonal menus that are no longer relevant (e.g., "Summer Specials")
Menus created for special events that have ended
Duplicate or test menus
Restructuring your menu system

Selecting Meals for Menus

How the Meal Selection Works

When creating or editing a menu, you'll see a scrollable list grouped by category, with both categories and meals sorted alphabetically:

[Category: Appetizers]
  ☐ Caesar Salad
  ☐ Garlic Bread
  ☐ Spring Rolls

[Category: Desserts]
  ☑ Chocolate Cake
  ☐ Ice Cream

[Category: Main Dishes]
  ☑ Beef Steak
  ☑ Grilled Salmon
  ☑ Pasta Carbonara

Checkboxes indicate which meals are included
Click any checkbox to toggle selection
Categories act as headers for organization
The list can scroll if you have many meals

Selection Tips

Strategic selection:

Don't include everything - menus are meant to be focused subsets
Group logically - lunch items for lunch menu, breakfast items for breakfast menu
Consider preparation - group items that use similar ingredients or equipment
Think about timing - items that can be prepared quickly for lunch rush

Practical examples:

Breakfast Menu: Select only morning items (eggs, pancakes, breakfast sandwiches)
Quick Lunch: Select items that can be prepared in 15 minutes or less
Kids Menu: Select child-friendly portions and favorites
Vegetarian Menu: Select only plant-based items from across categories

Audit Trail

Every menu has an Audit tab showing a complete history:

What's tracked:

When the menu was created
Changes to the menu name
Meals that were added to the menu
Meals that were removed from the menu
Who made each change

How to view the audit log:

Click on any menu to open it
Click the Audit tab
Review the chronological history

Audit entries show:

Action type (e.g., "Menu created", "Menu updated", "Menu deleted")
Date and time of the change
User who made the change
Specific changes (which meals were added or removed)

Useful for:

Understanding menu evolution over time
Tracking seasonal updates
Reviewing who made recent changes
Accountability and training

Common Workflows

Setting Up Menus for the First Time

Ensure categories and meals are ready - You must have meals created first
Plan your menu structure - Decide what menus you need (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, etc.)
Create each menu:
- Start with the most important menu (usually Lunch or Dinner)
- Add a descriptive name
- Select appropriate meals
- Save and move to the next menu
Review - Open each menu to verify the correct meals are included

Updating a Seasonal Menu

For seasonal changes (e.g., "Spring Menu" to "Summer Menu"):

Option 1: Edit existing menu

Open the seasonal menu
Click Edit
Uncheck old seasonal items
Check new seasonal items
Save

Option 2: Create new menu

Create a new menu (e.g., "Summer 2025 Menu")
Select new seasonal items
Optionally delete the old seasonal menu

💡 Tip: Option 2 preserves history better in the audit trail.

Creating a Daily Special Menu

Create a menu called "Today's Specials" or "Daily Features"
Edit it daily or weekly to reflect current specials
Use this menu when taking orders for customers asking about specials

Setting Up Time-Based Menus

For restaurants with different offerings by time:

Create separate menus:
- "Breakfast Menu" (available 7 AM - 11 AM)
- "Lunch Menu" (available 11 AM - 4 PM)
- "Dinner Menu" (available 4 PM - 10 PM)
Train staff to use the appropriate menu based on current time
Update menus seasonally as needed

Note: The system doesn't enforce time restrictions automatically - staff must select the correct menu.

Relationship with Categories & Meals

How Menus and Categories Work Together

Categories & Meals (Master Data)
├── Appetizers
│   ├── Spring Rolls ($8.00)
│   └── Caesar Salad ($12.00)
├── Main Dishes
│   ├── Grilled Salmon ($25.00)
│   └── Pasta Carbonara ($18.00)
└── Desserts
    └── Chocolate Cake ($9.00)

Menus (Selections from Master Data)
├── Lunch Menu
│   ├── Caesar Salad ($12.00) ← references Appetizers
│   └── Pasta Carbonara ($18.00) ← references Main Dishes
└── Dinner Menu
    ├── Caesar Salad ($12.00) ← references Appetizers
    ├── Grilled Salmon ($25.00) ← references Main Dishes
    └── Chocolate Cake ($9.00) ← references Desserts

Important Points

Prices are linked:

If you change "Caesar Salad" price from $12.00 to $13.00 in Categories & Meals
It automatically updates in ALL menus that include Caesar Salad
You don't need to update each menu individually

Meals can be in multiple menus:

"Caesar Salad" can appear in both Lunch Menu and Dinner Menu
This is intentional and completely fine
It gives you flexibility in menu composition

Deleting meals affects menus:

If you delete "Caesar Salad" from Categories & Meals
It's automatically removed from all menus
The menus remain intact with their other items

Adding new meals:

New meals don't automatically appear in any menu
You must edit each menu and explicitly add the new meal
This prevents unwanted items from appearing in specialized menus

Validation & Error Messages

Common errors when creating/editing:

"Can't be blank" (for name)

You must provide a menu name
Solution: Enter a descriptive name

"Can't be blank" (for meals)

You must select at least one meal
Solution: Check at least one checkbox in the meal selection list

"Has already been taken" or "Must be unique"

Menu names must be unique in your restaurant
Solution: Use a different name or add qualifiers (e.g., "Dinner Menu 2025")

Tips & Best Practices

Naming Conventions

✅ Good examples:

"Breakfast Menu"
"Lunch Specials"
"Dinner Menu"
"Kids Menu"
"Weekend Brunch"
"Summer 2025 Specials"
"Quick Service Menu"
"Vegetarian Options"

❌ Avoid:

Vague names: "Menu 1", "Menu 2", "Options"
Overly long: "Our complete selection of lunch items available from 11 AM to 3 PM on weekdays"
Confusing abbreviations: "BF MNU", "L SPL"

Menu Organization Strategies

By time of day:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Late Night
Good for: Traditional restaurants with distinct meal periods

By dietary preference:

Vegetarian Menu, Vegan Menu, Gluten-Free Menu
Good for: Health-conscious establishments

By service type:

Dine-In Menu, Takeout Menu, Catering Menu
Good for: Restaurants with multiple service models

By price point:

Value Menu, Premium Selections
Good for: Establishments with wide price ranges

By occasion:

Date Night Menu, Family Menu, Business Lunch
Good for: Upscale restaurants with different dining experiences

Maintenance Best Practices

Regular reviews:

Review menus monthly to ensure items are still relevant
Remove items that aren't selling well
Add popular new items

Seasonal updates:

Create or update seasonal menus quarterly
Archive old seasonal menus (delete them) when seasons change
Use audit trail to track what worked in previous seasons

Staff communication:

Train staff on which menu to use in different situations
Update menus before major changes go live
Use consistent naming so staff can quickly find the right menu

Keep it simple:

Most restaurants work well with 3-5 menus
Too many menus can confuse staff and slow down service
Focus on the most common use cases

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What's the difference between Categories and Menus?
A: Categories organize ALL your meals (like chapters in a book), while Menus are curated selections of specific meals (like a "greatest hits" compilation). Categories are for organization; Menus are for service.

Q: Can a meal be in multiple menus at the same time?
A: Yes! A meal can appear in as many menus as you want. For example, "Caesar Salad" can be in Lunch Menu, Dinner Menu, and Vegetarian Menu simultaneously.

Q: If I change a meal's price, do I need to update all menus?
A: No! Menus reference the meals, so price changes automatically apply everywhere the meal appears.

Q: Can I create a menu before creating meals?
A: No. You must first create categories and meals in the Categories & Meals section. Menus can only include meals that already exist.

Q: What happens to a menu if I delete all its meals from Categories?
A: The menu will still exist but will be empty. You'll need to either add new meals to it or delete the menu.

Q: Can I reorder meals within a menu?
A: Meals are automatically organized by category and sorted alphabetically. Both categories and the meals within each category appear in alphabetical order, so there's no manual reordering needed.

Q: How many meals should be in a menu?
A: This depends on your use case. Quick service menus might have 10-15 items, while full restaurant menus might have 30-50. Keep menus focused on their specific purpose.

Q: Can I copy a menu?
A: Not directly. To create a similar menu, create a new menu and manually select the same meals, then make your changes.

Q: Do menus affect inventory or reporting?
A: Menus are organizational tools for taking orders. The actual meals and their categories are what matter for inventory and reports.

Using Menus When Taking Orders

When staff use menus to take orders:

Select the appropriate menu for the situation (Lunch, Dinner, etc.)
The menu shows only the pre-selected meals
Staff can quickly find and add items to the order
This is faster than browsing through all categories

Benefits:

✅ Faster order entry
✅ Prevents mistakes (only relevant items shown)
✅ Consistent service (everyone uses same menus)
✅ Easy training for new staff

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"I can't find certain meals when editing a menu"

Check if those meals still exist in Categories & Meals
They might have been deleted
Refresh the page to load the latest meal list

"The menu editor shows too many meals to scroll through"

This is normal if you have many items
Use the scroll bar in the meal selection area
Consider organizing meals into more specific categories first

"Changes to meals aren't showing in the menu"

Price and name changes should appear immediately
Try refreshing the page
If a meal was deleted from Categories, it will disappear from menus

"Menu was deleted accidentally"

Contact your administrator - they may be able to restore from the audit trail
Otherwise, you'll need to recreate the menu and re-select the meals

Need Help?

If you encounter issues or have questions:

Verify you have the necessary permissions to manage menus
Check that your categories and meals are properly set up
Try refreshing the page
Contact your restaurant manager or system administrator

Before creating menus:

✅ Categories must be created
✅ Meals must be added to categories
✅ You need proper user permissions

Last updated: November 2025