Menu Management

The Menu Editor is your central hub for creating and managing your restaurant's digital menu. This guide covers everything from basic page creation to advanced AI-powered menu generation.

::: note Access: Navigate to Admin → Configurations → Select Configuration → Menu Editor to access these features. :::

1. Understanding Menu Structure

OrderNow menus are organized hierarchically:

• Configuration: Top-level container (e.g., "Summer Menu 2024")
• Pages: Menu categories or sections (e.g., "Starters", "Mains", "Drinks")
• Items: Individual dishes or products within each page
• Combinations: Customizable options attached to items

2. Page Management

Creating a New Page

1. Click the "Add Page" button in the sidebar
2. Choose page type:
   • Regular Page: Standard menu category
   • Beverages Page: Special handling for drinks
3. Enter a descriptive name (e.g., "Appetizers", "Main Courses")
4. Click Create

Reordering Pages

1. Look for the drag handle (≡) next to each page name
2. Click and hold to drag the page up or down
3. Release to drop in the new position
4. The order immediately reflects on customer devices

TIP

Best Practice: Order pages by your service flow - Starters first, then Mains, Sides, Desserts, and Drinks last.

Editing a Page

1. Click the pencil icon (✏️) next to the page name
2. Modify the page title or type
3. Click Save to confirm changes

Deleting a Page

1. Click the trash icon (🗑️) next to the page
2. Confirm the deletion in the popup

WARNING

Warning: Deleting a page permanently removes all items within it. Consider moving items first if you want to keep them.

3. Adding Menu Items

Creating a New Item

1. Expand the page where you want to add the item
2. Click the "+ Add Item" button
3. Fill in the item details (see table below)
4. Click Save

Item Properties

Property	Description	Required
Name	The display name of the dish (e.g., "Caesar Salad")	Yes
Price	Price in your configured currency	Yes
Description	Details about ingredients, preparation, etc.	No
Image	Photo of the dish (upload or select from resources)	No
Item Number	Unique identifier for the item	Yes (auto-generated)
Characteristics	Allergens and dietary labels	No
Valid Customer Types	Restrict item to certain customer types (e.g., kids menu)	No

Managing Item Images

1. Click "Select Image" in the item editor
2. Choose from:
   • Existing Resources: Previously uploaded images
   • Upload New: Drag & drop or browse for files
3. Crop/position the image if needed
4. Click Confirm

4. Creating Combinations

Combinations allow customers to customize items (e.g., "Choose your sauce" or "Pick 3 sides").

Setting Up a Combination

1. Open the item you want to customize
2. Click "Add Combination"
3. Configure the combination:
   • Name: What the customer sees (e.g., "Select Sauce")
   • Min/Max Selections: How many options can be chosen
   • Required: Whether customer must make a selection
4. Add combination items (options) with optional price adjustments
5. Click Save

Example: Burger Customization

TIP

Combination: "Choose Toppings"
Min: 0 | Max: 3
Options:

• Extra Cheese (+$1.00)
• Bacon (+$2.00)
• Avocado (+$1.50)
• Fried Egg (+$1.00)

5. Managing Allergens & Dietary Info

Setting Characteristics

1. Edit an item and find the Characteristics section
2. Check applicable allergens from the list:
   • Gluten
   • Dairy/Lactose
   • Nuts
   • Shellfish
   • Eggs
   • Soy
   • Other common allergens
3. Mark dietary preferences:
   • Vegetarian
   • Vegan
   • Spicy
4. Save the item

::: note Customer View: Allergens appear as colored circles on item cards. Customers can tap for details. :::

6. AI-Powered Menu Generation

OrderNow can generate complete menu pages using AI.

Generating Pages with AI

1. Click the "Generate Pages with AI" button (purple)
2. Enter a prompt describing your restaurant/menu concept:
   • "Italian restaurant with pizza and pasta"
   • "Japanese sushi bar with lunch specials"
   • "Vegan cafe with smoothies and bowls"
3. Review the generated pages and items
4. Adjust prices, descriptions, and images as needed

TIP

Tip: AI generation is great for getting started quickly. Always review and customize the generated content to match your actual offerings and pricing.

7. Publishing Changes

Changes in the Menu Editor are saved automatically but may need to be published:

1. Make your edits
2. Click "Save Configuration" if available
3. Changes are pushed to customer devices immediately

Best Practices

• Keep it concise: Item descriptions should be brief but informative
• Use high-quality images: Good photos increase order rates significantly
• Organize logically: Group related items together
• Price consistently: Use the same currency format throughout
• Update regularly: Remove seasonal items and add new offerings
• Test combinations: Ensure combo options work correctly before publishing
• Allergen accuracy: Double-check all allergen information for safety

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Items not showing on customer devices	Check that the page is published and the configuration is active for your location
Images not displaying	Verify the image was uploaded successfully. Try re-uploading if needed.
Can't reorder pages	Ensure you're dragging by the handle (≡ icon), not the page name itself
AI generation fails	Check your internet connection. Try a simpler, more specific prompt.