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Menu Builder

The Menu Builder is where you create and manage your digital menu. This guide covers everything from creating categories to adding items with photos and customization options.

Accessing the Menu Builder​

  1. Log into your Business Dashboard
  2. Click "Menu" in the sidebar
  3. You'll see your menu builder interface

TODO: ADD IMAGE - Screenshot of menu builder main interface

Your menu is organized in a two-level hierarchy:

Menu
├── Category 1 (e.g., "Appetizers")
│   ├── Item 1
│   ├── Item 2
│   └── Item 3
├── Category 2 (e.g., "Main Courses")
│   ├── Item 1
│   └── Item 2
└── Category 3 (e.g., "Desserts")
    └── Item 1

Creating Categories​

Categories help organize your menu into logical sections.

Adding a New Category​

  1. Click "Add Category" button
  2. Enter category information:
    • Name: Category name (e.g., "Appetizers", "Drinks")
    • Description: Brief description (optional)
    • Display Order: Position in menu (1, 2, 3...)
  3. Click "Save Category"

TODO: ADD IMAGE - Screenshot of add category modal

Category Best Practices​

Good Category Names:

  • Appetizers
  • Soups & Salads
  • Main Courses
  • Pasta Dishes
  • Desserts
  • Beverages
  • Cocktails

Tips:

  • Keep names short and clear
  • Use familiar restaurant terminology
  • Order logically (appetizers → mains → desserts)
  • Limit to 5-10 categories for easy navigation

Managing Categories​

Editing Categories​

  1. Click the edit icon (✏️) on any category
  2. Update name, description, or order
  3. Click "Save Changes"

Reordering Categories​

  1. Use the up/down arrows to change order
  2. Or drag and drop categories to reorder
  3. Changes save automatically

Deleting Categories​

  1. Click the delete icon (🗑️) on a category
  2. Confirm deletion
  3. Warning: All items in the category will also be deleted
Important

Deleting a category permanently removes all items within it. This action cannot be undone!

TODO: ADD IMAGE - Screenshot showing category management controls

Adding Menu Items​

Menu items are the individual dishes, drinks, or products you offer.

Creating a New Item​

  1. Select a category
  2. Click "Add Item" button
  3. Fill in item details (see below)
  4. Click "Save Item"

TODO: ADD IMAGE - Screenshot of add item form

Item Details​

Basic Information​

Item Name​

  • The name of your dish or product
  • Keep it concise and descriptive
  • Example: "Margherita Pizza", "Caesar Salad"

Description​

  • Detailed description of the item
  • Include key ingredients
  • Mention cooking style or preparation
  • Highlight special features
  • Example: "Fresh mozzarella, San Marzano tomatoes, basil, and extra virgin olive oil on our house-made dough"

Price​

  • Enter the base price
  • Use numbers only (no currency symbols)
  • Example: 15.99
  • The system will format it with your currency

Category​

  • Select which category this item belongs to
  • Can be changed later if needed

Images​

High-quality photos significantly increase orders!

Adding Images​

  1. Click "Upload Image" or drag and drop
  2. Select image file from your device
  3. Preview the image
  4. Click "Save"

Image Requirements:

  • Format: JPG, PNG, or WebP
  • Size: Maximum 5MB per image
  • Recommended: At least 800x600 pixels
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3 or 16:9 works best

Multiple Images​

You can add up to 5 images per item:

  • First image is the main thumbnail
  • Guests can swipe through all images
  • Show different angles or presentations
  • Include close-ups of key ingredients

TODO: ADD IMAGE - Screenshot of image upload interface with multiple images

Photography Tips:

  • Use natural lighting
  • Clean, simple background
  • Show actual portion size
  • Highlight key ingredients
  • Professional photos increase orders by 30%+

Availability Status​

Control when items appear on your menu:

Available​

  • ✅ Item appears on guest menus
  • Can be ordered normally
  • Default status for new items

Sold Out​

  • ⚠️ Item appears but marked "Sold Out"
  • Guests cannot order it
  • Useful for temporary shortages

Hidden​

  • 👁️ Item completely hidden from guests
  • Useful for seasonal items
  • Keeps item in your system for later

Quick Toggle: Click the availability icon to quickly change status without editing the full item.

TODO: ADD IMAGE - Screenshot showing availability toggle options

Item Options & Customization​

Allow guests to customize their orders with options and add-ons.

Creating Options​

Options are required choices guests must make (e.g., "Choose your protein", "Select size").

Adding an Option Group​

  1. In the item editor, scroll to "Options"

  2. Click "Add Option Group"

  3. Enter option group details:

    • Name: e.g., "Choose Your Protein"
    • Required: Yes/No
    • Multiple Selection: Allow multiple choices?

  4. Add individual options:

    • Option Name: e.g., "Chicken"
    • Price Adjustment: +$0.00 (or additional cost)
    • Available: Yes/No

TODO: ADD IMAGE - Screenshot of option group configuration

Example Option Groups​

Size Selection:

  • Small (+$0.00)
  • Medium (+$2.00)
  • Large (+$4.00)

Protein Choice:

  • Chicken (+$0.00)
  • Beef (+$3.00)
  • Shrimp (+$5.00)
  • Tofu (+$0.00)

Cooking Temperature:

  • Rare (+$0.00)
  • Medium Rare (+$0.00)
  • Medium (+$0.00)
  • Well Done (+$0.00)

Creating Add-ons​

Add-ons are optional extras guests can add to their order.

Adding Add-ons​

  1. In the item editor, scroll to "Add-ons"
  2. Click "Add Add-on"
  3. Enter add-on details:
    • Name: e.g., "Extra Cheese"
    • Price: Additional cost
    • Available: Yes/No

Example Add-ons​

For Burgers:

  • Extra Cheese (+$1.50)
  • Bacon (+$2.00)
  • Avocado (+$2.50)
  • Extra Patty (+$4.00)

For Salads:

  • Grilled Chicken (+$4.00)
  • Grilled Shrimp (+$6.00)
  • Extra Dressing (+$0.50)

TODO: ADD IMAGE - Screenshot of add-ons configuration

Dietary & Allergen Information​

Help guests make informed choices by tagging items.

Available Tags​

  • 🌱 Vegetarian - No meat or fish
  • 🥬 Vegan - No animal products
  • 🌾 Gluten-Free - No gluten-containing ingredients
  • 🥜 Contains Nuts - Contains tree nuts or peanuts
  • 🌶️ Spicy - Contains spicy ingredients
  • 🧀 Dairy-Free - No dairy products
  • 🐟 Contains Shellfish - Contains shellfish
  • 🥚 Contains Eggs - Contains eggs

Adding Tags​

  1. In the item editor, find "Dietary Tags"
  2. Select all applicable tags
  3. Tags appear as badges on the item
  4. Guests can filter menu by tags

TODO: ADD IMAGE - Screenshot showing dietary tags on menu items

Important for Guest Safety

Always accurately tag allergens. Guests rely on this information for health and safety.

Multi-Language Support​

Automatically translate your menu into multiple languages.

Enabling Languages​

  1. In Menu Builder, click "Language Settings"
  2. Select languages to support:
    • English
    • Spanish
    • French
    • German
    • Italian
    • Portuguese
    • And more...
  3. Choose default language
  4. Click "Save"

How Translation Works​

  • Automatic Translation: AI translates item names and descriptions
  • Manual Override: Edit translations if needed
  • Guest Selection: Guests choose their preferred language
  • Seamless Switching: Language changes instantly

TODO: ADD IMAGE - Screenshot of language selection interface

Supported Languages:

  • English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese (Simplified), Arabic, Hindi, Thai, Vietnamese, Turkish, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian

Logical Flow​

Order your menu the way guests typically order:

  1. Appetizers/Starters
  2. Soups & Salads
  3. Main Courses
  4. Sides
  5. Desserts
  6. Beverages

Item Naming​

Good Names:

  • "Grilled Salmon with Lemon Butter"
  • "Classic Margherita Pizza"
  • "Chocolate Lava Cake"

Avoid:

  • Generic names: "Fish Dish"
  • Unclear abbreviations: "GS w/ LB"
  • Overly long names: "Our Chef's Special Grilled Atlantic Salmon Fillet with House-Made Lemon Butter Sauce and Seasonal Vegetables"

Descriptions​

Include:

  • Key ingredients
  • Cooking method
  • Portion size
  • Special features

Example: "8oz grass-fed beef patty, aged cheddar, caramelized onions, house-made pickles, and special sauce on a brioche bun. Served with hand-cut fries."

See how your menu looks to guests before publishing.

Preview Options​

  1. Click "Preview Menu" button

  2. Choose preview mode:

    • Desktop View - How it looks on computers
    • Mobile View - How it looks on phones
    • Table View - Actual guest experience with QR code

  3. Test all features:

    • Browse categories
    • View item details
    • Test options and add-ons
    • Check images and descriptions

TODO: ADD IMAGE - Screenshot of menu preview in mobile view

Publishing Changes​

Auto-Save​

  • Changes save automatically as you work
  • No need to manually publish
  • Updates appear instantly for guests

Change Indicators​

  • 🔴 Red dot indicates unsaved changes
  • ✅ Green checkmark shows saved status
  • ⏳ Spinner shows saving in progress

Regular Updates​

  • Weekly: Update availability for sold-out items
  • Monthly: Add seasonal specials
  • Quarterly: Refresh photos and descriptions
  • Annually: Review entire menu structure

Photo Quality​

  • Use professional photos when possible
  • Maintain consistent style across all items
  • Update photos if presentation changes
  • Show actual portion sizes

Pricing Strategy​

  • Keep prices competitive
  • Round to .99 or .95 for psychological pricing
  • Update prices during off-peak hours
  • Test price changes with analytics

Seasonal Menus​

  • Create categories for seasonal items
  • Hide off-season items instead of deleting
  • Bring back popular seasonal items
  • Promote seasonal specials prominently

Bulk Operations​

Bulk Editing​

Edit multiple items at once:

  1. Select items using checkboxes
  2. Click "Bulk Actions"
  3. Choose action:
    • Change category
    • Update availability
    • Adjust prices (% or fixed amount)
    • Add tags
    • Delete items

TODO: ADD IMAGE - Screenshot of bulk edit interface

Import/Export​

Export Menu:

  • Download your menu as CSV
  • Backup your menu data
  • Share with other systems

Import Menu:

  • Upload CSV file
  • Bulk add items
  • Update existing items

Troubleshooting​

Images Won't Upload​

  • Check file size (max 5MB)
  • Use JPG, PNG, or WebP format
  • Try compressing the image
  • Check internet connection

Changes Not Appearing​

  • Wait a few seconds for auto-save
  • Refresh the page
  • Check if item is marked as "Available"
  • Verify category is active

Translation Issues​

  • Verify language is enabled
  • Check original text is complete
  • Try manual translation override
  • Contact support for specific languages

Advanced Features​

Start with pre-built templates:

  • Italian Restaurant
  • Sushi Bar
  • Coffee Shop
  • Bar & Grill
  • Fast Casual

Track menu performance:

  • Most viewed items
  • Most ordered items
  • Items never ordered
  • Average order value by category

A/B Testing​

Test different approaches:

  • Item descriptions
  • Pricing strategies
  • Photo styles
  • Category organization

Next Steps​

Now that you know how to build your menu:

Need help? Contact support@payverge.io