Categories group your products into sections that customers can browse. They appear as tabs or sections on your menu.
Creating a Category
- Go to Menu in the sidebar
- Click Add Category
- Enter a name and optional description
- Click Create Category
Category Fields
| Field | Description |
|---|
| Name | Displayed on your menu. Keep it short: 1-3 words |
| Description | Brief context shown under the category name |
| Image | Displayed on category cards in the menu |
| Navigation Image | Displayed in the category navigation bar |
| Available After | Schedule when the category becomes visible |
Category Images
Categories support two images:
- Image - Shown on category cards when browsing the menu. Use a larger, detailed image that represents the category.
- Navigation Image - Shown in the category navigation bar at the top of the menu. Use a smaller, simpler image or icon.
Both are optional but help customers navigate your menu visually.
Editing Categories
Click the settings icon next to a category name to open the category editor. Here you can update all fields and access additional settings.
Toggle Hidden in Menu to hide a category from the navigation bar while keeping it visible in the main menu. Products remain fully accessible - they just won’t have a navigation shortcut.
Use this to keep the navigation bar clean and easy to browse, especially for dine-in venues with many categories.
Availability
Control when a category and its products are visible to customers.
Available After
Schedule when a category becomes visible using Available After. The category and all its products are hidden until the specified date and time.
Use this to:
- Prepare seasonal menus in advance
- Launch new categories at a specific time
- Coordinate with marketing campaigns
Category Hours
Categories can have their own opening hours, independent of your store hours:
- Open the category settings
- Go to the Availability tab
- Toggle off Always Open
- Set opening and closing times for each day
When a category is outside its hours, it’s hidden from your menu along with all its products.
Examples:
- Breakfast menu: 7am-11am
- Lunch specials: 12pm-3pm
- Happy hour: 4pm-7pm
- Late night menu: 10pm-2am
Category hours work independently of store hours. If your store is open but a category is outside its hours, that category won’t be visible.
Printing
Assign categories to specific printers for split printing. For example, send all “Drinks” orders to the bar printer and “Food” orders to the kitchen printer.
See Split Printing for setup instructions.
Table Area Restrictions
For dine-in stores, you can restrict categories to specific table areas. This is useful for:
- Pool-side menu only available at pool tables
- VIP menu only available in VIP section
Reordering Categories
Drag and drop categories in the menu list to change their order. The order you set is the order customers see.
Deleting Categories
To delete a category:
- Click the settings icon next to the category
- Scroll to the bottom
- Click Delete Category
Deleting a category will also delete all products within it. This cannot be undone.
Multi-language Support
If you’ve enabled multiple languages, click the translation icon next to text fields to add translations.
See Translations for setup.
Tips
- Keep names short - “Starters” not “Starters & Small Plates”
- Use descriptions - Help customers understand what’s in each section
- Limit categories - 5-8 categories is ideal; too many overwhelms customers
- Order strategically - Put high-margin categories first
