Skip to main content

Working with Menu Categories

Kevin U
  • Updated

About Menu Categories

When adding items to your menu you will be required to assign the items to their appropriate menu categories (e.g., Entrée, Appetizer, Beverage, Dessert) or snack times (Snack AM, Snack PM, Snack HS)

The default menu categories available in your account come from your parent account. If a new menu category is required, then your account has the ability to create that desired menu category just for your account (explained below). 

If your parent account creates a new menu category, then that menu category will be available for use by your account to assign to meal periods and snack times (explained below).

Changing Sort Order of Menu Categories

You can change the sort order in which menu categories are displayed in the Core system and reports, and front-end ordering apps (Touch, POS, Portal). To sort menu categories, complete the following steps:

  1. From the left navigation sidebar, select Tools & Setup > Menu Settings. The Menu Categories screen appears.

    menu_categories.png
     
  2. Select the Standard or Snacks tab, depending on the categories you want to sort.
  3. Sort the categories as desired by clicking and holding the = icon of a category and dragging and dropping it to the desired order in the list. The sort order is automatically applied.

    sort_menu_categories.png

Changing the Menu Category of a Menu Item when in WaaG View

To change the category of a menu item when in the menu week-at-a-glance (WaaG) view, complete the following steps:

  1. Hover over the item and click its Edit icon (edit_icon.png). The Edit Menu item pop-up appears (second screenshot below). 

    hover_to_replace.png

    edit_menu_item_salmon.png
     
  2. Click into the Category field and click the desired category to select it. The previous selected category is automatically deselected (i.e., check mark is removed). 
     
  3. Click the Save button to apply your changes and close the Edit Menu Item pop-up. 

Changing the Menu Category of a Menu Item when in Menu Day View

When in the menu day view you can change the menu category of an item. Depending if you are viewing by choices or menu categories (via the display options), refer to the appropriate section below:

If Viewing by Choice

For the item whose category you want to change, select the new category from its Category field. The change is automatically applied.

move_item_to_category_choice.png

If Viewing by Menu Category

For the item whose category you want to change, click and hold the = icon of the item and drag and drop it to the desired category.

move_item_to_category.png

Viewing Menu Categories Available in your Account

The menu categories currently assigned to meal periods (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) and snack service times (Snack AM, Snack PM, Snack HS) in your account can be viewed on the Menu Categories screen. To open the menu categories screen, select Tools & Setup > Menu Settings from the left navigation sidebar. 

The Standard tab lists the menu categories assigned to each meal period. 

menu_categories_standard.png

The Snack tab lists the menu categories assigned to each snack service time.

menu_categories_snack.png

Assigning a Menu Category to a Meal Period/Snack Time

Is Menu Category Already Assigned to a Meal Period or Snack Time?

If the menu category is currently assigned to a meal period or snack time, then you can assign it to a remaining meal period/snack time as follows:

  1. On the Menu Categories screen, open the existing menu category by clicking it from any meal period/snack time it is currently assigned to (first screenshot below). The Edit Category pop-up window appears (second screenshot below).

    click_to_open_menu_category.png

    edit_category_dairy.png
     
  2. In the Assign Category to Active Meals section, select the meal periods and snack times to assign the menu category to.
     
  3. Click Save to apply your changes.

Is Menu Category Not Currently Assigned to a Meal Period or Snack Time?

If the menu category is not currently assigned to any meal period or snack time, then complete the following steps:

  1. Confirm if the menu category is available in your account via the Create Menu Category drop-down.

    confirm_menu_category.png

    Note: If the menu category is assigned to all meal periods and snack times, then it won’t be available for selection from the Create Menu Category drop-down.
     

  2. If the menu category is available, then select it to open its Edit Category pop-up window (screenshot below). Continue with step 3 below. If the menu category is not available then you can create it for your account; see Creating a New Menu Category below in this article. 

    edit_category_fruit.png
     
  3. In the Assign Category to Active Meals section, select the meal periods and snack times to assign the menu category to.
     
  4. Click Save to apply your changes.

Parent Account and Child Account Relationship with Menu Categories

If your parent account creates a new menu category, then that menu category will be available for assignment to meal periods/snack times in your account via the Create Menu Category drop-down (described above). Note that any new menu category created by a parent account is not automatically assigned to meal periods/snack times in your account. 

Also note that if you create a new menu category for your account, that menu category is not available to your parent account (does not flow upward). 

Creating a New Menu Category

If a menu category is not currently available for use in your account, you can create one as follows: 

  1. On the Menu Categories screen, from the Create Menu Category drop-down, select Add Category (first screenshot below). The Add Category pop-up window appears (second screenshot below)

    add_category.png

    add_category_modal.png
     
  2. Enter or select the following:
    • Menu Category Name - enter the name of the menu category.
    • Display Name - enter the user-friendly “display name” for the menu category.
    • Recipe Category - select the recipe category that the menu category is associated with.
    • Assign Category to Active Meals - select the meal periods and snack times to assign the menu category to.
       
  3. Click the Save button. The newly-added category is listed in the selected meal periods and snack times.

Assigning New Menu Categories to Existing Meal Plans (for POS)

If your account uses the POS system, then when a new menu category is created and there are existing meal plans in the POS, then that category is not automatically assigned to the meal plan (i.e., the meal plan will not cover the new category). If you want an existing meal plan to cover the new category, then you have to access the meal plan in the Touch Admin software and make the assignment. To do so complete the following steps:

  1. In Touch Admin, select People Management > Meal Plans. The Meal Plans screen appears
  2. For the meal plan you want to edit, click its Edit button. The Edit a Meal Plan screen appears.
  3. Scroll to the bottom of the screen where the categories and meal periods (breakfast, lunch, dinner) are listed.
  4. Expand the meal periods for which the category was associated with and select the check box of the category to assign it to the meal plan.

    new_categories.png
     
  5. At the bottom of the screen click the Update Policy button to apply your changes.

Assign New Menu Categories to the Menu Week-at-a-Glance (WaaG) View

When you create a new menu category, then on the menu week-at-a-glance view, you will need to manually select the new menu category (via the Display Options) in order for the menu category to display on the WaaG view with any of its assigned recipes.

menu_waag_display_options_categories.png

Assign New Menu Categories to the Personal Menu View

When you create a new menu category, then on the personal menu view, you will need to manually select the new menu category (via the Display Options) in order for the menu category to display on the personal menu view with any of its assigned recipes.

personal_menu_display_options_categories.png 

Removing a Menu Category from a Meal Period/Snack Time

If there are no menu items assigned to a menu category in any of your account’s active menus, then a menu category can be removed from a meal period/snack time. To remove a menu category from a meal period or snack time: 

  1. From the left navigation sidebar, select Tools & Setup > Menu Settings. The Menu Categories screen appears with the Standard tab open. If wanting to remove a menu category from a snack time, then select the Snacks tab.
  2. For the menu category to be removed, click its remove icon (remove_category_icon.png).
  3. If menu items are assigned to the menu category, then a prompt appears asking you to first select another category to reassign the existing items to before removing the category. Select the category to reassign the items and then click the Move Items and Remove Category button.

    assign_category.png

Deleting a Menu Category (only if your Account Created the Menu Category)

If your account created the menu category, then that menu category can be deleted. If items are assigned to that menu category, then you will be prompted to select a different menu category for those items. To delete a menu category:

  1. Click the menu category you want to delete. The Edit Category pop-up window appears.

    edit_category_delete.png
     
  2. Click the Delete Category button.
  3. If no menu items are assigned to the menu category in your account or a child account, then a confirmation message appears. Click Delete. The menu category is deleted.

    delete_menu_category.png
     
  4. If menu items are assigned to the menu category in your account or a child account, then a prompt appears asking you to first select another category to reassign the existing items to. Select the category to reassign the items and then click the Move Items and Remove Category button.

    assign_category.png

Changing Display Name of a Menu Category not Owned by your Account

For a menu category not owned by your account (i.e., the menu category is owned by a parent account), you can change its display name that appears on your menu. To change the display of a menu category:

  1. Click the menu category whose name you want to change. The Edit Category pop-up window appears.

    edit_category_soup.png
     
  2. In the Display Name field, enter the display name.
  3. Click Save to apply your changes.
  4. If wanting to revert the display name to the original name assigned by the parent account, open the menu category again, and click the revert icon. 

    edit_category_menu_category_parent2.png