A Modifier is an additional setting that can be applied to a category, dish, and menu items. 

In this article, you'll learn about the different levels of Modifiers and how to use the Category level Modifier. 

(For the user guide on the Dish level Modifier, go to the article - 9. Dish level Modifier)

Initial Steps

1. Be on the Control Panel

2. Go to Menu tab

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• How to navigate the Modifier option?
• What are the different levels of Modifiers?
• How to add a Category level modifier and add items to it?
  • Properties of the Category modifier
  • Category modifier: Setup
  • Add items to the Category modifier: Setup and Output
  • Assign prices to the Category modifier items for a specific size: Setup and Output
• How will the Category modifier show up for a different item in the same menu category?

How to navigate the Modifier option?

You can choose any menu item in any menu category of a menu. Here, for example, let's take a look at the options available for the BBQ Chicken Pizza menu item in the Pizza category of the Wednesday Special menu that we created in the article - 3. Adding a Menu Category.

Take the following steps:

1. Go to Wednesday Special,

2. Go to Pizza,

3. Click on BBQ Chicken Pizza

Find the Modifiers option right next to the Remove button.

What are the different levels of Modifiers?

Upon clicking on the Modifiers option, we can see the three levels of modifiers.

Let's understand what each of them means and when to use which one:

1. Category level Modifier - Add modifier to all the items in Pizza category

    A category level modifier applies to all the items and sizes in a menu category.

       Consider:

• You can apply the Category level modifier to all the items in the menu category at once.
• The Category level modifier settings will automatically be applied to other items in the same menu category.
• You can always exclude an item for this modifier.

2. Dish/Item level Modifier - Add to all BBQ Chicken Pizza items

    A Dish level modifier applies to all the same items along with their all sizes that fall in the same menu category .

3. Size level Modifier - Add to BBQ Chicken Pizza with size small in category Pizza

    This modifier only applies to a specific size like - small, medium, or large, for an item in a menu category.

How to add a Category level modifier and add items to it?

Go through the following guides to understand the available options with the category modifier.

Properties of the Category modifier

1. Go to Modifiers,

2. Click on "...to all the items in Pizza category" (category modifier)

Go to the category modifier properties window on the right side of your computer screen.

Let's take a look at the options available for this modifier:

• Hide modifier on the item: If you want to temporarily turn off that modifier across all levels so that they don't show up in the menu, you can check-in the box, otherwise, keep it un-checked.

• Name: Give a name to the modifier.

• Multiple selection: If you mark this option, the customer can select more than one modifier item for a particular modifier, typically used when you have toppings or side items and you want your customers to make multiple selections.

• Required: If it's turned on, then it means that the customer has to select at least one modifier item for that particular modifier. 

(To learn about Multiple selection and Modifier Multiplier, read the article - 10. Multi-Select Modifier with Modifier Multiplier, and to learn about Master Modifier, read the article - 11. Master Modifier - Pizza Modifier).

Category modifier: Setup

Let's say, the BBQ Chicken Pizza item comes with three different types of Crusts (modifier items)- 

1. Thin Crust 

2. Thick Crust

3. Cheesy Crust

So first, you want to add a Category modifier called Crust (also, Crust modifier) which will be applied to all the items and sizes in the category.

So let's add a Crust modifier followed by adding the types of Crusts (How to add items to the modifier: Setup and Output).

Setup

1. Add Name

2. Check-in the Required box, and

3. Save it

And the changes have been made as shown in the following screenshot:

Note: The Crust modifier won't show up in the Order online menu until you add items to it.

Add items to the Category modifier: Setup and Output

As we assumed above that you want to create 3 different types of crusts, namely - Thin Crust, Thick Crust, and Cheesy Crust. So, let's add them now.

Setup

1. Click on the Crust modifier,

2. Go to "Crust Modifier Items...",

3. Click on Edit

Find Crust's modifiers properties window on the right side of your computer screen.

4. Click on Add new option to add new items, and

5. Save it

The changes have been made:

      Output

1. Go to Order online menu

2. Go to WEDNESDAY SPECIAL  > Pizza > BBQ Chicken Pizza

Assign prices to the Category modifier items for a specific size: Setup and Output

You can assign prices to the modifier items for a specific size. 

For example, let's say the large size of the BBQ Chicken Pizza item comes at the following prices for the three types of Crust's modifiers items:

• Thin Crust - $0.50
• Thick Crust - $0.50
• Cheesy Crust - $1

Setup

1. Click on large,

2. Go to the Crust modifier,

3. Go to "Crust modifier items..." that appears right next to Modifiers...,and

4. Hit Edit

5. Set up prices for the modifier items, then

6. Save it

Important: Make sure that large is selected in the size box.

 Output

1. Go to Order online menu

2. Go to WEDNESDAY SPECIAL  > Pizza > BBQ Chicken Pizza

Select large size to see the updated prices for all items.

Note: The prices are set only for the large size so they won't appear for small and medium sizes. This means, you'll have to separately assign prices to the items for the small and medium sizes (follow the same above-given procedure in each case).

How will the Category modifier show up for a different item in the same menu category?

The category level modifier settings will automatically apply to the other items within the same menu category.

Let's understand this by adding a different item called Heart Attack Pizza to the same Pizza category in the Wednesday Special menu. (To learn how to add an item to the menu category, read the article - 4. Adding a Menu Item)

Now, go to the Heart Attack Pizza and see the system has automatically added the Category modifier settings to this item as shown in the following screenshot:

Now,

1. Go to the Order online menu.

2. Go to WEDNESDAY SPECIAL > Pizza > Heart Attack Pizza

Upon clicking on Heart Attack Pizza, you can see the Category modifier settings have been updated in the item, along with the prices assigned to the large-sized Crust types.