23 Menu Levels

Simphony uses menu levels to:
  • Determine which sales items (Menu Items, Discounts, Service Charges, Tender/Medias) are available in a transaction.

  • Allow different prices for one menu item.

A main menu level and a sub menu level are always active. You can determine which levels are active by default (using the menu level hierarchy) and allow workstation operators to change the levels during a transaction using a function key or menu level pop-ups. You can also configure the status bar in the upper or lower area of the workstation to show main and sub level names that are active.

Auto Menu Level

You can set the main menu level, sub menu level, or both to change automatically at a specific time of day. This configuration is called auto menu level, and controls the availability of sales detail items. For example, a revenue center can offer an Early Bird Special (Burgers are $5.00) every weekday from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. For the Early Bird Special to automatically occur, you can set an auto menu level from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Set menu item definitions with multiple prices accordingly (one price for the Early Bird level and another general price).

If you configure auto menu levels to overlap, menu levels become active based on the order in which you set the auto menu levels. After the workstation determines that one level is active, it does not look at the other auto menu levels. Therefore, you must pay special attention when configuring multiple auto menu levels that occur on the same days at the same times.

According to the configuration in the following table, at 3:00 p.m. the main level become 2 - Early Bird, and at 4:00 p.m. the main level becomes 3 - Free Drinks. This occurs because the Free Drinks level is set at auto level 1, and starts after Early Bird, which is set at auto level 2.

Table 23-1 Example of Correct Auto Menu Levels

Number Main Level Start Time End Time Days Active

1

3 - Free Drinks

16:00

17:00

Monday–Friday

2

2 - Early Bird

15:00

18:00

Monday–Friday

The workstation’s logic for these two menu levels is explained in the following table.

Table 23-2 Workstation Logic

Time Logic

15:00

Is auto level 1 active? No

Is auto level 2 active? Yes. Active main level is 2 - Early Bird

16:00

Is auto level 1 active? Yes. Active level is 3 - Free Drinks

17:00

Is auto level 1 active? No

Is auto level 2 active? Yes. Active main level is 2 - Early Bird

18:00

Is auto level 1 active? No

Is auto level 2 active? No

The main level is 1 - Regular, which is the default menu level for the revenue center

Menu Level Hierarchy

The following menu level hierarchy determines which setting controls the default transaction menu levels:

Table 23-3 Menu Level Hierarchy

Number Enterprise Management Console (EMC) Configuration Description

1

Serving Periods

If the active serving period has a main or sub level that is not 0, that is the active main or sub level.

2

Auto Menu Levels table

If the time of day falls during an active auto menu level, the main or sub level that is specified for that auto menu level is the active level.

3

Transaction Menu Level Defaults

If the main or sub level set in the RVC Parameters module is not 0, that is the active main or sub level.

4

Main 1 and sub 1 are always defaults

If the other hierarchy rules have not been met, the workstation defaults to main level 1 and sub level 1.

Menu Level Configuration Tasks

Setting up menu levels consists of completing the following tasks:
  • Set up main, sub, and custom menu levels

  • Configure the default main and sub levels for serving periods

  • Configure auto menu levels

  • Configure the default menu levels for a revenue center

  • Configure the active menu levels for menu item definitions, prices, discounts, service charges, and Tender/Media

  • Configure the functionality of menu items at the workstation