Introduction to Menu Item Classes
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Order device or printer destinations
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Condiment requirements
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Taxes, discounts, and service charges that can apply
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Privilege options (which employees can order the menu item)
When setting a menu, locations separate menu items into groups dependent on behavior. Menu item classes give those menu items the behavior. For example, if a certain group of items require the workstation operator to select a meat temperature, all of those items could be associated with the same class. Examples of the items could be a hamburger, a tuna steak, and a prime rib. While hamburger, tuna steak, and prime rib are all different items, they are prepared at the same preparation station in the kitchen, and all require a meat temperature specification. Because of these similarities, they may be assigned to the same menu item class.
If a group of items needs the workstation operator to select two modifiers, such as a meat temperature and a cheese selection, they would receive a different class. Menu item classes are based on what the items need, not what the item is.
The Menu Item Maintenance module is used to configure the two types of menu items (Regular and Condiment), and each requires a menu item class. By default, every menu item class is a Regular menu item class. A Regular class is used for menu items that appear on a menu as any item that is ordered on its own by a guest. These could include a sandwich or steak, a soda or a cup of coffee. In other words, a regular item is any item that is not a condiment. A condiment is a menu item that modifies the regular menu item. An example is the cheese selection for a sandwich. The sandwich is the regular menu item and the cheese choice is the condiment. There are often multiple options when selecting condiments like cheese. To make things easier, Simphony Essentials collects condiments together and places them into a Condiment Group. In the cheese selection example, each type of cheese can each be its own condiment menu item (Cheddar, Pepperjack, Provolone, and so on), and grouped together because they share the same identifying quality: they are all selections of cheese. Together they can form a Condiment Group called “Cheese Choice”, and can all receive the same menu item class. The class tells the menu items they are A) Condiments and B) part of the same Condiment Group.
Among regular menu items, some require a selection of condiments to accompany them. These items are given Required Classes. Using the meat temperature example, the hamburger, tuna steak, and prime rib all receive Required Classes. This particular class tells the application that in order to register as a complete item, each item needs a selection of a meat temperature.
Regular Classes associated with menu items require no additional modifiers. These are called by different names based on the person setting up your Enterprise, but you can think of them as “Food No Prep” classes. For example, a hummus plate appetizer does not usually require modifiers or prep, but it is still a regular item (not a condiment). The item can be ordered on its own and does not modify another menu item.