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How to set up your menu in a POS

A POS menu is not the printed menu. It is built so staff can ring an order in a few taps and the kitchen gets exactly what to cook. Plan the structure on paper, then build categories, items, sizes and add-ons in that order.

October 20, 2026·7 min read
  1. Plan categories Group items the way staff think about them at the till, usually the same sections as the printed menu, with no more than 8 to 12 categories.
  2. List items with prices and tax Write each item with its short till name, price and tax, and note whether it comes in sizes.
  3. Use variations for sizes Turn small, medium and large into variations of one item, each with its own price.
  4. Use modifiers for options Group add-ons and instructions into modifier groups, such as milk, extras and doneness, with prices where they cost more.
  5. Build combos and specials Set up meal deals as combo items so the price is right and the kitchen sees each part.
  6. Arrange the screen Order categories and buttons by how often they sell, and colour-code buttons if it helps.
  7. Test with real orders Ring your ten most complicated orders and check the bill and the kitchen ticket for each.

Plan the structure before you type

Start with paper or a spreadsheet. Write down the categories staff will tap first, then the items in each. Use the sections of the printed menu as a guide, but think about speed: a cafe till may put Coffee, Tea, Cold Drinks, Bakery and Food as five big buttons, even if the printed board splits them further. Eight to twelve categories is plenty for most places.

Give items short till names that fit on a button and read clearly on a kitchen ticket. 'Chkn Caesar' is fine on the till; the long description belongs on the printed menu and online ordering page.

Sizes are variations, options are modifiers

If an item comes in sizes or versions with different prices, it is one item with variations, not three separate items. A latte with small, medium and large variations keeps sales together and still prices each size correctly.

Everything else that changes how an item is made is a modifier: milk choice, extra shot, no onion, add bacon, well done. Group modifiers that belong together, mark a group required when the kitchen must know (a steak's doneness), and attach the same group to every item that uses it. Short, reused groups are faster for staff than long custom lists on each item.

Combos, specials and menus by time of day

Meal deals work best as combo products: one button with a deal price that includes a main, a side and a drink, with each part still showing on the kitchen ticket and coming out of stock. Daily specials can be a category of their own that you update each morning, or open-price items where the server enters the price.

If you run different menus at different times, such as breakfast and lunch, or a separate catering menu, set up separate POS menus rather than one giant menu. Staff switch between them, and each shows only the categories that apply.

Arrange for speed and test

Put the categories and items that sell most at the top left, where the eye lands first. Colour-coding buttons by type (hot drinks, cold drinks, food) helps new staff. Then test with the orders that cause trouble: a large table with modifiers, a combo with substitutions, a half-and-half pizza, an allergy note. Check both the bill and the kitchen ticket for each one.

Doing it in SeroPOS

You can build the menu in the app's Admin or in the web back office; both feed the same catalogue.

  • Admin, then Categories: add categories and sub-categories; 'Hide in POS' keeps a category off the till.
  • Admin, then Variation Groups: create Size with values such as S, M, L.
  • Admin, then Modifier Groups: create groups such as Milk or Extras with prices.
  • Admin, then Products: add each item with category, unit, tax and price, set type to 'With variations' where needed, and attach modifier groups.
  • Back office, Products, then Add Product with type Combo for meal deals.
  • Back office, Products, then Multiple Menus (POS Menus): create Breakfast and Lunch menus; menu pills appear in the app when there are two or more.
  • In the app, long-press a product to set its button colour; in QSR Mode you can also drag buttons into a grid and set columns per category.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a variation and a modifier?

A variation is a different version of the item with its own price, and often its own stock, such as a small or large coffee. A modifier is an option or instruction added on top, such as oat milk or no onion, with or without an extra charge. Use variations for sizes and modifiers for everything else.

How many categories should a POS menu have?

Usually 8 to 12. Fewer categories mean fewer taps but longer item lists; more categories mean shorter lists but more hunting. Group by how staff think at the till, and put the busiest categories first.

Can I import my menu from a spreadsheet?

Yes. In SeroPOS, Admin, then Tools, then Download Excel gives you the product template, and Import Products uploads it. The back office also has Import Products. Set up categories, units and taxes first so the import can match them.

Can I have separate breakfast and lunch menus?

Yes. In the SeroPOS back office, Multiple Menus lets you create named POS menus, each mapped to its own categories, with one set as the default. When two or more exist, the app shows menu pills in the top bar so staff can switch.

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