Catalog & Menu Management: The Complete Guide
Master the "Single Source of Truth" philosophy to manage prices, variants, and menus across all your sales channels.
1. The Tappya Philosophy: Single Source of Truth
To manage a modern restaurant, you often need different menus for different platforms (Dine-in, Web, or delivery apps). Tappya simplifies this through a "Single Source of Truth" architecture.
The Master Catalog (The Warehouse)
This is your central database. Every item you sell is created here once, with its default price and specifications.
The Default Menu (The Mirror)
This automatically pulls every item from your catalog at its standard price.
Custom Menus (The Curated Subsets)
Pick and choose specific items for contexts like "Happy Hour" or "UberEats". Most importantly, you can apply Price Overrides here.(e.g., charge $12 for a burger on delivery while it remains $10 in the catalog).
2. Master Concept: Variants vs. Modifiers
Building a user-friendly menu requires understanding the technical difference between a Variant and a Modifier.
A. Variants
Variants represent a fundamental version of the item. They are mutually exclusive.
A required choice between different versions.
- Sizes (Small, Medium, Large)
- Counts (6pc, 12pc, 20pc)
- Composition (Single, Double Patty)
Adjusts the base price (e.g., "Large" adds $7.00).
B. Modifiers
Customizations that a customer can choose to add or remove.
Flexible customizations. Can be optional or required via rules.
- Required: Bun Choice (Brioche vs Sesame)
- Optional: Extra Cheese (+$1.00)
- Instructions: No Onions
Define boundaries (e.g., "Max Selection: 3").
3. Organizing the Hierarchy
Tappya uses a three-tier structure to keep your POS and online menus clean:
4. Power Tools for Rapid Management
The Spreadsheet View
For restaurants with large menus. Edit names, descriptions, and prices for your entire menu in one grid-like interface. Fastest way for seasonal updates.
AI-Assisted Content
Streamline the creative side of menu building:
- Multilingual Descriptions: Generate professional descriptions in English, Spanish, etc.
- Food Photography: Describe a dish ("Delicious classic burger") to generate high-quality visuals.
Menu-Specific Overrides
Change how an item looks or costs on specific menus (e.g., Delivery vs Dine-in):
- Change price of base item or variants.
- Disable specific modifiers not suitable for travel.
- Add menu-specific titles.
5. Step-by-Step Implementation Map
Follow these steps to go from a blank dashboard to a live, professional menu.
Phase 1: The Foundation (Catalog)
- Create your Categories: Group your items logically (e.g., Starters, Main Course, Drinks).
- Build your Modifier Groups: Create reusable groups like "Side Choices" or "Toppings".
- Build your Variant Groups: Create groups for choices that are mandatory, such as "Size".
- Add your Items: Enter the name and base price for each product in your Master Catalog.
- Attach Choices: Link the relevant Variant and Modifier groups to each item.
Phase 2: Branding & Detail
- Write Descriptions: Use the AI tool to create professional descriptions and translate them.
- Generate/Upload Visuals: Ensure every item has a high-quality photo using AI or your own.
- Tag Dietary Info: Select appropriate allergens and dietary classifications (e.g., Vegan).
Phase 3: Distribution (Menus)
- Create a Custom Menu: Set up a specific menu like "UberEats" or "Dine-In".
- Bulk Import Items: Use "Add Existing Items" to pull from Master Catalog.
- Apply Overrides: Use the Spreadsheet View to adjust prices for that channel.
- Publish: Set your menu to "Automatic" to ensure it stays synced.
Best Practices for Tappya Success
1. Master the Logic
Rule of thumb: If a customer must choose (e.g., Size), use a Variant. If it's a customization (e.g., Extra Jalapeños), use a Modifier.
2. Speed with Spreadsheets
Don't click every item. Use Spreadsheet View to scan prices in a single grid and update them like an Excel sheet.
3. AI as Creative Assistant
Use AI to maintain a consistent "voice" in descriptions and a cohesive visual style in photos (e.g., same background prompts).
4. Protect Margins
Create a "Delivery Menu" and use Price Overrides to add a defined percentage to those items, covering commission costs.
Need hands-on help? Visit your dashboard or explore our Help Center.