Welcome to another section of our Online Menu Guide! Here, we will explain the concept of variants, what they are and guide you through adding them to the Admin Panel, as well as assigning them to your new or existing menu items.
What are Variants?
Variants enable you to create a sub-set of a size to suit a particular dietary requirement, such as βGluten-Freeβ or βVeganβ. You can set a higher price for a variant and select the specific customizations only supported by this dietary type.
Let's break down how to use them effectively on the Admin Panel:
Variant Types:
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Gluten-Free
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Dairy Free
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Vegan
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Vegan Cheese
- Thin Base/Thick Base
Step 1: Adding Variants to the Admin Panel
Variants should be added in the "Modifiers" section of your Admin Panel.
There is a limit of 2 variants that can be assigned to simple items (i.e. Gluten-Free; Vegan) and no limit for complex items
βΉοΈ Make sure to add variants to the 'Modifiers' section in the Admin Panel first so they are visible during the assignment process.
Firstly, let's add variants to the Admin Panel:
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Go to Menu > Modifiers
- Click on the βView Variationsβ button
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Click on the "Add Variations" button
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Type in the Variation Name, for example, "Gluten-Free"
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Click "Save"
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Great! The variant is now added in the Admin Panel.
Step 2: Assigning Variants to Sizes When Creating Menu Items
We can now proceed to assign our "Gluten Free" variant to the chosen menu items.
π Below is the step-by-step process for assigning a variant to existing simple and complex menu items.
π When you add a variant while creating a new menu item, the steps are similar. Just ensure that the variant is already listed in the "Modifiers" section of the Admin Panel.
β Assigning Variants to Simple Items
- Go to Menu > Menu Items
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Click the βEditβ button on the chosen simple menu item
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Go to "Modifiers/Sizes"
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Click on the "Select Variant" button
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Select "Gluten Free"
βΉοΈ You can select the sizes that will have the Gluten-Free variant by checking or unchecking the Gluten-Free boxes for each size. Typically, some pizza places offer gluten-free options only for large sizes.
*In our example, we'll make the Gluten Free variant available exclusively for the large size:
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Click the βUpdate Pricesβ button
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Enter the extra cost for the Variant option, if it applies
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Click "Save"
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Click "Next Step"
π When setting up a price for a Variant (i.e. βGluten-Freeβ) for a Large Pizza, there is no need to enter the full price for pizza, as the item size price is already defined. All you have to do is enter the additional amount for that Variant only (i.e., an extra $5 for the Gluten-Free base) or leave it at $0 if you do not wish to charge your customers additionally for choosing that variant.
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Go to "Preview"
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Click "Save"
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Refresh the customer website
βΉοΈ The Gluten-Free variant you've assigned won't appear in the "Preview" section; however, it has been successfully linked to your menu item and will be visible on the website and POS for that item.
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Go to Menu > Menu Items
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Click the βEditβ button on the chosen complex menu item
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Go to βModifiers/Sizesβ
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Click on the βSelect Base Modifierβ button
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Select "Gluten Free"
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Click "Save" (bottom right)
*For our example, the gluten-free variant will be selected solely for the large size
Configure pricing:
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Click the βUpdate Pricesβ button
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Enter the extra cost for the Variant option, if it applies
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Click "Save"
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Click "Next Step"
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Go to "Preview"
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Click "Save"
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Refresh the customer website
βΉοΈ Make sure to add all variants to the 'Modifiers' of the Admin Panel first, so they are visible during the assignment process.
Let's update our Hawaiian and Meat Lovers pizzas, which already have the Gluten-free variant assigned, by including an additional "Thin Base" variant. Follow this quick guide to see how to do it and get an overview of how they'll look on the website.
β‘οΈ Simple Item:
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At the step where you select variants in the "Modifiers/Sizes" section inside your menu item, simply mark the checkbox for the "Thin Base" variant
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Configure Pricing
(For our example, the Thin Base Variant won't have an extra charge.)
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Click "Next Step"
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Go to "Preview"
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Click "Save"
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Refresh the customer website
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All done!
β‘οΈ Complex Item:
π When adding multiple variants to a complex menu item, such as a gluten-free base and vegan cheese, you can select and make them available for different sizes. However, it's important to note that only one variant can be chosen
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At the step where you select variants in the "Modifiers/Sizes" section inside your menu item, simply mark the checkbox for the "Thin Base" variant.
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Click "Save"
βΉοΈ Upon adding new variants to an item with an existing size-specific variant, it defaults to being available for all sizes, and the previously set price resets to $0.
Be sure to deselect it for sizes you don't wish to include and re-enter the price.
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Configure pricing
(For our example, the Thin Base Variant won't have an extra charge.)
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Click "Save"
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Click "Next Step"
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Go to "Preview"
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Click "Save"
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Refresh the customer website
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All set!
