Welcome to the Next Order Menu Setup Guide! This guide helps you set up and manage your menu: create categories, add or edit items, set prices, add extras, manage ingredients, create special deals, and more. Follow these steps to get started!
Step 1: Log in to Your Next Order Dashboard
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Open your web browser and go to the Next Order Admin Panel. https://admin.nextorder.com/login
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Log in to your restaurant account using your credentials (email address and password).
Step 2: Access the Menu Setup
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Once logged in, you will be directed to your restaurant's dashboard
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Click on the "Menu" option (Left side column on the Admin Panel)
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Click on the dropdown “Menu Items”
Dropdown > Menu > Menu Items
Step 3: Create Categories
Before adding menu items, create categories to organize your menu. Each category represents a section of your menu. For example, for an Italian restaurant, you might create categories such as 'Gourmet Pizza’, 'Pasta.' etc. Follow these steps to create your categories:
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Click “Add Category” on the Admin Panel under the “Menu Items” section found in the left-sidebar dropdown
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Enter the name of the category, e.g., "Drinks,"
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Choose an appropriate emoji for the category (emojis reflect on POS)
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Click on “Save”
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Refresh the Admin Panel so the category appears
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🔁 Repeat this process for all the menu sections you want to create
Menu > Menu Items > Add Category > Enter the Name > Pick Emoji > Save > Refresh Admin Panel
In the Admin Panel, the "Ingredients" section (located under the "Menu" dropdown on the left side of the Admin Panel) allows you to manage all ingredients in your menu items easily. This includes both, Extras and Removable Ingredients.
Extras are... optional Add-Ons that customers can choose to enhance their menu selections, such as additional toppings on pizzas, which may be offered at an additional cost or for free. Examples include toppings like capsicum, olives, or pineapple. To include these extras with your menu items, they must first be listed in the 'Ingredients' section of the Admin Panel."
Ingredients are... different parts of your menu dishes. For example, a BBQ pizza may have contain incidents such as mozzarella, bacon, chicken, beef, and BBQ sauce. To enable customers to choose to remove any of these elements from their order, ensure that all ingredients are first listed and organized under the 'Ingredients' section of the Admin Panel, divided into categories like sauces, vegetables, meats, etc."
📝 Listing Ingredients
First, list and categorize all ingredients, such as 'Cheeses' or 'Meats', in the "Ingredients" section. This makes it easier to add them to your menu items later.
Create an Ingredient Category
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Go to “Menu” and navigate to the "Ingredients" section
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Click on the “+ Add Ingredient Category” button
- Type in the Ingredient Category Name, for example "Veggies"
- Click "Save"
- Click on the “+ Add Veggies” button
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Type in Ingredient Name, for example, "Capsicum"
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Click "Save"
- Repeat the last 3 steps until all the ingredients are entered
- All done! ✅
🔍 Keep in mind that it's unnecessary to enter an ingredient like 'Tomato' more than once. It can be used for multiple items across all menu items after it's added to the system.
Click below for useful tips on configuring extras for pizza restaurants ⬇️
The following sequence represents the common order of ingredients used among pizza stores ensuring everything is arranged in a clean, tidy order:
Pizza Base / Patties > Cheese > Meat > Seafood > Veggies > Sauces > Herbs & Spices > Garnish & Seasonings > Others > Add-Ons.
FAQ: How will my menu items with extras and removable ingredients appear on the website after adding them to the system?
Complete instructions for uploading and adding menu items, including extras and removable ingredients, are covered in detail in the next sections 🔜
Click below for best practises for organising your Admin Panel ⬇️
To organize ingredient categories like Cheese and Veggies in the Admin Panel, enter numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.) in the 'Ingredients' section. This helps arrange categories in your preferred order, such as alphabetically. Without these numbers, ingredient names may display randomly.
Note: No need to number actual ingredients (e.g., tomato, lettuce) as they will appear in alphabetical order on Online Ordering and POS.
Here's how it works:
1.Go to the "Ingredients" section on the Admin Panel
2. Click on "+Add Ingredient Category", enter a random number and click "Save"
3. 🔁 Repeat this step until you've entered enough numbers
4. To add an ingredient, click on the "+Add" button on the right, type in the ingredient name, and click "Save"
Great job! You're now set to organize your ingredients in your preferred order.
You can now organize and label your ingredients in any sequence you prefer. Start by selecting the "Edit Name" button and renaming the category, such as "Sauces." Then, within that category, click the "Edit" button to rename each item, like changing it to "Tomato Sauce."
📌 Assigning Ingredients to Menu Items
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At this stage, you're not assigning extras or removable ingredients to your menu items yet. This step comes when you create each item. As you build your menu, you can use the ingredients you have entered in the "Ingredients" section as optional 'Extras/Add-Ons' or as 'Removable' inside your menu items.
ℹ️ Note: It's important to remember that listing an ingredient under this section doesn't automatically mean it will be used in every dish. That is done in the next step when creating our menu items.
Please make sure to manually enter all the ingredients to the Admin Panel
(Menu > Ingredients) prior to adding or editing menu items.
Step 5: Selecting Item Types (Simple or Complex)
In this next step, it is important to choose between a simple or complex menu item, as the process of uploading those is different.
Select Item Type > Add Simple Menu Item > Next Step
Menu Item - a menu item refers to an individual food or beverage option listed on the restaurant’s website and POS representing a dish or drinks that customers can order.
Detailed Comparison Table for Simple vs Complex Menu Items
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Simple Menu Item |
Complex Menu Item |
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Simple menu items include only size options, extras, and removable ingredients, making the upload process easier compared to complex items |
Complex menu items include size modifiers, custom modifiers, extras, and removable ingredients, offering extensive customization. Uploading complex items takes more steps because of their advanced options |
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SIZE: includes an option for item sizes & quantity, for example, Small, Large or Family. |
(BASE) SIZE MODIFIER: Includes option for item sizes, for example Small, Large, or Family
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NO MODIFIERS: Simple menu items do not have modifiers or customization options beyond size, extras & removable ingredients.
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MODIFIERS: Supports modifiers with multiple options such as “Spice Level” (mild, medium, hot), “Protein Type” (chicken, lamb) or “Sauce” (no sauce, tomato, BBQ)
ℹ️ All the modifiers must be entered previously on the Admin Panel under the “Modifiers” section before proceeding with creating complex menu items |
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EXTRAS/ADD-ONS: Customers can select additional extras or add-ons to customize their order. For example, adding extra cheese to a pizza
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EXTRAS/ADD-ONS: Customers can select additional extras or add-ons to customize their order. For example, adding extra cheese to a pizza
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REMOVABLE INGREDIENTS: Enables customers the ability to remove ingredients from menu items |
REMOVABLE INGREDIENTS: Enables customers to remove ingredients from menu items. |
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EXAMPLE: An example of a Simple Menu Item is “Margherita Pizza,” with options to choose the size (small, large, or family), extras, and removable ingredients.
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EXAMPLE: An example of a Complex Menu Item is “Carbonara Pasta” with a choice of pasta type (i.e. Spaghetti or Penne to choose from); another example could be a curry with a chance of protein (chicken, lamb or beef)
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Examples of Simple/Complex Menu Items 📸
Simple Menu Item (Website View)
Complex Menu Item (Website View)
Step 6: Adding Simple Menu Items ➕
Once menu categories have been added to the Admin Panel, you can add menu items.
- From the Next Order Dashboard, select Menu > Menu Items
- Press “Add Item” in the top right corner inside the chosen category
- Fill in the item details (Item Name; Item Description), then Click “Next Step”
- Click “Choose File” and upload a photo of the menu item from the files on your computer, then click “Next Step”
Choose File > Upload Photo > Next Step
🔔 The image size should be greater than 30Kb. Otherwise, you will not be able to proceed. (The photo will reflect on the Point of Sale and your website.)
💡 The image can be easily adjusted to your preferences. You can use the slider to zoom in or out and the cursor to position the image so centre to the middle and looks good on the website.
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Click “Add simple menu item” under Item Types
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Click on "Next Step"
- Go to “Modifiers/Sizes”
- Click on “Add Size Name” and manually enter sizes such as "Small" "Medium" etc.
- Click on "Add" after entering each size name
- Click on “Select Size” and choose the sizes
Tip💡
Select sizes by clicking on them in descending order (from largest to smallest) for proper order. Missed it? You can still adjust the display order later, in the “Preview” section.
- Click on “Configure Prices”
- Enter Pricing and click on the "Save" button
- 🔁 Repeat the same steps for other remaining sizes
- After all the sizes have been configured with prices, click on the "Next Step" button
- Add Extras to your Menu Item
All ingredients (for example, "cheese", "pineapple") previously listed in the 'Ingredients' section of the Admin Panel can now be added as Extras/Add-Ons to your item along with their prices.
Click here for a quick reminder on the ingredients section in the Admin Panel ⬇️
ℹ️ The "Ingredients" section in our admin panel serves a dual purpose. Anything entered here can be used for extras (with an additional cost) and removable ingredients in menu items. This flexibility simplifies menu customization.
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Customized Pricing for Different Sizes
You can tailor the pricing of these extras based on the size of the menu item ordered. (i.e. different extras pricing for Regular & Large pizza sizes)
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Choose the extras for your item by checking the boxes next to each extra's name.
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Enter the pricing for each extra (if applicable). Different prices for extras can be set based on the size of the items
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Click on "Next Step"
Select Extras > Enter pricing > Next Step
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Tick all the ingredients that are part of the menu item
This allows customers to remove them according to their preference
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Finally, click on "Next Step"
- Select Stores
In the "Stores" section, you'll find the store location where menu items will be available after adding them inside categories.
Select Stores > Next Step
- Select Order Types
Click below to learn more about different Order Types ⬇️
Next Order supports various order types: Walk-In, Delivery, Pickup, and Dine-In. Let's quickly explain how each one works:
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Walk-in - refers to customers who visit the restaurant in person and place their orders for takeaway at the counter.
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Pickup - refers to customers who call the store directly over the phone or through your online ordering website to place their order for collection.
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Delivery - refers to customers who call for a delivery or use your online ordering website to place their order for delivery.
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Dine-In - refers to placing an order for customers seated in the restaurant.
🍽️ For “Dine-In" the orders can be placed through POS & QR Code Ordering 📲
🗓️ You can also schedule future deliveries, pickups, and Dine-In table reservations through our website
- Tick the "Is Published" box and click "Next Step"
*IS PUBLISHED - For menu items to appear on the website and POS system, the “Is Published” box always needs to be ticked.
Click below to add an item and leave it unpublished ⬇️
ℹ️ For larger menu updates where you don't want items to appear immediately, add them and leave the 'Is Published' box unchecked. This keeps them unseen by customers until you're ready to make them live.
In the 'Preview' section, you can review your menu item details, adjust sizes or edit item descriptions if needed, and finalise your changes before saving.
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Review your menu item
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Click on "Save"
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Refresh the website
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All done!
Review The Item > Save > Refresh Website
Congratulations!
You've successfully added your first menu item to the system 🎉!
Admin Panel View
Website View
