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Set Up Your Menu

Your customers need to see what you offer and how much it costs. The menu is the first thing they see after scanning a QR code at your restaurant -- so it needs to be clear, well-organized, and always up to date. A confusing menu means lost orders; a great menu means faster decisions and higher average tickets.

Key Concepts​

Your menu is built from three layers, each one building on the last.

Categories​

A category groups related menu items together. When customers browse your menu on their phone, they see categories as tabs across the top of the screen -- "Hot Drinks", "Pastries", "Lunch Specials". Tapping a tab filters the menu to show only items in that category.

Categories are the backbone of navigation. A customer looking for coffee should not have to scroll past 20 food items to find it.

OKeep gives you two types of categories:

  • System categories like "Popular" and "New" are built in. The platform fills them automatically based on what customers actually order -- you do not add items to them manually.
  • Custom categories are ones you create yourself. These are the core of your menu structure: "Pizzas", "Salads", "Desserts", "Drinks" -- whatever fits your restaurant.

A menu item is a single product your customers can order -- a Cappuccino, a Margherita Pizza, a Caesar Salad. Each item has a name, a base price, an optional image and description, and belongs to one or more categories.

Items are what customers actually tap to add to their cart. A clear name, an appetizing photo, and an accurate price are what turn browsers into buyers.

Option Groups​

An option group is a set of choices you attach to a menu item so customers can customize their order. Sizes (Small / Medium / Large), milk types (Regular / Oat / Almond), extra toppings -- these are all option groups.

Option groups are reusable. You create a "Size" group once, then attach it to every drink on your menu. Change the price of "Large" in one place, and it updates everywhere.

tip

Think of your menu as a tree: Categories are the branches, Items are the leaves, and Option Groups are the customizations on each leaf. Get the branches right first, then add leaves, then add customizations.

How It Works​

Setting up your menu follows a natural flow:

  1. Create your categories first. Decide how you want customers to navigate your menu. Most restaurants need 4--8 categories. A coffee shop might use "Hot Drinks", "Cold Drinks", "Pastries", "Sandwiches". A pizzeria might use "Pizzas", "Pasta", "Salads", "Drinks", "Desserts".

  2. Add your menu items. For each product you sell, create an item with a name, price, description, and photo. Assign it to the right category. A "Cappuccino" goes under "Hot Drinks", a "Margherita" goes under "Pizzas".

  3. Create option groups and attach them. If customers need to pick a size, choose extras, or customize ingredients, create option groups in the Option Library. Then link them to the relevant items. A "Size" group can be shared across all your drinks; a "Pizza Toppings" group can be shared across all your pizzas.

Customers see the result immediately on their phones. Categories appear as tabs, items appear as cards with photos and prices, and options appear when a customer taps an item to add it to their cart.

Quick Start​

Ready to get started? Follow these guides:

Or dive into the reference pages for a deeper understanding:

  • Categories -- everything about organizing your menu with categories
  • Menu Items -- the complete reference for item fields, images, and pricing
  • Options & Extras -- all option group types, pricing, and reuse patterns

Tips and Best Practices​

  • Start with categories, not items. Having a clear structure before you start adding items saves you from reorganizing later.
  • Use photos on every item. Items with images consistently get more orders than text-only listings. Use the Asset Library to manage your photos.
  • Reuse option groups aggressively. If every hot drink has the same size options, create one "Size" group and link it everywhere. One change updates your entire menu.
  • Keep category names short. Customers see them as small tabs on a phone screen. "Drinks" works better than "Beverages and Refreshments".
  • Review your menu regularly. Prices change, seasonal items come and go, and best-sellers shift. A quick weekly review keeps everything accurate.

What's Next​