Categories
Categories are how customers navigate your menu. When someone opens your menu on their phone, they see categories as tabs across the top of the screen. Tapping a tab shows only the items in that category. Without categories, your entire menu would be one long, unsorted list -- and nobody wants to scroll through 50 items to find a coffee.
A well-organized category structure helps customers find what they want faster, discover items they might have missed, and place orders with less friction.
System Categories vs Custom Categories
OKeep provides two types of categories, and they work very differently.
System Categories
System categories are built into the platform and populated automatically. You do not add items to them -- the system does it for you based on real order data.
| System Category | How It Is Populated | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| Popular | Items ordered most frequently across all customers at your location | Recalculated automatically based on order volume |
| New | Items you have recently added to your menu | Based on creation date; items age out over time |
System categories appear alongside your custom categories in the customer app. They are a useful way to surface trending items without any manual effort on your part.
You cannot create, rename, or delete system categories. They are managed by the platform. You can, however, control whether they are visible and where they appear in the category order.
How "Popular" Works
The Popular category ranks items by order frequency. The more customers order an item, the higher it appears. This calculation is automatic and continuous -- you do not need to configure anything.
What this means in practice:
- A new restaurant will have an empty or sparse Popular category until enough orders come in to establish trends.
- Seasonal shifts happen naturally. If smoothies get ordered more in summer, they rise in the Popular list without intervention.
- The Popular category does not duplicate items -- it shows the same item that exists in your custom category, just surfaced in an additional tab for convenience.
How "New" Works
The New category surfaces items based on their creation date. When you add a new item to your menu, it automatically appears in the New category for a period of time, giving it extra visibility.
This is useful for:
- Drawing attention to newly launched items without having to promote them manually
- Encouraging regulars to try something different
Can You Disable System Categories?
You can control the visibility and position of system categories by reordering them in the category list. If you move a system category to the end, it becomes less prominent. The system does not currently offer a toggle to fully hide system categories, but their position in the tab order is fully under your control.
Custom Categories
Custom categories are the ones you create yourself. These form the core structure of your menu and are entirely under your control. You decide the names, the order, and which items belong to each one.
Examples: "Hot Drinks", "Cold Drinks", "Salads", "Main Courses", "Desserts", "Kids Menu", "Lunch Specials".
Most restaurants need between 4 and 8 custom categories. This is enough to organize a full menu without overwhelming customers with too many tabs.
Creating a Category
There are two ways to create a custom category.
From the Menu Page
- Navigate to the Menu page in the sidebar
- Click Add Category in the top-right corner
- In the modal that appears, you have two options:
- Select from existing -- choose from a dropdown of predefined category names that other restaurants commonly use
- Create new category -- type a completely custom name (e.g., "Breakfast Specials")
- Click Add Category
The new category appears immediately in your menu view as a collapsible section.
While Creating a Menu Item
You can also create a category on the fly when adding or editing a menu item:
- In the menu item wizard, go to the Details step
- In the Category dropdown, start typing your new category name
- Select the "Create..." option that appears
- The category is created and assigned to the item immediately
Creating categories inline is convenient when you are building your menu from scratch and discovering your structure as you go. Once your menu is established, use the dedicated Add Category button for better control.
Category Settings Reference
Each category has the following configurable properties:
| Setting | Required | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes | -- | The label customers see as a tab on the menu screen. Keep it short (1--3 words). |
| Position | Automatic | End of list | Controls the tab order on the customer menu. Set via drag-and-drop. |
| Type | Automatic | Custom | Either System (auto-populated) or Custom (you manage items). Cannot be changed. |
Name
The category name appears as a tab label on the customer's phone screen. Tabs are small, so short names work best.
| Good Names | Names to Avoid |
|---|---|
| Hot Drinks | Our Selection of Hot Beverages |
| Main Courses | Main Course Dishes and Specials |
| Desserts | Sweet Treats and After-Dinner Options |
| Kids Menu | Menu Items Suitable for Children |
Character limit: There is no enforced limit, but names longer than about 15 characters start to truncate on mobile. Aim for 1--3 words.
Naming convention tip: Pick a style and stick with it. Either use plural ("Drinks", "Desserts") or singular ("Pizza", "Salad"), but not a mix. Plural is the most common convention.
Position (Display Order)
The position determines the order of tabs on the customer menu. The first category in your list is what customers see by default when they open the menu -- it is selected automatically.
How to change position: Drag-and-drop the category in the menu view (see Reordering Categories below).
Put your most important or popular category first. It is the one every customer will see without doing anything. For a coffee shop, that is usually "Hot Drinks". For a burger place, "Burgers".
Type (System vs Custom)
The type is set automatically when the category is created and cannot be changed.
- System categories are created and managed by the platform.
- Custom categories are created and managed by you.
You can tell the type by looking at the category header in the menu view. System categories have a distinct badge or indicator.
How Customers See Categories
On the customer's phone, categories appear as horizontal tabs at the top of the menu screen. The order of the tabs matches the order you set in the CRM. The first category in your list is what customers see by default when they open the menu.
This means the order matters. Put your most important or popular category first -- it is the one every customer will see without doing anything.
Items that are not assigned to any category appear in an Uncategorized section at the bottom of the menu. Customers can still see and order these items, but they are harder to find and look unorganized.
Keep the Uncategorized section empty. Every item on your menu should belong to a proper category. Uncategorized items look like an oversight to customers.
Reordering Categories
Categories can be reordered using drag-and-drop:
- Grab the drag handle (vertical dots icon) on the left side of the category header
- Drag the category up or down to the desired position
- Release to drop -- the new order saves automatically
The order you set is the exact order customers see as tabs in the app.
The Uncategorized section always appears at the bottom and cannot be reordered or renamed.
Editing a Category
- In the Menu view, find the category section header
- Click the edit (pencil) icon on the right side of the header
- Update the Category Name in the modal
- Click Update Category
The name change applies everywhere immediately -- all items in this category will appear under the new name in the customer app.
Deleting a Category
- Find the category section header in the menu view
- Click the delete (trash) icon on the right side of the header
- A confirmation dialog appears, telling you how many items will be affected
- Confirm to delete
What happens to items in a deleted category: All items that belonged to the deleted category become Uncategorized. They are not deleted -- they simply move to the Uncategorized section. You can then reassign them to other categories by editing each item or dragging them.
Before deleting a category with many items, consider whether renaming it or moving items to another category first would be a better approach. Bulk reassignment after deletion can be tedious.
Moving Items Between Categories
There are two ways to move items to a different category.
Drag and Drop
- Grab an item by its drag handle
- Drag it over the category header you want to move it to (the header highlights in orange)
- Drop the item -- it moves to the end of that category
Edit the Item
- Click the edit icon on the menu item
- In the Details step, change the Category dropdown to the new category
- Save the item
Category Structure Examples
Here are some common category structures for different types of restaurants. Use these as a starting point and adjust to fit your actual menu.
Restaurant
| Position | Category |
|---|---|
| 1 | Appetizers |
| 2 | Soups & Salads |
| 3 | Main Courses |
| 4 | Pasta & Risotto |
| 5 | Desserts |
| 6 | Beverages |
Coffee Shop
| Position | Category |
|---|---|
| 1 | Hot Drinks |
| 2 | Cold Drinks |
| 3 | Pastries |
| 4 | Sandwiches |
| 5 | Snacks |
Fast Food
| Position | Category |
|---|---|
| 1 | Burgers |
| 2 | Chicken |
| 3 | Sides |
| 4 | Drinks |
| 5 | Desserts |
Sushi Restaurant
| Position | Category |
|---|---|
| 1 | Nigiri |
| 2 | Maki Rolls |
| 3 | Sashimi |
| 4 | Hot Dishes |
| 5 | Soups |
| 6 | Drinks |
Seasonal and Temporary Categories
For seasonal promotions or limited-time offerings:
- Create a new category (e.g., "Summer Specials", "Holiday Menu", "Valentine's Day")
- Add your seasonal items to it
- Position it at the top of your category list so customers notice it immediately
- When the season ends, either:
- Delete the category -- items move to Uncategorized and can be hidden by setting them to inactive
- Move items to their regular categories, then delete the empty seasonal category
Placing seasonal categories first is a simple way to promote limited-time items without any extra marketing effort. Every customer who opens your menu will see them.
Design Guide: Building an Effective Category Structure
Optimal Number of Categories
| Category Count | Verdict | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1--3 | Too few | Individual categories become too long. Customers scroll endlessly. |
| 4--8 | Ideal | Each category is scannable. Customers find items quickly. |
| 9--12 | Borderline | Tabs start to overflow on smaller phones. Consider merging similar categories. |
| 13+ | Too many | Customers spend more time navigating tabs than browsing items. Merge aggressively. |
When to Merge Categories
Merge two categories if:
- Both have fewer than 3 items each
- The items are similar enough that a customer would look in the same place (e.g., "Teas" and "Hot Chocolate" can merge into "Hot Drinks")
- You are over 8 categories and need to simplify
When to Split a Category
Split a category if:
- It has more than 15--20 items and customers have to scroll to find what they want
- It contains clearly distinct subcategories (e.g., "Food" should probably be split into "Mains" and "Sides")
- Customer feedback suggests confusion about where to find items
Naming Conventions
| Convention | Examples | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Plural nouns | Drinks, Desserts, Salads | Most common, works for any restaurant |
| Descriptive | Hot Drinks, Cold Drinks | When you need to differentiate similar categories |
| Themed | Summer Specials, Chef's Picks | Seasonal or promotional categories |
| Audience | Kids Menu, Vegan Options | When catering to specific dietary needs or groups |
Avoid abbreviations ("Bev" instead of "Beverages") and internal codes ("Cat-A", "Cat-B"). Customers see these names and they should be immediately understandable.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I reorder categories?
Use drag-and-drop. Grab the drag handle (vertical dots) on the left side of the category header and drag it to the desired position. The new order saves automatically and updates the customer-facing menu immediately.
Can I rename a system category?
No. System categories like "Popular" and "New" are managed by the platform and cannot be renamed. You can only rename custom categories that you created yourself.
Is there a maximum number of categories?
There is no hard limit enforced by the system. However, for usability, we recommend keeping it under 10. Phone screens have limited horizontal space for tabs, and too many categories make navigation frustrating.
What happens if I delete a category that has items?
The items are not deleted. They move to the Uncategorized section. From there, you can drag them into other categories or edit each item to assign a new category.
Can an item belong to more than one category?
No. Each item belongs to exactly one category. If you need an item to appear in multiple places, consider whether a system category (like "Popular") might provide the additional visibility you need.
Do categories affect search?
The customer menu does not currently have a search bar. Customers browse by tapping category tabs. This makes category organization especially important -- it is the only way customers navigate your menu.
Best Practices
- Keep category names short and clear. "Main Courses" is better than "Our Special Main Course Selection". Remember, these appear as small tabs on a phone screen.
- Use 4 to 8 categories. Too few means long, overwhelming lists within each category. Too many means customers spend more time navigating tabs than looking at items.
- Put popular categories first. Customers tend to order from the first categories they see. Lead with your strongest sellers.
- Use consistent naming. Pick a style -- plural or singular, formal or casual -- and stick with it. "Drinks" and "Desserts" (plural) or "Pizza" and "Salad" (singular), but not a mix of both.
- Review categories seasonally. Your menu changes throughout the year. Make sure your category structure still makes sense for your current offerings.
- Assign every item to a category. An empty Uncategorized section is the sign of a well-organized menu.
Related Pages
- Menu Items -- create and manage individual menu items
- Options & Extras -- customize items with option groups
- Add a Menu Item -- step-by-step walkthrough