Select Maintenance > Menu > Modifier Groups to access this function.

Modifiers are groups of items used to extend, alter, or further define menu items. Modifier groups have a circular relationship to items in that they are composed of items defined in the Items file, grouped into a modifier group, and then assigned to an item. Modifiers convey information to the kitchen when printers and remote display systems are in use. For example, lettuce, onions, and pickles are Items, collected into a modifier group called Extras, then assigned to the Hamburger item. If necessary, you can assign a price to a modifier item. For example, you can assign a price to bacon (when used as a modifier), so that when a customer orders a hamburger with bacon, the price of the bacon posts to the guest check.

You can also use modifiers to alter other modifier items. For example, you might have a salad as a modifier choice for a steak dinner item. That salad might also have a set of modifier choices, such as Salad Toppings, that includes the dressings and other toppings commonly added to a salad.

When you add a Hamburger item to a submenu, and an employee selects it on an order entry terminal, the employee can select a modifier from the Extras modifier group.

Using the features available in the Modifier Groups function, you control whether the modifier group appears automatically when you select the item to which it is assigned, or whether you must select the Modify button for the modifier group to appear. You also control other attributes, such as the minimum and maximum number of modifiers you can select and the number of modifiers that are allowed at no charge. This linked method of building menus permits unlimited configuration options in the menu system.

Examples of how you might use a modifier group to extend, alter, or further define a menu item:

Create Sides modifier groups and include the items from which a customer must choose to complete an entrée or combo, such as salad, baked potato, vegetables, french fries. You typically force the guest to choose a ‘Minimum’ of 1, and a ‘Maximum’ of 1.

Create Ingredients modifier groups and include the items a guest can add or omit on request, such as onions on a hamburger, or sour cream on nachos. You rarely force the guest to choose something unless you state and encourage it on your menu.

Create Prep modifier groups and include the ways in which you prepare or cook an item. For example, a steak temperature. You always force the guest to choose a ‘Minimum’ of 1, and a ‘Maximum’ of 1.

Create Quantity or Size modifier groups and include the sizes, portions, or amounts in which a guest can order an item. For example, a small or large bowl of soup. You always force the guest to choose a ‘Minimum’ of 1, and a ‘Maximum’ of 1.

Create Build modifier groups from which you can switch out all modifier items that come standard with a menu item with another grouping of modifier items, with one button touch. For example, a sandwich concept offers a chicken sandwich with a build modifier group that includes flat bread, lettuce, red onions, and an oil and vinegar sauce. The guest would like to swap out the build modifier group with another group that includes sourdough bread with lettuce, tomato, red onions, and mayonnaise. You would not force the guest to choose a modifier because the item comes with a standard build modifier group.

Modifier Groups types

Standard represents a grouping of standard items from which a guest can choose to modify a menu item.

Build represents a grouping of the item types you designate as build items, from which a guest can choose to modify a menu item.

Modifier Group quick tips

There are several rules or tips to follow when you add a new modifier group:

• To include an item in a modifier group, you must first add the item to the items database. Then, you can quickly and easily add the item to a modifier group. Modifier group record numbers begin at 10,000 and end at 19,999.
• You price modifiers, as necessary. Keep in mind, the price of a modifier is not sensitive to the No or Extra modifier buttons. In other words, if you order no bacon using the No and Bacon modifiers, the price of the bacon (if you assigned a price) does not change accordingly.
• If using a Table Service modifier screen, you must specify the minimum and maximum number of modifier selections for an item.
• The ‘Screen Flow Required’ option forces the modifier screen to appear each time a guest orders an applicable item.
• Modifier groups can modify other modifier groups. For example, a salads modifier group can modify a dinner entrée item and a salad toppings modifier group can modify a salad.
• You must associate modifier groups to their applicable items, in Maintenance > Menu > Items; otherwise, the modifier group does not appear on the Aloha POS terminal when an employee selects an item.

Modifier tab

Use the Modifier tab to identify the modifier group, and set options that change the modifier screen, or determine employees who can use the selected modifier group.

Group Bar: Settings

Short name — Identifies the abbreviated name for the modifier group. The short name appears on the FOH order entry screen. Text is centered on the button; therefore, the length of the short name is a consideration. Type a maximum of 15 characters, but if you type more than 11 characters, the short name might appear cropped on screen. To control the appearance on screen, type \n at the desired line break in ‘Short name’ to configure the short name to appear as two lines on a button. For example, type ‘Hot\nTamale’ to have Hot appear on the top line and Tamale appear on the second line of a button. Keep in mind, \n takes up two of the allotted 15 characters.

Long name — Identifies the formal, more descriptive name of the item. The long name appears in reports and reporting features built into the system.

Minimum — Specifies the minimum number of modifiers that you can select when a customer orders an item. The value can be 0 (zero). A number more than zero forces the modifier selection screen to appear, regardless of whether you select ‘Screen flow required.’ This forces you to select at least the minimum number of items from the modifier group. If you do not set a minimum number, then you need not set a maximum.

Maximum — Specifies the maximum number of modifiers that you can select when a customer orders an item. If both ‘Minimum’ and ‘Maximum’ are 0 (zero), the Aloha POS system assumes an unlimited number; otherwise, this option must be equal to or greater than the value shown for ‘Minimum.’

Free — Specifies the number of items from the modifier group the customer can order at no charge. For example, if the value for ‘Free’ is set to 1, then the Aloha POS system does not charge for the lower-priced item.

Substitute group — Indicates a previously defined modifier group that contains items you can substitute for the items listed in the current modifier group. Selecting a substitute group is not required, but if selected, the system places a ‘Substitute’ button on order entry terminals.

Deferred modifier (QS only) — Adds placeholders on the guest check screen for any required modifier to allow an employee to continue working with the order without interrupting the guest. The employee can address the deferred modifier once the guest gives the rest of their order. This only applies to first-level modifiers. When cleared, you must address each required modifier before you can enter the next menu item. Related Options: 1) This option disables the ‘Screen flow required’ option. 2) Select ‘Exempt queue from flow’ and use an exempted order entry queue to disable this option. 3) This feature works best with system-generated modifier screens. To do this, you must configure a template panel in Screen Designer and select that panel from in ‘Modifier Panel’ on the same tab.

Screen flow required — Forces the order entry terminal to automatically open the Modifier Group screen. Typically, the value in ‘Minimum’ is greater than 0 (zero), forcing you to select at least one modifier from the group. Required Options: You must clear ‘Deferred modifier’ to enable this option.

Modifier toggle configuration (QS only) — Enables you to toggle between adding or removing modifiers within this modifier group to or from an item on the guest check, as well as change the modifier code applied to a modifier, with one button touch. Required Options: 1) You must access Maintenance > Business > Additional Features (Corporate Administration) > Corporate Owner tab and select ‘Display Context Panels’ under the ‘Options to display’ group bar to expose this option. 2) You must add the modifier buttons to a panel designated as a Context Panel instead of adding them to the classic Modifier panel. Related Options: This option exposes ‘Automatically replaces included modifiers.’

Exempt queue from flow (QS only) — Prevents this modifier group from appearing during order entry, even when you select ‘Screen flow required’ or ‘Minimum 1,’ for each order entry queue for which, you select ‘Exempt from modifier flow. Required Options: You must access Maintenance > System Settings > Order Entry Queue and select ‘Exempt from modifier flow’ under the ‘Settings’ group bar to suppress automatically showing any modifier group with ‘Screen flow required’ selected.

Suppress classic modifier screen (QS only) — Prevents the system from showing the hard-coded classic modifier screen when the modifier group has one or more minimum required modifiers, as defined in ‘Minimum.’ Required options: You must clear ‘Screen flow required’ to enable this option.

Exempt bartenders from flow (TS only) — Exempts bartender job codes from screen flow for the selected modifier.

Refill (TS only) — Enables the modifier group to allow refills of the menu item. Touch the ordered menu item, then the Modify button on the FOH order entry screen, to show this modify group for refills.

Refill indicator (TS only) — Shows up to three alphanumeric characters on the kitchen chit to indicate the item is a refill, such as REF. The refill indicator overrides any defined order mode indicator associated with the item.

Maximum refills (TS only) — Indicates the maximum number of times, from 1 to 99, you can modify the menu item and order a refill before the manager approval screen appears. Related Options: To override this option, access Maintenance > Labor > Pos Access Levels > Access Level tab and select ‘Override maximum number of refills’ under the ‘Financial’ group bar.

Submenu index (TS only) — Identifies a submenu from which to build a new slave submenu. This is used in conjunction with ‘Slave to submenu’ located in Maintenance > Menu > Submenus > Submenu tab under the ‘Settings’ group bar. Related Options: You must access Maintenance > Business > Installed Products > Global tab and select ‘Enable slave to submenu and items’ under the ‘Menus’ group bar to enable ‘Slave to submenu’.

Use modifier panel (QS only) — Forces the order entry terminal screens to automatically open a modifier group screen on the FOH terminal. The screen is generated by the system to display the modifiers created. ‘Use modifier panel’ requires an order taker to enter the modifiers and select either OK or Cancel on the modifier panel. Required Options: You must select ‘Screen flow required’ to enable this option. Related Options: Selecting this option disables ‘Deferred modifier.’

Show keypad on panel (QS only) — Displays a numeric keypad on the modifier panel. The numeric keypad enables you to enter multiple entries of the same modifier. Required Options: You must select ‘Use modifier panel’ to enable this option.

Modifier panel (QS only) — Enables you to select the modifiers to add to the modifier group. You create a panel in Screen Designer for the modifiers. Typically, a you create a blank panel in Screen Designer and select the modifiers to display. This method enables you to use the panel for multiple modifier groups. Required Options: You must select ‘Use modifier panel’ to enable this option.

Remove special message button (TS only) — Stipulates the Typewriter button does not appear in the bottom left corner of the classic modifier screen when making selections for this modifier group, to prevent access to the Enter Special Message screen and reduce unnecessary communication to the kitchen staff. Documented Version: v12.3.

Show required modifier countdown (TS only) — Shows a countdown in red text in the upper left corner of the modifier group button, indicating the remaining number of modifiers a guest must choose to fulfill the requirements for the item. Related Options: If you set ‘Minimum’ to 0 (zero), the countdown indicator does not appear. The countdown defaults to the value in ‘Minimum’ and changes appropriately as you enter guest selections. Documented Version: v12.3.

Hide price (TS only) — Does not show the price of a charged modifier for the selected modifier group that appears on the modifier button on the hard-coded classic Modifier screen.

Modifier panels (TS only) — Specifies the custom Modifier panel to overlay the hard-coded classic modifier button area when showing this modifier group. Related Requirements: You must access Table Service Screen Designer and create a Modifier panel to use this feature.

Automatically replaces included modifiers (QS only) — Allows you to substitute all included modifiers with a non-included modifier, with one touch. Each modifier must reside in the same modifier group attached to the item. Replacing an included modifier works when you select the non-included modifier without a preceding modifier code, as the system will insert a ‘NO’ modifier code for each included modifier. Required Options: 1) You must select ‘Modifier toggle configuration’ to enable this option. 2) You must configure context panels and modifiers, both included and non-included, to use this feature. Documented Version: v12.3.

Group Bar: Catalog

Available for online — Indicates the modifier group to export to the BSP catalog service. Required Options: 1) Items in the modifier group do not appear online unless you also publish the individual modifier item. 2) You must select ‘Export to Platform - Catalog’ in Maintenance > Business > Store to expose this option.

Online name — Specifies the online name for this modifier group. Required Options: You must select ‘Export to Platform - Catalog’ in Maintenance > Business > Store to expose this option.

Layout Tab

The Layout tab contains the button positions used to add items to the modifier group. Modifier items display on order entry terminals in the order in which they appear on the Layout tab; therefore, you should consider the order in which servers typically select modifiers.

You can select up to 54 modifiers for a specific modifier group. The item name that appears on each modifier button is the ‘Short name,’ which you specify when you add an item in Maintenance > Menu > Items; however, if you assign a bitmap (BMP) image to an item, the bitmap image appears instead of the ‘Short name.’ Additionally, the corresponding item number appears in the lower left corner of each modifier button, and the lower right corner shows the ‘Price’ you assign to the modifier item, if applicable.

Arrow buttons appear at the bottom of the Layout tab to navigate to additional modifier buttons.

The following buttons and options also appear on the Layout tab:

Sort ^ Button — Sorts the buttons vertically in alphabetical order.

Sort > Button — Sorts the buttons horizontally in alphabetical order.

Consolidate Button — Eliminates any blank buttons that might fall between assigned buttons.

Group Bar: Modifier item

Item — Designates the item to add to the modifier group. To remove a modifier button assignment, click the button containing the item to remove, and then select None from ‘Item.’

Weight — Determines the selection count of the modifier item. For example, Mike’s restaurant offers entrées with a choice of two sides, and each side item has a default weight of ‘1.’ Customers can substitute a salad in place of two side items. In this situation, the salad carries a default weight of ‘2,’ so that when you order the item from the ‘Side Items’ modifier menu, the system counts the salad as the equivalent of two sides. Valid entries range from 1 to 30.

Not eligible for substitution (QS only) — Specifies this modifier cannot be substituted for an included modifier you configured as substitutable in Maintenance > Menu > Items > Dynamic Modifiers tab under the ‘Dynamic Modifiers’ group bar.

Price method — Indicates the specific method to use for determining the price of the modifier item. Available price methods are ‘Item price,’ ‘Button price,’ or ‘Price level.’ The default price method is ‘Item price.’

Default price — Stipulates to use the price of the item, as entered in Item Maintenance, to price the modifier item. Required Options: You must select a price method of ‘Item price’ to enable this option.

Button price — Stipulates to use the button price to price the item. Type the price of the modifier next to ‘Button price.’ Required Options: You must select a price method of ‘Button price’ to enable this option.

Price level — Identifies the specific price level to use when pricing the item. Required Options: You must select a price method of ‘Price level’ to enable this option. Related Requirements: You define pricing levels in Maintenance > Pricing > Price Level.