Select Maintenance > System Settings > Order Mode to access this function.

Order modes direct the behavior of menu items when you add an order in the Aloha POS system. Use the Order Modes function to define the different ways in which customers receive orders within the restaurant. Typical order modes include Dine In, To Go, Appetizers, and Express. (QS only) You can define up to 999 order modes. (TS only) You can define up to 999 order modes, but only four can be active at any one time because of space limitations on order entry screens.

(QS only) In NCR Aloha Quick Service, order modes appear as buttons that you select on the order entry screen each time you take an order from a customer.

Order Mode tab

Use the Order Mode tab to configure how the order mode functions during the order entry process.

Group Bar: Settings

Name — Identifies the order mode. Type a maximum of 12 characters.

Indicator — Designates special characters or character combinations that mark items as ordered (sent to the kitchen) when ordered at order entry terminals. These special characters, such as ‘->,’ help make clear the order mode under which you order an item. Type a maximum of three characters.

Image — Designates the image to appear in the order entry queue as a visual indicator of the order mode. For example, an image of a car is a visual indicator of the drive-thru order mode. Related Options: Any image you select in the User Interface group under the ‘Display > Graphics On External Orders’ group bar on the Store Settings tab in Maintenance > Business > Store supersedes the image you select here. Documented Version: v19.3.

On-screen check background — Designates the image to appear as the background of an on-screen guest check as a visual indicator of the order mode. Documented Version: v19.3.

Kitchen chit header — Specifies a character string to print on the chit at the beginning of the items sent in that order mode. This string can be simple, such as ‘To Go,’ or descriptive, such as ‘The Following Items To Go’ for a to go order mode.

Kitchen chit footer — Specifies a character string to print on the chit at the end of the items sent in that order mode. This string can be simple, such as ‘To Go,’ or descriptive, such as ‘The Above Items To Go’ for a to go order mode.

Route orders to printer group — Sets the routing for any items you order using the order mode. The selection on the Order Mode function tab overrides all other printer routing in the Aloha menu system. This selection must be active only in those cases where the defined order mode requires specific routing, such as a special printer for to go orders. If no special routing requirements exist for the order mode, select ‘None.’

Revenue center — Allows the assignment of a specific order mode to a revenue center for income reporting purposes. If no special need exists for reporting income by revenue center for the order mode, select ‘None.’

Active — Sets the order mode to active. Related Options: You can also activate an order mode with the ‘Activate order mode’ event in Maintenance > System Settings > Event Schedule.

Apply to all unordered items — Sends all unordered items on the guest check to the kitchen when you touch the order mode button; otherwise, you must select the items on the check and touch the order mode button. Related Options: Select ‘Apply to ordered items’ to include ordered items.

Apply to ordered items (QS only) — Sends all unordered and ordered items on the guest check to the kitchen when you touch the order mode button. Required Options: You must select ‘Apply to all unordered items’ to enable this option.

Sales are included in tippable sales calculation — Includes sales from this order mode in tippable sales amounts. Do not select this option for order modes that are not subject to tipping.

Include sales in POS interval report — Includes sales from this order mode in the appropriate interval of the Interval report. Use this option for cafeteria environments using Table Service. Related Options: To define the Interval report to print, clear ‘No interval report’ in Store Settings.

Exempt from required menu category (TS only) — Disables communication between Aloha Online and the Aloha POS system for orders with required modifiers. When cleared, if there is only one modifier in the modifier group, that modifier gets automatically sent to the Aloha POS system without user interaction.

Require manager approval for Cash tender type over threshold — Specifies the amount a cash tender must exceed, when applying a cash payment to a guest check, for the Aloha POS system to require manager approval. Required Options: Access Maintenance > Labor > Pos Access Levels > Access Level tab and select ‘Approve cash drops’ under the ‘Financial’ group bar to enable an employee, such as a manager, to approve a tender that exceeds the threshold and perform a cash drop. Documented Version: v12.3.

Do not send items — Disables automatically sending items to the kitchen when you tender and close the check or select another order mode. If you select this option, you must provide another method for sending items to the kitchen, such as selecting a different order mode that is configured to send items to the kitchen. Documented Version: v12.3.

Ask for party ID (TS only) — Displays the Enter Party Code screen, allowing you to tie the guest check to a party ID. The option allows for alphanumeric and special character entry. If you enter the incorrect party ID, you can correct it later as long as the check is still open. The option defaults to False. Documented Version: v19.3.

Display on kiosk (QS only) — Allows guests placing an order from a kiosk to select this order mode. Required Options: You must select ‘Uses kiosk’ under the ‘Products installed’ group bar in Maintenance > Business > Installed Products to expose this option.

Group Bar: Tax selections

Override primary Tax Type 1 — Supersedes the existing tax type amount and allows the system to tax at a different amount when an alternate order mode is used. For example, guests are taxed using different tax amounts when placing orders to-go, versus dining in.

Category 1 — Associates the item category to the primary tax type 1 to override when using an alternate order mode.

Override primary Tax Type 2 — Supersedes the existing tax type amount and allows the system to tax at a different amount when an alternate order mode is used. For example, guests are taxed using different tax amounts when placing orders to-go, versus dining in.

Category 2 — Associates the item category to the primary tax type 2 to override when using an alternate order mode.

Non-taxable except (QS only) — Used to treat the selected order mode as nontaxable, except in the case where a guest makes a purchase from the category selected in ‘Category.’ Related Options: Selecting this option enables the ‘Category’ option.

Category — Specifies the category of items you want to tax within the selected nontaxable order mode. Required Options: You must select ‘Non-taxable except’ to enable this option.

Override occupational Tax Type — Enables you to override an occupational tax based on the order mode you apply to the guest check. Documented Version: v19.3. Related Options: Selecting this option enables ‘Occupational Tax Type Category.’

Occupational Tax Type Category — Enables you to select a category for which to override the occupational tax for items ordered from a specific category when you apply the order mode. (Optional) Documented Version: v19.3. Required Options: You must select ‘Override occupational Tax Type’ to expose this option.

Group Bar: Service charge

Use the ‘Service charge’ group bar to define requirements for using service charges. (TS only) Once you add a service charge to the guest check, only an employee with ‘Adjust payments’ selected in their Pos Access Level has sufficient access to remove it. The Remove M Charge button appears on the hard-coded FOH Close screen for any employee with sufficient access. Once you remove the service charge, the button disappears and you cannot reapply the fee. If you use a custom Close screen panel, you must add a Surcharge Functionality button function to the custom panel to duplicate this functionality. In this environment, the Remove M Charge button becomes unavailable after use rather than disappearing.

Apply service charge — Enables you to add a surcharge to the guest check for all orders from this order mode. Related Options: Enables the service charge options. For example, you can use the service charge options to add a delivery fee to all orders from the ‘To Go’ order mode.

Charge line text — Specifies the text to appear next to the service charge amount on the guest check. For example, type ‘Delivery Fee’ for the service charge being added to ‘To Go’ orders. Required Options: You must select ‘Apply service charge’ to enable this option.

Primary tax applied to service charge — Designates the primary tax type to apply to the service charge. Required Options: You must select ‘Apply service charge’ to enable this option.

Secondary tax applied to service charge — Designates the secondary tax type to apply to the service charge. Required Options: You must select ‘Apply service charge’ to enable this option.

Service charge method — Indicates the method the system uses to calculate the service charge. Required Options: You must select ‘Apply service charge’ to enable this option.

• Percent — Designates the service charge is treated as a percentage rate. If selected, the Aloha POS system uses the percentage rate you specify to calculate a percentage of the guest check total. The amount is then added to the guest check when you apply this order mode. Currently, the Aloha POS system does not support fractional percentages and you must enter the percentage as a whole integer only. For example, if there is a 10 percent up-charge for ‘To Go’ items, select ‘Percentage,’ then type 10 in the adjacent text box.
• Fixed — Designates the service charge is a fixed monetary value. If selected, the Aloha POS system adds the amount you specify to the guest check when you apply this order mode. For example, in the To Go order mode, selecting ‘Fixed,’ and then typing 2.00, applies a $2.00 service charge for the ‘To Go’ order mode.

Percent — Designates the percentage to use when calculating the service charge for the order mode. Currently, the Aloha POS system does not support fractional percentages and you must enter the percentage as a whole integer only. For example, to charge a 10 percent service charge for ‘To Go’ orders, type 10. Required Options: You must select ‘Apply service charge’ and a ‘Service charge method’ of Percent to enable this option. Related Options: To override a percentage calculation that is too low for small orders or too high for large orders, establish thresholds in ‘Minimum service charge amount,’ and ‘Maximum service charge amount.’

Minimum service charge amount — Indicates the minimum dollar amount to charge for a service charge, such as a delivery fee, when you select Percent in ‘Service charge method.’ If the percent calculation is less than the minimum dollar amount specified here, the system overrides the percent calculation and adds the dollar amount specified here to the guest check instead. Required Options: You must select ‘Apply service charge’ and a ‘Service charge method’ of Percent to enable this option. Documented Version: v12.3.

Maximum service charge amount — Indicates the maximum dollar amount to charge for a service charge, such as a delivery fee, when you choose Percent as the ‘Service charge method.’ If the percent calculation is greater than the maximum dollar amount specified here, the system overrides the percent calculation and adds the dollar amount specified here to the guest check instead. Required Options: You must select ‘Apply service charge’ and a ‘Service charge method’ of Percent to enable this option. Documented Version: v12.3.

Amount — Specifies a flat rate to add to the check when using the fixed rate method for the service charge. Required Options: You must select ‘Apply service charge’ and a ‘Service charge method’ of Fixed to enable this option.

Round to 0.05 — Rounds the order mode charge, if any, to the nearest five one hundredths. For example, if the calculation for the ‘To Go’ delivery fee is $1.98, the system rounds the service charge to $2.00. Required Options: You must select ‘Apply service charge’ to enable this option.

Group Bar: Eligible Items

Category of eligible items — Designates the category of items for which you want to either explicitly apply or NOT apply this order mode, based on your selection in 'Eligibility methods (include).' Selecting None means there is no category restriction and you can apply this order mode to items from all categories. Related Options: Selecting a category other than None enables 'Eligibility methods (include).'

Eligibility methods (include) — Designates you must apply this order mode to only items in the selected category in 'Category of eligible items.' When cleared, you cannot apply this order mode to any item in the selected category. Required Options: You must select 'Category of eligible items' to enable this option.

Group Bar: Printing

Print barcode on Expediter — Prints the bar code number on the expediter chit.

Exclude additional charges — Stipulates to not include additional charges when you order items using this order mode. The following scenarios illustrate this functionality:

• If you ring up all items on the guest check under an order mode that excludes the additional charge, the Aloha POS system does not apply the charge to the guest check.
• If you ring up items on the guest check under two or more order modes and one allows an additional percentage charge, the percentage applies only to the order mode items that allows the additional charge.
• If you ring up items on the guest check under two or more order modes and you configured one order mode with a flat fee additional charge, the Aloha POS system applies the flat fee to the guest check regardless of the combined amount from multiple order modes.

Delivery tab

Use the Delivery tab to establish the information that prints on a delivery ticket. It also provides the ability to set up different programs to reward and encourage guests to buy more frequently with the use of coupons and bonus plans.

Group Bar: Print additional information on delivery ticket

Customer name — Prints the name of the guest from the delivery database.

Phone number — Prints the phone number of the guest from the delivery database.

Short address — Prints an abbreviated address of the guest from the delivery database.

Long address — Prints the full address of the guest from the delivery database.

Directions — Prints additional address information from the delivery database.

User Field 1 — Prints the text in the ‘User 1’ option from the delivery database.

User Field 2 — Prints the text in the ‘User 2’ option from the delivery database.

Print delivery check and chit — Specifies the position on the check where the delivery information prints.

Voucher Printers tab

Use the Voucher Printers tab to specify the voucher printer on which the order prints when you select this order mode.

Group Bar: Voucher Printers

Use the >> and << arrows to move printers between the ‘Available’ list and the ‘Included’ list.

Expediter Printers tab

Use the Expediter Printers tab to specify the expediter printer on which the order prints when you select this order mode.

Group Bar: Expediter Printers

Use the >> and << arrows to move printers between the ‘Available’ list and the ‘Included’ list.

Kitchen tab

Use the Kitchen tab to configure additional options for the order mode when interfacing with Aloha Kitchen. Required Options: You must select ‘Uses Kitchen’ in Maintenance > Business > Installed Products to enable this tab.

Group Bar: Settings

Kitchen icon — Defines an image to appear on the video cell when using this order mode. Select a stock image or select ‘Custom’ from the drop-down list. Required Options: If you select ‘Custom,’ designate the custom image to use in ‘Custom kitchen icon.’

Custom kitchen icon — Defines an image other than a stock image to appear on the video cell in Aloha Kitchen. Required Options: You must select ‘Kitchen icon’ to enable this option.

Order mode routing method — Overrides the method established in Kitchen Settings to determine when items appear on the kitchen screen once employees enter the order in the POS. Select from the following:

• Default — Maintains the routing method established in Kitchen Settings. This is the default selection.
• Immediate — Enables each item to appear on the kitchen screen as entered on the POS. This option overrides the method established in Kitchen Settings.
• One behind — Enables each item to appear on the kitchen screen when you enter the next item in the order. If the item is the last in the order, it appears when you apply an order mode to the order. This option overrides the method established in Kitchen Settings.
• Route when POS order is closed — Enables each order to appear on the kitchen screen when you close the order on the POS. This option overrides the method established in Kitchen Settings.
• When finalized — Enables each order to appear on the kitchen screen when you apply this order mode to an order. This option overrides the method established in Kitchen Settings.

Parse order name for phone number — Separates the phone number from the order mode for display purposes.

Parse order name for pager number — Separates the pager number from the order mode for display purposes.

Parse order name for tent number — Bypasses internal naming conventions of a check, such as ‘table #’ and ‘check #,’ and allows the system to use a tent number in place of the order name.

Parse order name for customer name — Bypasses internal naming conventions of a check, such as ‘table #’ and ‘check #,’ and allows the system to use Print Designer to print the consumer name on a production chit. Related Requirements: You must add either the ‘Customer first name’ or ‘Customer last name first initial’ element to a production chit in Print Designer to use this option.

Use phone number for SMS paging — Enables you to use a phone number associated with the check to send an SMS page. You either enter the phone number as the guest name or the number is sent from Aloha Takeout. Related Options: This option enables the ‘SMS paging text message’ and ‘Page timeout (in seconds)’ options.

SMS paging text message — Specifies the text message to send to a guest notifying them when their order is ready. The default message is ‘Order {0} is ready for pick up.’ The number in brackets determines whether the system includes the order number or the order name in the message text. Type {0} to use the order number, or type {1} to use the order name. You can also change the surrounding message around the variable to customize the message text. Documented Version: AK v16.1. Required Options: You must select ‘Use phone number for SMS paging’ to enable this option.

Page timeout (in seconds) — Specifies the number of seconds, from zero to 600, between which Aloha Kitchen sends a text message. We recommend setting this between six and 10 seconds. Anything less, the text message may not get sent to the guest when you bump an order back to back from the kitchen screen. The higher the number, the longer the delay between sending text messages. Documented Version: AK v17.1. Required Options: You must select ‘Use phone number for SMS paging’ to enable this option.

Is guest present — Displays an icon on the video cell when a guest arrives at the restaurant. Required Options: You must interface with Aloha Takeout to use this feature.

Show with item — Displays the order mode name with each item on the video cell.

Kitchen text — Specifies any text to precede an order on the video cell.

Print layout override — Specifies the production chit layout designed in Print Designer to use for printing the chit when you apply this order mode. Documented Version: AK v19.3. Related Options: The ‘Print layout override’ option overrides the layout defined in Maintenance > Kitchen Configuration > Kitchen Settings.