Modifier Groups in Aloha 3

[NikoA]

For 11 years at my restaurant, different managers have made buttons on Aloha, and left. They never cleaned up the old buttons, they never tried to consolidate, or even find out if there were duplicates of a lot of buttons. I just started this job, and I'm trying to clean up this mess.
Each food item has it's own mod group. The chicken parmesan has a mod group named "chicken parmesan" which has a couple of options (no alfredo sub red sauce) which are specific to that item. I'm creating mod groups that include everything you could need as a server, naming them "mods A-G", etc.
Is there a fast way to assign mod groups to large groups of items? To an entire Sub Menu? Or do I have to individually assign these mod groups to each item?
I'm in way over my head. Thanks!

 

[elindsey]

There's not a way to do this to large groups of items, AFAIK. There is a way to copy ranges of buttons from one modifier menu to another, which might help you in the long run (but isn't what you asked).

For what it's worth though, I specifically chose to go the other way for our restaurant: I once had a massive modifier menu that was alphabetized, and I decided to remove it and do individual modifiers instead. My reasoning was that speed of service is what Aloha is all about. You want your servers to be able to fly through the menus, so that they can get back to doing what they're supposed to: taking care of the customer. Having them go through pages of multiple modifier group menus is almost as bad as just having them use the typewriter for all modifications--it takes too much time. When one of my servers clicks on the Burrito button, they can click on the Modifier button and immediately make any required changes from one single page.

For me, I took it a step further and put everything that comes on the food item by default in one section (I chose the left column), and the optional items that can be added or subbed in another section. That way the servers know they don't have to hit NO ONIONS if it already doesn't come with onions. Training and special orders are a breeze. Even without menu study, if a server or bartender is quizzed about what comes on an item, they can just click on the item and click Modify to answer the question.

If you make a monolithic modifier group, then adding and removing can become problematic too: if you make your list A-G, but then you run out of space on page 1 of A-G, then you'll have a few pages of A-G and then maybe just one page of H-M, and so on. I could see stuff getting lost very easily. If you insist on going with giant modifier lists, it would probably be better to just do "Mods Page 1" and put an exact number of items on it (still sorted alphabetically), then move to "Mods Page 2" instead of trying to assign them letter groups.

Just my 2 cents, hope you find my previous experience insightful!

 

[AlohaRoss]

I am in 100% agreement with Alindsey. Grouping a bunch of mods a to z is a true slow down.
Keeping mods lean and only whats available keeps errors out of the kitchen as well. Never worry about someone hitting add salmon to a salad and it has no price attached to it. Kitchen would never know if someone paid to add it or not. But there go your food costs.

other option should you want generic mods. No not make them as screen flow unless needed for certain items. You may have duplicate mod groups. 1 with screen flow and must choose, a second 1 that is just there. Perhaps your Chicken wings automatically come with Bluecheese dressing. You give the non forced mod so they do not have to choose Blue each time, but they can go modify it to Ranch if wanted.
Dressing mods
Cheese mods
Veggie mods
Meat Mods ( add prices if needed)

Otherwise when ordering it should be a fast flow
Order a steak with choice of Veg and soup or salad (kitchen supplying dressing)
Mods would flow
Temp (mod1) must choose
Veg (mod2) Must choose
Soup salad (mod 3) Must choose
if Salad is chosen ((new mods assigned to salad) Dressing (mod1) Must choose, (Salad ingredients (Mod2)
Seat position if used as (Mod4)
Mods 7, 8, 9, and 10 to every ordered item just in case mods. Leaving mods 1-6 for item specific mods

When programming Aloha, take off your Tech Hat and put on your server hat and think what is the fastest and easiest way to get on and off the terminal. Stil now sure ask the staff how they would like it setup. They are the ones who use it every day.

1 last tip, keep the mods and the submenus symmetrical. Having items thrown all over the screen is confusing to the eyes, Put most popular items in all 4 corners. Use Pmix to find this out. Make fast screen submenu with top 20 most ordered items with mix of apps, entrees and beverages.

If you have many submenus, 0ver 16, think of using panels instead. this created a more natural way to order and you do not waste time scrolling through submenus to find a certain less ordered cocktail. This also allows for more creative buttons. Keep your meats with red buttons, Draft beer 1 color, btl different. Make button map of all the submenus. Grouping all the alcohol this way can save massive time on large beer, wine and Liquor program.


AlohaRoss

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[NikoA]

Thank you so much for the responses! I only jumped to the "Mods A-G" stuff because the most successful restaurant I've worked at used that and I tend to use that place as a barometer for what types of systems I put in place. I completely understand both of your points and wouldn't have thought of those things otherwise. I do try to ask the service staff for opinions, and that's how I came to this conclusion. I think you're right - specific mod groups would be beneficial as long as they're done right. I think the input I got was just as a result of it not having been done right for so many years. I'll try this out (panels are an excellent idea too) and when I inevitably have to change it, I'll incorporate this advice.
I feel like it's important to note that we don't have a huge menu, and it's italian food so aside from pizzas (which I created a "pizza mods" mod group for) the ingredients don't vary too much. If it were cheesecake factory for example, there's absolutely no way that an alphabetized, all-inclusive list would work. My next restaurant may be bigger though, so again, this is all good information for me.
Thanks again!

 

[elindsey]

For the pizzas, you should also check out the special pizza screen. You can find it in Store Settings. Make a non-sales group called Pizza UI, assign your base pizza item to it, and set it in Store Settings. The pizza item should have exactly 3 modifiers: one for Size, one for Crust, and one for Toppings. Then you can do left/right half, more flexible pricing options, and all sorts of other things that might help you out.