> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.dishink.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Availability

> Control which items are visible and available to order across your menu, POS, and waiter app.

DishInk gives you several ways to control item availability — from globally toggling an item off, to hiding it at a specific branch, to marking a whole category as unavailable.

## Marking an item unavailable

To temporarily stop an item from being ordered:

1. Go to **Front Operations → Manage Menu**
2. Click **Edit** on the item
3. Uncheck **Available**
4. Click **Save Changes**

The item shows an **Unavailable** badge in the menu list. It is hidden from the public menu page and cannot be added to orders on the POS or waiter app.

To bring it back, re-check Available and save.

<Note>
  Marking an item unavailable does not delete it. All its details, images, and pricing are preserved and restored instantly when you re-enable it.
</Note>

## Hiding an item at a specific branch

For multi-location accounts, you can hide an item at one branch without affecting others:

1. Click the **Locations** (📍) button on the item row
2. Find the branch in the editor
3. Toggle the **Visible** button to **Hidden**
4. Click **Save \[Branch] Price**

A hidden item does not appear on that branch's menu page or POS. Other branches are unaffected.

## Checking what's unavailable

Unavailable items show a red **Unavailable** badge in the menu list. Use the search bar to quickly find a specific item by name if you have a long menu.

Items hidden at specific branches show an **N location overrides** badge on the item row — open the Locations editor to see which branches have overrides.

## Availability vs deletion

| Action           | Item preserved | Reversible | Affects orders             |
| ---------------- | -------------- | ---------- | -------------------------- |
| Mark unavailable | ✅ Yes          | ✅ Yes      | Hidden from new orders     |
| Hide at branch   | ✅ Yes          | ✅ Yes      | Hidden at that branch only |
| Delete item      | ❌ No           | ❌ No       | Open orders unaffected     |

Always prefer marking unavailable or hiding over deleting, unless you are permanently removing the item from your menu.

## Tips & best practices

<Tip>
  Use the unavailable toggle to 86 items in real time during service. It takes effect immediately across the POS, waiter app, and public menu — no refresh needed on staff devices.
</Tip>

<Tip>
  At the end of each service, review your unavailable items and re-enable anything that will be available tomorrow. This prevents carry-over unavailability that staff forget to fix.
</Tip>

## Common mistakes

<Warning>
  Do not delete an item just because it's out of stock today. Mark it unavailable instead. Deleting removes it from your sales history and reports permanently.
</Warning>

## Related pages

* [Menu Items](/menu/menu-items)
* [Pricing](/menu/pricing)
* [Multi-Location: Shared Menus](/multi-location/shared-menus)