> ## 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.

# Menu Items

> Add, edit, search, and delete individual items on your DishInk menu.

Menu items live inside categories. Each item has a name, price, description, images, availability status, and an optional prep time that drives the KDS countdown timer.

## Adding an item

1. Go to **Front Operations → Manage Menu**
2. Click **Add Item** in the top-right corner
3. Fill in the item details and save

<Note>
  The Add Item button is disabled when you have reached your plan's item limit. Your current count and limit are shown in the header. Upgrade your plan to add more items.
</Note>

## Editing an item

Click **Edit** on any item row to open the inline edit form. You can change:

| Field           | Notes                                           |
| --------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| **Name**        | Displayed on the menu, POS, waiter app, and KDS |
| **Price**       | Base price in Kwacha (K)                        |
| **Description** | Short description shown on the menu page        |
| **Category**    | Move the item to a different category           |
| **Images**      | Up to 3 images per item                         |
| **Prep Time**   | Minutes — drives the KDS countdown timer        |
| **Featured**    | Mark as a popular item                          |
| **Available**   | Toggle availability without deleting            |

Click **Save Changes** when done. The form stays open if there is an error — the error message appears above the buttons.

## Prep time and the KDS timer

Setting a prep time on an item starts a countdown on the Kitchen Display System when that item is ordered. The timer turns red when the prep time is exceeded.

Leave prep time blank if you don't want a countdown for that item.

Items with a prep time show a blue **Xm** badge in the menu list and a **timed** count on their category row.

## Images

Each item supports up to **3 images**. The first image is used as the thumbnail in the menu list, POS, and waiter app.

To add images, open the edit form and use the image uploader in the Images section. To remove an image, hover over it and click the × button.

### Batch image upload

If multiple items are missing images, a purple **Add Images (N)** button appears in the header. Click it to open the batch image editor and add photos to multiple items at once.

## Searching items

Use the search bar at the top of the Manage Menu page to filter items by name or description. Matching text is highlighted in yellow. Categories with matching items expand automatically.

The search results summary shows how many items matched and across how many categories. Click **Clear** to reset.

## Deleting an item

Click **Delete** on the item row and confirm the prompt. Deletion is permanent.

<Warning>
  Deleted items are removed from the menu, POS, waiter app, and KDS immediately. Any open orders that already contain the item are not affected, but the item cannot be re-added to new orders.
</Warning>

## Featured items

Checking **Featured item** in the edit form marks the item with a **Popular** badge on the menu page. This is separate from featured categories.

## Availability

Unchecking **Available** in the edit form marks the item as unavailable. It shows an **Unavailable** badge in the menu list and is hidden from the public menu and POS until you re-enable it.

This is useful for temporarily 86ing an item without deleting it.

## Plan limits

| Plan       | Item limit |
| ---------- | ---------- |
| Starter    | 15 items   |
| Growth     | Unlimited  |
| Growth Pro | Unlimited  |
| Enterprise | Unlimited  |

## Related pages

* [Categories](/menu/categories)
* [Pricing](/menu/pricing)
* [Availability](/menu/availability)
* [Images](/menu/images)
* [KDS: Receiving Orders](/kds/receiving-orders)