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Once a session is open, DishInk switches to the Menu view. Tap items, customise them, and build the ticket. Every table has its own persistent cart — you can move between tables without losing what’s in each one.

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Overview

The Waiter menu is the same catalogue used across POS and QR menus, but presented for fast tap-through service. You can:
  • Filter by category.
  • Search by item name.
  • See prices in Kwacha (K).
  • Add items with quantity, modifiers (extras, sides, sauces), and freeform notes.
  • Edit or remove items before sending to kitchen.
Modifiers and menu items are cached in local storage — the menu works fully offline, including modifier options.
Waiter menu

Waiter Menu view with categories and items

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Add an item

  1. Tap any menu item.
  2. The Item Customizer sheet opens.
Item customiser

Item customiser — quantity, modifiers, quick notes, special request

The customiser contains:

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Quantity

The − / + stepper. Minimum 1, no upper limit.

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Modifier groups

Each group shows:
  • Its name (e.g. Toppings, Cooking preference).
  • • Required (red) or • Optional (grey).
  • A counter (2/3) for multi-select groups showing selected/max.
  • A grid of options with the price delta (e.g. +K 5.00).
Selection rules:
  • Single-select (max_selection: 1) — tapping a new option replaces the current one.
  • Multi-select (max_selection: N) — tap to add up to N; disabled options grey out when max is reached.
  • Required groups block confirmation until minimum is met — you’ll see ”⚠ Please choose at least 1 option.”

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Quick notes

Preset chips: No Onions, Extra Spicy, Medium Rare, Well Done, No Salt, Allergies, Takeaway, Cut in Half. Multi-select — tap to toggle.

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Special request

Freeform textarea for anything the presets don’t cover: “No pickles, swap for salad”, “Serve with kids’ cutlery”.

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Price breakdown

When modifiers add cost, a live breakdown appears in the footer: Base K 45.00 · Extras +K 8.00 · × 2 · Total K 106.00.
  1. Tap Add to Ticket. The item lands in the per-table cart.

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Editing a cart item

  1. Tap the floating cart button (right side, red pill) or Review Ticket header.
  2. In the Review Ticket sheet, tap the pencil on any line.
  3. The customiser reopens in edit mode — same fields, prefilled.
  4. Tap Update Item.
Review ticket

Review Ticket sheet with edit and remove per line

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Removing an item

In Review Ticket, tap the ✕ on the line. Item is removed immediately. Removing the last item auto-closes the sheet.

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Per-table cart persistence

Every table has its own cart stored in localStorage under waiter_carts. This means:
  • You can switch to another table, add items, and return — your original cart is still there.
  • If you close and reopen the app, carts survive.
  • Carts persist per device — a cart on the tablet is not visible on the phone.
The Unsent Orders filter on the Floor view shows every table where you have a non-empty cart.
Carts clear automatically when you send them to the kitchen. Manually clearing a cart requires either sending or removing every item.

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Split bills block new items

If the table has an active split payment, adding items is blocked:
Split bill active — items can’t be added until the split is cancelled (POS → split panel → manager PIN).
The customiser will not open. You’ll see a toast explaining why. The reason: splits are a snapshot of item totals — silently adding items would under-bill the guests. See Split Bills for the cancellation flow.

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Merged tables block new items

If the current table has been merged into another, the customiser blocks with:
This table has been merged into another table — open that table to add items.
Tap through to the primary and add items there. See Merging Tables. Above the menu grid:
  • Category chips — tap to filter. Categories reflect your Menu Management configuration.
  • Search box — type any part of an item name. Matches across all categories.

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Tips & best practices

Batch orders per guest. Adding all items for guest 1, then all for guest 2, makes kitchen tickets and split bills easier later.
Use modifiers for anything that changes price or requires kitchen action (extras, sauces, cooking level). Use quick notes for allergies or preferences that don’t change price.
Menu items load from cache — even if the tablet is offline. If the menu looks stale, tap the refresh icon in the offline banner.
If a required modifier group is red-flagged, you can’t confirm — this catches “no size selected” mistakes before they reach the kitchen.

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Common mistakes

  • Skipping required modifiers. The customiser blocks you — but if you tap Add and nothing happens, scroll up to see the red warning.
  • Adding items to a merged or split table. Blocked with a toast — resolve the merge or split first.
  • Losing items by switching accounts mid-cart. Carts are per device, not per user. Signing out on the same tablet preserves them; signing in on a different device does not.
  • Forgetting to send. Items sit in the cart forever until sent. The Floor view Unsent Orders filter is your safety net.
Last modified on July 19, 2026