Create and Manage Modifier Groups and Modifier Options

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• Modifiers Overview
  • Example Modifier Setups
• Create Modifier Groups and Options
  • Edit Modifier Group Settings
  • Edit Modifier Option Settings
• Use Duplicate Modifiers
• Re-use Existing Modifier Groups and Modifiers
• Configure Modifier Behavior
• Default Modifiers and Modifier Group Sorting
• Delete Modifier Groups or Modifiers
• Troubleshoot Modifier Groups

Modifiers Overview

Menu hierarchy overview for modifier basics.

Modifiers enhance flexibility for menu items by allowing customizations such as toppings, sides, or preparation styles. They can also manage pricing for add-ons or optional choices, creating a dynamic guest ordering experience.

• Modifier group - a collection of individual modifier options. Modifier groups are only needed to help organize modifier options. These groups will not print on receipts or tickets. "Meat Temperature" is a modifier group in this example.
• ​Modifier option - individual options used to change, add to, or further define items that are being ordered. Modifier options are what are actually selected when placing an order. Modifier options will print on a receipt or ticket. ​The meat temperature options such as "Rare" and "Medium Rare" are the modifier options in this example.

There are three levels where modifier groups can be applied:

• • Group level
  • Subgroup level
  • Item level

Modifier groups applied at the group or subgroup level are considered a "parent" modifier for all items in that group. For instance, "Side Choice" (like fries or side salad) might be placed on the group or subgroup level so any menu item in that group/subgroup can be customized to add a Side Choice.

Modifier groups at the item level allow for your guests to make changes to an item. For example, you may have a "Meat Temperature" modifier group that includes "Rare", "Medium Rare", etc. as the modifier options. If this group only applies to your "Carne Asada" menu item, you'd apply this group on the item level. The image below is an example of how the modifier groups described above would appear within your menu hierarchy:

Example Modifier Setups

1. Navigate to the appropriate group, subgroup, or item details page for the modifier you want to add (go to Menus > Menu management > Menu manager to find your desired menu entity). 
2. When you select a menu, group, subgroup, or item on the Menu manager, a settings panel will appear on the right side of the screen.
3. Select the +Add new button under the Modifier groups section. This will bring up the modifier group details page.
4. Name your modifier group, then select your desired settings. In the Modifiers section, type in the Name of your modifier and then select + Add to create a new modifier in this group. For example, if you created a "Dressing" modifier group, you might make modifier options like "Ranch", "Vinaigrette", or "No Dressing".
5. In the Modifier group settings section, you can determine whether selecting a modifier from this groups is Optional or Required, include a POS prompt that displays this modifier group to a server before they can continue with the order, or allow guests to select more than one modifier. If guests can select more than one modifier, you'll be able to designate the maximum number of chosen modifiers (if applicable) and whether a single modifier can be selected more than once. 
6. Select Save and Publish all changes when you're finished.

To access additional settings like default modifiers and display ordering priority, select the Advanced settings button at the top of the modifier group details page.

The modifier pricing strategy determines how modifiers within that group are priced. On the modifier group details page, in the Pricing section, you'll see a setting that asks How are modifiers in this group priced? The available options are:

• No charge. This is a good option for modifier groups made up entirely of complementary items, like a mandatory salad dressing.
• All modifiers share the same price. If you select this option, you'll see an additional section with settings where you can set the pricing strategy for this modifier group.
• Each modifier has a unique price. If this option is chosen, you'll be able to set the prices for each modifier option individually by selecting the modifier from the list and entering the price on the modifier details page.

As always, be sure to save and publish any changes you make to your modifier groups to push your changes to your POS.

Edit Modifier Option Settings 

Selecting the pencil icon next to an individual modifier option when you're on the modifier group details page will bring up the option to edit modifier settings such as name, calories, POS button color, and modifier price.

If you'd rather create a copy of an existing modifier group to change its pricing or behavior elsewhere in your menu, check out this Toast Central article to learn about the copy & deep copy functionality for Toast menus: .

Configure Modifier Behavior

You may want to require a server to select a modifier, for example, if a guest orders a salad and you always want to have your server ask them what type of dressing they would like.

Watch the video below for an overview of how to adjust modifier behavior. Instructions in the edit menus workflow begin at 0:58.

There are two settings that control modifier behavior:

• Required - Staff and/or guests must make a selection and they won't be able to send this item to the kitchen without a modifier selection.

• Optional - This modifier group is optional. Instead, the staff member or guest will need to select the modifier group for it to show and to enter any modifiers. 
  • If you choose this modifier behavior, you'll see the ability to Include a POS prompt (previously referred to as "Optional - Force Show"). This setting means the modifier group will automatically show when the item is added to a check. A selection is not needed or required though, and staff and/or guests will be able to skip over if they'd like to.

To learn more about modifier behavior and some common use cases for each, check out this Toast Central article, .

Default Modifiers and Modifier Group Sorting

You can customize your modifiers further in several ways:

• Default modifiers can be set for items with an already selected list of modifiers. For menu items with common modifiers, a default modifier list may improve POS entry. This feature can be found by navigating to Front of house > Order screen setup > UI options in Toast Web and scrolling down to the Show Default Modifiers? setting. Learn more in this Toast Central article, . 
• You have the option to have the default modifiers to be printed or shown on a ticket by selecting your preferred setting via Front of house > Order screen setup > UI options > Show Default Modifiers?.
• Modifier Group Sorting will list modifiers on the order in a specific order regardless of which order the modifiers were added. This is helpful when the order of modifiers is important for order prep stations. To learn more about this features, check out this Toast Central article, .

Delete Modifier Groups or Modifiers

There may come a time when you'll have to remove a modifier group.  For example, you're no longer adding "Additional Toppings" to your "House Salad" item, so you need to remove the modifier group and all of its options from Toast.

1. In this case, you'd find and select your House Salad menu item on the Menu manager (Menus > Menu management > Menu manager). This will bring up the House Salad settings panel on the right side of the screen.
2. Scroll down to the Modifier groups section and find the Salad Add Ons group.
3. Select the (-) icon on the right side of the modifier group to delete it.
   
   
4. Save and Publish all changes to push them to all of your devices.

The same can be done to delete an individual modifier by opening the modifier group and selecting the (-) icon under the table of modifier options.

You can always restore these menu entities at a later time. Check out the following Toast Central articles for more information:

• : Learn how to view, archive, restore, and version menus using the Items Database.
• : Learn about creating and managing menus, groups, and subgroups.

Troubleshoot Modifier Groups