Five small menu tweaks that make online ordering easier

A menu that works in a café does not always work on a phone. People are scrolling with one thumb, often in a hurry, and a wall of text sends them back to the app. These five small changes make your menu easier to order from.

1. Lead with what you want to sell

Customers see the first category and the first few items. Put your best sellers and your highest-margin items there. You can reorder your categories by dragging them on the Layout page, and mark items as featured so they show up as specials.

2. Show a photo for the items people ask about

You do not need a photo for every item. Start with your top five sellers and anything that is hard to describe. A clear, bright photo does more than a long description.

3. Keep names and descriptions short

On a phone, long names wrap and push the price out of sight. Aim for a name that fits on one or two lines, and a description of a sentence. Awwranges shows a small counter under each field so you can see how much room you have.

4. Use customizations instead of duplicate items

If a latte comes in three milks, make one latte with a milk choice rather than three separate items. Customers see a shorter menu, and your kitchen gets the choice printed on the order.

• Set how many options a customer can choose in each group.
• Add a price for options that cost extra, such as oat milk or an extra shot.
• Use dietary tags, such as vegan or gluten free, on the items that need them.

5. Switch things off the moment they sell out

Nothing loses a customer faster than ordering something you cannot make. When an item is gone, switch it off on the Orders page and customers stop seeing it as available. Switch it back on when you restock.

Check it on your own phone

Open your menu page on your phone, in the middle of a busy afternoon if you can. If you have to squint, scroll too far or guess what something is, your customers will too. Fix the first thing that annoys you, then the next.