Modifier (option group)
A modifier lets a guest tweak an item (size, sugar, milk). Option groups gather related modifiers so guests pick one or several, depending on the rule the owner sets.
What it means in operation
A latte item on the menu carries an option group “size” with three modifiers (small, medium, large) set to pick-one. It carries another option group “milk” with five modifiers (whole, skim, oat, almond, soy) set to pick-one. It carries an “extras” group with several modifiers (extra shot, vanilla, caramel) set to pick-any. Each modifier can adjust the price (oat milk +20, extra shot +15) and can change allergen flags (almond milk turns on the nut flag for that order). On MobiTaste, modifiers configured once on the menu carry to the QR menu and to the kitchen ticket without re-entry.
Why it matters
The case for modifiers is fewer mis-orders. Without them, a guest who wants oat milk tells the waiter, who writes “oat” on the pad, and the cook may or may not read it correctly. With modifiers, the order goes to the kitchen as a structured field: “latte, oat, extra shot, large”. There is no handwriting and no translation. The cost is one-time setup work in the dashboard. For a coffee shop, the setup pays back in a single weekend by cutting remakes.
Related terms
- Allergen flag: tags that change with some modifiers.
- QR menu: the surface where guests pick modifiers.
- KDS: the screen that reads the modifier list.