How to Set Up and Manage Event-Based Menus

Event-Based Menus automatically switch your devices' menus based on the Event Type. For example, on Tuesday, you'll see the Concert menu, and on Sunday, you'll see the Football Game menu.

How does it work?

You pre-configure the menu that is used for a future event and set event-specific pricing and items for that event. You assign a Default Menu and an Event-Based Menu at each Location based on Event Type. 

This allows you to "set it and forget it" - any time you create an Event with that Event Type, that specifically priced Menu pulls automatically to the device when you log into that Location on event day.

No more manual updates before every event!

• Note: If you are interested in getting this feature for your venue, please reach out to Product Support or your Customer Success Manager. 

Contents:

• Why Should I Use Event-Based Menus?
• Example Scenario
• How to Set Up a Location to Use Event-Based Menus
• How to Duplicate Menus
• Viewing Menus When Using Event-Based Menus
• How Do Event-Based Menus Work?
• How to Filter by Event-Based Menus
• Launching Event-Based Menus for the First Time: Best Practices
• Event-Based Menus Operational FAQs
   

Why Should I Use Event-Based Menus?

Use Event-Based Menus to:

• Offer the Right Items: Only show menu items that are relevant to the event (e.g., souvenir cup only for a concert).
• Set Event-Specific Prices: Easily change prices for one event without affecting another.
• Save Time: No manual updates needed on game day; the menu automatically loads.
   

Example Scenario:

Imagine a concession stand called 101 Blitz Burger that sells burgers, fries, and beers. 

For Football Games, all domestic beers are priced at $11. For Concerts, I sell my beers at a higher price of $14. 

I create one menu called 101 Blitz Burger - Football with all beers at the default price of $11, which is set as my Default Menu. 

I create another menu called 101 Blitz Burger - Concert with all beers priced at $14, which is set as my Event-Based Menu for Concert Event Types.

Previously, to ensure I was ready for my next Concert Event after a Football Event, I had to manually remove the Football priced menu and add the Concert menu at each relevant Location. 

Now, when I log into the device on the event day that has the Concert Event Type assigned, it automatically pulls the Concert menu with the beers priced at $14. No more manual updates before every event!

How to Set Up a Location to Use Event-Based Menus

To set up a Location to use Event-Based Menus, you tell the system three things: 

1. Event Type: What type of Event is happening
2. Event Times: When is it happening
3. Menu: Which menu to use for the Event

Let's use the example of 101 Blitz Burger above to set up Event-Based Menus. 

Please note for Step 3: Assigning Default Menus and Event-Based Menus happens at the Location under POS Manager > Locations.

Step 1: Set Up the Event Type

1. Navigate to Configuration > Event Settings > Event Types.
2. Create an Event Type for each unique menu you want to use. For example, create an Event Type called Concert. 
   
   

Step 2: Create the Event

1. Navigate to Events > Events.
2. Create a new Event, such as Taylor Swift Show.
   
    
3. Assign the Event Type, such as Concert.
4. Add the Locations that will use the Concert Event-Based Menu. For example, add 101 Blitz Burger. 
   • Read more about creating Events here. 
   • Note: You should add all Locations that will be open to the Event, regardless if it uses the Concert Event-Based Menu.

Step 3: Assign Menus to the Location

1. Navigate to POS Manager > Locations. Find 101 Blitz Burger.
2. Set the Default Menu: Under Default Menu Assignment, select the menu you use most often, such as 101 Blitz Burger - Football.
   
   
    
3. Set the Event-Based Menu as 101 Blitz Burger - Concert. Below the default, look for Event Type Menu Assignment.
   
    
   1. Click Add Event-Based Menu.
      
      
       
   2. Select the Concert Event Type.
   3. Assign the specific menu, such as 101 Blitz Burger - Concert.
      
      

Now, when a Concert Event is active, 101 Blitz Burger will automatically switch to the Concert Menu and its designated pricing, in this case, Domestic Beer is priced at $14.00. 




When viewing a menu item (POS Manager > Menu Manager > Items > Select the Menu Item), you can see the list of menus that the item is attached to at the bottom with the designated prices and Print Groups per menu.



 

How to Duplicate Menus

The Duplicate Menu option serves two main purposes:

• Event-Based Pricing: Create a copy of a Menu to apply different pricing for specific Event Types.

• New Menus: Quickly build a new Menu by copying an existing one, then simply adding or removing Items as needed.

  • Note: Duplicating Menus duplicates Menu Items, Prices, and Print Groups assigned to those items. Please make changes as needed once you have duplicated the menu. 

To duplicate a Menu, 

1. Navigate to POS Manager > Menu Manager.
2. Click the Menus tab.
3. Click the Menu you would like to Duplicate.
4. Click the three-dot menu next to Save.

5. Click Duplicate.

   

6. Select an Event Type for this menu. All of the source menu's Locations will be assigned to this Event Type. For example, let's say I have an existing Default Menu, but I want to duplicate it to create a Concert pricing Menu. I will choose the Event Type, Concert. 

   

7. Click Duplicate.

8. Under Duplicate Menu, type a name for the new Menu. For example, Stand 101 - Concert.

   Note: The Event Type is populated as the one you chose. In this example, this Duplicate Menu is used for my Concert Event Type. 

   

9. Click Save. Once saved, use the Bulk Pricing tool to update the entire Menu or specific Categories—or simply edit Items one by one. See next section. 

Viewing Menus When Using Event-Based Menus

When viewing a Menu under POS Manager > Menu Manager > Menus, you may select the Event Type to see what Locations are using that Menu for the Default or another Event Type. 

1. When you first click a Menu, the Locations using the Menu as Default are displayed.
2. To view another Event Type, remove the Default by clicking the X. 
3. From the dropdown, select the desired Event Type. 

Whatever Locations appear below are using that Menu for that Event Type. If the Locations list is blank, that means no Locations are using that Menu for that Event Type. 

 

How Do Event-Based Menus Work?

Event-Based Menus works by checking three things at the event start time to see if your Default Menu should be replaced with an Event Menu.

The system asks:

1. Is the Location part of the active event?
   • NO: Use the Default Menu.
2. Does this event have an Event Type (like "Concert")?
   • NO: Use the Default Menu.
3. Does Location have a Event-Based Menu assigned to that Event Type?
   • NO: Use the Default Menu.
   • YES: Automatically switch to the Event-Based Menu (your Concert Menu) on all devices at that Location.

How do Default Menus and Event-Based Menus Work?

Default Menus:

• Every Location will be set up with a Default Menu. Your Station Duo, Flex, and Kiosk will automatically display the default menu items and prices when no active Event is configured.
• Default Menus are used by default meaning that if there is no Event-Based Menu set up for a Location, the Default Menu pricing will be used, even if there is an Event Type assigned to the Event.
• If you set up an Event without an Event Type, you will still be able to make sales using the Default Menu pricing.
• Upon exiting an active Event window, the devices will automatically revert to displaying the Default Menu items and prices unless a new Event starts immediately after with another Event-Based Menu.

Event-Based Menus:

• You may have up to 6 additional Event-Based Menus.
• Upon entering an active Event window (defined by Event Type, Location, and time), the devices will automatically update their displayed items and prices to reflect the event-specific menu configuration without requiring manual intervention from order takers.
• If there are network issues that prevent the automatic change, the order takers will simply have to reload their terminals to pull the new menus.

How to Filter by Event-Based Menus

You may filter your Event-Based Menus by Event Type so you can focus on making edits to those specific Menus.

1. Click the down carat next to Viewing All Event Type Menus.
2. Choose the Event Type that you would like to view.
3. Now you are viewing only Menus assigned to Locations under that Event Type.

To view all Menus again, choose View All Event Type Menus.

Launching Event-Based Menus for the First Time: Best Practices

Start small. Choose one stand that has a strong network connection and a proven setup. Run one Event with Event-Based Menus there first. Once that's successful, roll it out to your other Locations.
 

Event-Based Menus Operational FAQs

Question	Answer
Do I need a strong internet connection?	Yes. You should only use Event-Based Menus if your location has a strong, reliable network connection.
What happens if I lose internet?	Your devices preload the menu for the entire day at startup. This means if you lose internet, operations can keep running. However: No menu updates can be made until the connection is restored. Your devices will still switch menus based on the Event-Based Menus schedule you set up for the rest of that event day. Once the event day ends, devices will fall back to your Default Menu until the internet is back.
Can I use one standsheet for two different events?	No. Standsheets are tied to a specific event and its menu, so they cannot cross over an Event-Based Menus menu change. This means you should not use Event-Based Menus for things like a "happy hour" that uses the same standsheet as the main event.
Which menu does my standsheet use?	The standsheet is always based on the active menu for that event. Double-check that your event is set up correctly before opening your standsheets, as you cannot change the menu a standsheet is using once it is created.
How does Event-Based Menus affect my Suites pre-orders?	The rules for your Suites pre-order menus haven't changed. The system checks for the menu to use in this specific order (or hierarchy): Booking Menu: (Highest Priority) Account Menu Event-Based Menu Location Default Menu: (Lowest Priority) In simple terms: The Event-Based Menu is used for your pre-orders unless a specific Booking or Account menu has been set. On Game Day: The POS menu at the stand will be your Event-Based Menu if one is set; otherwise, it will use the Location Default Menu.
Can I use kitchen chit printers with Event-Based Menus?	Yes. Your kitchen printer settings are kept at the device level, but you must make sure your print groups are set up correctly on both your Default and your Event-Specific menus.
What if I forget to add the Event Type and change it mid-event?	A reload will be required on the devices to pull the Event-Based Menu to the device.
What if I extend my Event time mid-event and the Location is using the Event-Based Menu?	The Event-Based Menu will continue to be used.
What if I have back to back Events that utilize Event-Based Menus?	You may set up 2 back to back Events. For example, Event 1 ends at 1:00 and Event 2 starts at 1:00 utilizing the same Locations. To pull the Event-Based Menu to the device, make sure to change the Event at the start time under Terminal Settings.
What if I have a multi-day Event that uses an Event- Based Menu?	The Event-Based Menu will be used throughout the duration of the Event.
What happens if I log in early to an Event that uses an Event-Based Menu?	The Event-Based Menu will display at the Event Start Time. Logging in early to the device (before the Event start time) will result in the Default Menu being displayed until the Event start time.  At the Event start time, the Event-Based Menu price will display automatically. No action is needed from the order taker.