Menu

How to add menu items with a price and photo

Adding a new item to the menu takes a single screen: name, description, photo and price. You tap Save and the dish is already there, on the public menu the guest opens with the table QR code.

Updated Sept. 21, 2026 5 min read For: owners
Quick answer

Open the Menu, tap + Item and fill in the name, description, photo and price; then tap Save. That's all it takes to add items to your menu: the photo turns into WebP on its own, the kitchen already knows the dish belongs to it, and the item shows up right away on the public menu.

What an item's form is

Adding items to the menu means filling in an item's form on the New item screen, which opens from the + Item button on the Menu page. That's where you set the name, the category, the description, the photo, the price and, when the restaurant has more than one kitchen, the dish's default kitchen.

The same screen comes back when you tap edit on the list: the title changes to Edit item and a Delete button appears. Nothing is locked once saved — you can change the price, change the photo, drag the item to another category or switch off Active, and the public menu follows right away.

Why it pays to fill everything in properly

  • The photo sells the dish. It shows on the public menu next to the name, and the guest can tap to enlarge it. In your Menu list it becomes a thumbnail, which helps you find the right item as the menu grows.
  • A heavy photo gets light on its own. When you save, we re-encode the image as WebP, shrink the longer side to 800 pixels at most and respect the camera's orientation. You send the photo just as it came off your phone.
  • The description answers before anyone asks. The text appears right below the price on the public menu — it's the place for the side dishes, the portion size or a heads-up that it's spicy.
  • The right price on the form means the right total on the tab. The amount the waiter enters comes from here: R$ 42,00 on the form is R$ 42,00 on the tab, with no one doing math in their head.
  • The Kitchen already knows the dish belongs to it. With the default kitchen filled in, the item lands on the right display as soon as the order goes out — and the waiter can still change it on the order.

How to add menu items in 7 steps

Seven steps on a single screen, from top to bottom. If the restaurant has just one kitchen, one of the fields doesn't even appear: we fill it in for you.

  1. Open the Menu and tap + Item

    On the restaurant Dashboard, go to Menu. At the top there are three buttons: Import printed menu, + Category and + Item. Tap + Item and the New item screen opens. You can also use the smaller + Item on each category's card — then the category comes already chosen.

  2. Write the item's name

    The first field is Name, and it works in three places: the guest reads it on the menu, the waiter searches for it while building the tab, and the kitchen gets it on the ticket. It holds up to 128 characters, but a short name wins: Grilled picanha instead of Our delicious house grilled picanha.

  3. Choose the category

    In Category, choose where the dish goes — Starters, Drinks, Desserts. The field is optional: an item without a category appears in a loose list at the end of the public menu. If the category doesn't exist yet, the + Category button creates it, and afterward you can drag the item there on the list.

  4. Write the description

    Description is a free, optional, multi-line field, and it appears on the public menu right below the price. Write what the guest would ask the waiter: what comes with it, how many it serves, whether it's spicy, whether it's good for sharing.

  5. Choose the dish photo

    Tap the gray photo square or the Choose photo button and pick the image from your gallery, your files, or take one on the spot. The preview appears instantly, with the file name below it. The hint written on the field itself is right: A square photo works best, because that's how it gets cropped.

    Tip: Changed your mind? When editing, the button becomes Change photo, and the Remove current photo checkbox leaves the item without an image.
  6. Set the price

    In Price type, leave Fixed for a dish with a single price. In the Flavors and prices (R$) table, with no flavor checked, only one row called Price is left: type the amount there, for example 42,00. If the item is sold by weight, choose Variable (by weight), fill in the Unit (kg, 100g, portion) and the price per unit — the waiter enters the quantity on the order.

  7. Check the default kitchen and save

    With more than one Kitchen, choose in Default kitchen where the dish is prepared; with just one, the field doesn't appear and we set it for you. Leave Active on so it's live on the public menu right away. Tap Save and you're back on the Menu list with the item there, thumbnail and price showing.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a photo on every item?+

No. A photo is optional: an item without one shows a gray icon in its place, on your list and on the public menu. But when the dish has a photo the guest can tap to enlarge it, and that helps them decide.

How do I hide an item that has sold out?+

Tap edit on the item and switch off Active. It disappears from the public menu right away and stays on your list, with the inactive tag next to its name. When it's back in stock, just switch it on again.

Can I delete an item for good?+

Yes: tap edit on the item and tap Delete. We ask Delete item? first, because there's no undo. If it's something temporary, switching off Active is the better choice.

I have a printed menu. Do I need to type in every item?+

You don't have to start from scratch. On the Menu page there's the Import printed menu button: you send a photo of the menu, we read the items and show a review screen before creating anything. Afterward it's worth checking each one's price and description.

Do I need to pay to set up my menu?+

No. qmen.us is free for the restaurant and takes no commission per order — we're not a marketplace like iFood. And we don't handle money: PIX, Brazil's instant payment system, is settled directly between you and the customer.

Glossary

Category
A section of the menu that groups similar items, like Starters or Drinks, and sets the order everyone sees.
Default kitchen
The field on a menu item that says which prep station makes that item.
Active
The switch that decides whether an item shows on the public menu. When it's off, the item stays only in your list, tagged inactive.
Variable price
A way of pricing by measure (kg, 100 g, portion) where the waiter enters the amount when taking the order.
WebP
A lightweight image format. Every item photo is converted to it on upload, with the longest side capped at 800 pixels.

Related resources

Still need help?

If the step-by-step didn't solve it, send us your question with your restaurant's name. We reply within one business day.

Build your menu now

Create your account with Google, build your menu and get your first order going today.

Get started