Orders and waiters

How to write an order note on each item

No onions, how the meat is cooked, no ice: these are the notes that decide whether a dish comes back to the kitchen or not. Here they don't go on a separate slip — every item on the tab has its own field, and whatever you write there travels with the item all the way to the kitchen display.

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

Open Review order in the waiter app and write the order note in the field under the item's name: no onions, how the meat is cooked, no ice. The text saves by itself when you leave the field and shows up highlighted with the item on the kitchen display when the order is sent.

What goes in the item's note field

An order note is free text attached to one specific item, not to the whole order. You write it on the waiter app's review sheet — the screen that opens when you tap Review order — in the field right below the item's name, with the hint Note — no onions, how the meat is cooked…. It's the same place where you adjust the quantity and remove items before sending them to the station.

The field is per order line: it works the same for a menu item, for an item with a chosen size and flavor, and for a custom item typed on the spot. And it's just text — it doesn't add or subtract anything from the price. What changes the price are the menu's Option groups, with their set extra charge. The note carries the message; the rest of the line stays the same.

Why the note lives on the item, not in someone's head

  • The note travels with the item. Since the field belongs to the line, "no onions" stays on the burger and not on the soda — and it reaches the right station, because each item goes to the display of the kitchen that makes it.
  • The kitchen can read it from across the room. On the display, the note shows under the item's name, in a warning color, in bold and in a larger size than the rest of the line, with an attention sign in front. That's exactly the information most often lost when a note is only spoken.
  • Fewer dishes remade. Allergies, doneness and side swaps are the kind of thing that goes wrong once and costs double. Written down when the order is entered, the note doesn't depend on anyone remembering in the middle of a rush.
  • It's on record. Once sent, the text stays with the item on the waiter's list, shows to the guest on the table page opened from the QR code, and shows up again in the closed bill's summary. If the station prints, it's on the ticket too.
  • It never becomes a hidden charge. A note is text, never a price add-on. When an extra costs money, it goes in as an Option group on the menu, with a price — and the guest sees the right total, like R$ 42,00.

How to write an order note in 7 steps

Seven short steps, from the moment the item goes on the tab until it shows up with its note on the kitchen display.

  1. Open the table's tab

    In the waiter app, pick the table under New order to start a Draft, or tap the card of a tab that's already open to add new items. Either way, the note field works the same.

  2. Tap the menu item

    Tap the item and the review sheet opens by itself, already showing its line: Check order on a Draft, New items on a tab already sent. You can come back to it any time with the Review order button at the bottom of the screen.

  3. Write the note in the item's field

    Every line on the sheet has, under the name, a field with the hint Note — no onions, how the meat is cooked…. Tap it and write what the station needs to know: doneness, a side swap, an allergy, no ice, pack it to go. It fits up to 500 characters, but it's best to use far fewer.

    Tip: Write it as a short instruction, the way the station reads it at a glance: no onions, well done, sauce on the side. A long sentence gets lost in the rush.
  4. Leave the field to save

    There's no save button. The note is saved the moment you leave the field — by tapping somewhere else on the screen or moving to the next item. If you close the sheet, reopen it and the text is still there, you're all set.

  5. Do the same for a custom item

    An item that isn't on the menu goes in through Add custom item: type the name, the price if there is one, and tap Add to order. It becomes a regular line on the review sheet, with the same note field under its name.

  6. Send it and check in the kitchen

    Tap Send to kitchen. The item appears on the station's display with the note right below its name, highlighted in a warning color with an attention sign in front — and it prints on the kitchen ticket too, if that station prints. From then on the note stays attached to the item, from Preparing to Ready and Served.

  7. Fix it before sending

    The review sheet lists only items that haven't been sent, so the note field disappears after sending: the text is still there, but read-only. So make a habit of rereading the sheet before you tap send. If you notice too late, it's a conversation with the station — or a new item, with the right note this time.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to tap save after writing the note?+

No. The text is saved as soon as you leave the field, by tapping somewhere else on the screen or on the next item. Closed and reopened the review sheet and the text is there? Then it's already saved.

Where does the note show up for the kitchen?+

On the kitchen display, right below the item's name, highlighted: warning color, bold, larger than the rest of the line and an attention sign in front. If that station has a printer turned on, the note also prints on the kitchen ticket, alongside the item's line.

Can I change the note on an item already sent?+

Not from the app. The field only exists on the review sheet, and the sheet lists only items not yet sent. After sending, the note stays visible with the item, but read-only. In that case, talk to the station, or enter a new item with the right note.

Does the note change the item's price?+

No. It's free text and adds nothing to the total. When the extra is paid — a crust, an add-on, an extra portion — set it up as an Option group on the menu, with a price; then it goes into the line's price automatically. A custom item also takes a price typed on the spot, like R$ 42,00.

Two identical dishes cooked differently: how do I handle it?+

The note is per line, not per unit. Tapping the same menu item twice puts it all on one line, with 2× and one note field — so write it there: one medium, one well done. If you want separate lines, enter the second one as a custom item, with the dish name, the price and its own note.

Does the guest see what I wrote?+

Yes. On the table page opened from the QR code, the note appears with the item, and it also shows up again in the closed bill's summary. Write it assuming the guest will read it.

Glossary

Tab
The open bill of a table, where items add up until it's closed.
Kitchen
The display where orders show up and move from Preparing to READY.
Kitchen display
The wall screen that shows that prep station's queue live, protected by a password.
Custom item
An item the waiter types in on the spot, picking its prep station by hand.
Option group
A reusable list of extra-cost choices, like Crust or Add-ons, that you attach to several items.
Draft
An order's first status, while the waiter is still putting the list together and nothing has gone to the kitchen yet.

Related resources

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