# Café step 2: build a fast tile menu

> Organise drinks and food in categories, add cup sizes as variations, pick favourites per branch, and sell with big tiles on POS V2 and phones.

Source: https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/cafe/step-2-quick-menu/  
Last updated: 2026-10-30  
Product: SmartPOS Hub (https://smartposhub.com)

Speed at the counter comes from a tidy menu: few categories, clear names, sizes as variations, and the bestsellers one tap away. This step builds that menu.

## Before you start

- POS V2 is set to the café style ([step 1](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/cafe/step-1-cafe-settings-and-modules/)).
- Have your menu with prices per size.

## 1. Categories

Keep 6–10 top categories, for example **Coffee**, **Tea & More**, **Bakery**, **Food**, **Catering** and **Retail**. Create them in **Products › Categories** or with **Import prebuilt**. Each category becomes a chip at the top of the POS. Categories also decide which station screen gets the item ([step 4](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/cafe/step-4-bar-screen-and-customer-display/)).

## 2. Drinks with cup sizes

1. Open **Products › Add Product** and enter the drink name ("Latte").
2. Choose the category and untick **Manage Stock?** for made-to-order drinks.
3. Set **Product Type** to **Variable** and add a variation such as **Cup Size** with values **12 oz** and **16 oz**, each with its own price.
4. Add a photo and save.

For many drinks, use [Import products from Excel](https://docs.smartposhub.com/catalog/import-products-excel/). More on sizes: [Variable products](https://docs.smartposhub.com/catalog/variable-products/).

## 3. Food and retail

Add sandwiches, pastries and retail items (beans, mugs) as **Single** products. Keep **Manage Stock?** on for anything you buy in and count.

## 4. Favourites per branch

Open **Settings › Business Locations › Settings** on each branch and add **POS featured products**. They appear on the POS **Favourites** tab.

## Selling from the menu

Tap a category chip or search, then tap a tile. Drinks with sizes open a small window with each size and price; tap one to add it. The cart shows each line with its options, and **Card**, **Cash** and **Pay** finish the sale.

![POS V2 tile view with All, Recent, Bakery, Catering, Coffee, Food, Retail and Tea chips and product tiles with photos and prices](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/cafe-pos-v2-menu.MpAaiIUh.png) (web app page: `/pos-v2/create`)

![Size window for a Latte with Cup Size 12 oz and Cup Size 16 oz and their prices](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/cafe-pos-latte-options.tbybd6-1.png) (web app page: `/pos-v2/create`)
*Tapping a drink with sizes opens the size window.*

![POS V2 on a phone with location picker, search, category chips and product list with prices](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/cafe-pos-v2-phone.wPyxiPeP.png)
*The same menu on a phone or small tablet.*

## Tips and mistakes to avoid

- Use the same size names on every drink (12 oz / 16 oz), so reports group them well.
- Put milk, syrups and shots in modifiers, not in separate products ([step 3](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/cafe/step-3-modifiers-milk-syrups-and-shots/)).
- Keep names short; long names are cut off on tiles.

## Next step

  - [Step 3: Modifiers for milk, syrups and shots](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/cafe/step-3-modifiers-milk-syrups-and-shots/)
  - [Add products](https://docs.smartposhub.com/catalog/add-products/)

## Frequently asked questions

### How do I make the most popular drinks one tap away?

Add them as POS featured products on each location. POS V2 shows them on the Favourites tab, and the Recent tab remembers what was sold last.

### Should I track stock on coffee drinks?

Usually not. Untick Manage Stock? for made-to-order drinks. Keep it on for bottled drinks, pastries you buy in and retail coffee beans.

### How does the cashier pick the cup size?

When a drink with sizes is tapped, a small window lists each size with its price. One more tap adds it to the cart.

### Can I show the menu without photos?

Yes. Turn off Show product pictures in the POS V2 settings, or switch the view to the list with the button next to the search.

### Does the same menu work in the app?

Yes. The SmartPOS Business app uses the same products, sizes and modifiers, with category chips and tiles on the phone.