thread Best practices for setting up time-based categories in Orders, Menu Items, Catalog & Fulfilment

Best practices for setting up time-based categories

LionelC — Sat, 20 Sep 2025 13:57:51 GMT

Hello all! I have a question about best practices when setting up time-based categories for online ordering purposes.

Let's say my restaurant currently has the Appetizers category. Some of the items in that category are only available during lunch, some only for dinner, and the rest are available all day. What would be the best way to set up these items for online ordering?

Would I need to split them into 3 categories: Lunch Appetizer, Dinner Appetizer, and All-day Appetizer?

Re: Best practices for setting up time-based categories

TheRealChipA — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 20:02:04 GMT

Hey @LionelC. Good question. But you’ve already come up with the best answer, too! Right now, Square Online does not allow time-based items, only time-based categories. Thankfully, items can be in more than one online category, though, so what you’ve described works. I’d make one modification in order to make things idiot-proof. LOL. Rename your categories “Lunch-only Appetizers,” “Dinner-only Appetizers,” and of course “All Day Appetizers.”