Overview

Partial Quantities allow your team to order a fraction of a menu item instead of a whole unit. This is commonly used when menu items are priced or sold by weight, portion, or volume rather than as a fixed unit.


Partial Quantities are most often used for items like:

  • Meats sold by the pound

  • Sides sold by the quart or half pan

  • Items that can be ordered in halves or fractions

Storylane

How Partial Quantities Work

When Partial Quantities are enabled on a menu item:

  • The item can be ordered in decimal or fractional amounts (for example: 0.5 or 1.5)

  • Pricing is calculated automatically based on the quantity entered

  • The item still behaves as a single menu item on the order

Partial Quantities affect ordering and pricing only.

Important Rules Before You Begin

Before enabling Partial Quantities, keep the following in mind:

  • Partial Quantities apply per menu item

  • The menu item must have a base price set

  • Partial Quantities work best with simple items

  • Options, Extras, and Toppings are not impacted

If the item requires fixed portions or packaged quantities, Partial Quantities may not be appropriate.

Common Use Case Examples

  • Ordering 1.5 lbs of pulled pork

  • Ordering 0.5 pan of macaroni and cheese

  • Ordering 2.25 lbs of sliced brisket

These quantities allow flexibility without creating multiple versions of the same item.

Step 1: Locate the Menu Item

  • Go to Admin → Menu → Menu Manager


  • Open the menu and category where the item lives

  • Click the menu item to open its settings, Click Edit Item


Step 2: Enable Partial Quantities

  • Locate the Partial Quantities setting within the menu item

  • Enable the option to allow partial quantities

  • Click Save this Information at the bottom of the popup to save the changes

Step 3: Test the Item - What You Team Sees in Order Entry

After saving:

  • Preview the menu in Order Entry

  • Enter a partial quantity for the item

  • Confirm pricing updates correctly


Best Practices

  • Use Partial Quantities for weight-based or volume-based items

  • Keep naming clear so Customers understand how the item is priced

  • Avoid enabling Partial Quantities on packaged or fixed-portion items

  • Avoid editing menus in multiple CaterZen tabs at the same time

If changes don’t appear immediately after saving, you may be prompted to clear your menu cache.

Troubleshooting

If Partial Quantities do not work as expected:

  • Confirm the setting is enabled and saved

  • Confirm the item has pricing

  • Refresh your browser

  • Clear the menu cache if prompted

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Support

For additional help, refer to the CaterZen Support Center or contact our CaterZen Support Team.

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