Time-Based Categories: Show the Right Menu at the Right Time

Running a restaurant means juggling different menus throughout the day — breakfast in the morning, lunch at midday, happy hour in the evening, and special menus on weekends.

But when everything is visible all the time, customers get confused, orders go wrong and staff end up fixing avoidable mistakes.

That’s exactly why we built Time-Based Categories on Fudli’s online ordering system for restaurants.

What Are Time-Based Categories?

Time-Based Categories let you control when specific menu categories appear on your online ordering site. Instead of manually switching menus on and off, you simply assign a start time and end time to a category, and Fudli handles the rest automatically.

If a category is outside its scheduled time, it’s products are not available for customers — meaning they can only order what’s actually available.

How It Works

Setting up Time-Based Categories takes seconds:

• Choose the menu category you want to schedule
• Enable Scheduled Time Category
• Set a start time and end time
• Save — and you’re done

Any items inside that category will only appear and be available for ordering during the scheduled window.

Real-World Examples

Time-Based Categories work perfectly for everyday restaurant scenarios, such as:

• Breakfast menus available from 8:00am – 11:00am
• Lunch menus available from 12:00pm – 3:00pm
• Happy hour deals available during selected evening hours
• Weekend specials shown only on Saturdays and Sundays

No more customers trying to order breakfast at night or lunch items after service ends.

Why It Matters for Your Restaurant

Having the right menu visible at the right time isn’t just about organisation — it directly impacts sales and customer experience.

With Time-Based Categories, you can:

• Reduce wrong and cancelled orders
• Eliminate customer confusion
• Create urgency around limited-time menus
• Offer exclusive deals without manual updates
• Deliver a smoother, more professional ordering experience

It’s a small feature that makes a big difference to how your brand is perceived.

Built for Real Restaurant Operations

Restaurants don’t operate on a single static menu — and your online ordering system shouldn’t either. Time-Based Categories are designed to match how your kitchen actually works, giving you full control without adding extra admin.

Once it’s set, it runs automatically in the background.

Smarter Menus, Better Orders

Time-Based Categories are included as part of Fudli’s powerful online ordering system, helping restaurants sell smarter, reduce friction and stay in control of their menu — all with 0% commission.

If you’re ready to give your customers a better ordering experience, Fudli makes it simple.

Ready to get started?

Stop losing margins on your online ordering. Discover how Fudli puts more money back in your pocket — explore our Live Demo or sign up for a Free 14-Day Trial today.