MintLight Basic Guide

A Simple Setup & Operations Manual for Restaurants and Resorts

Part 1: First-Time Setup (Do This First)

Follow these steps in order when setting up a new restaurant, café, or resort property.

Step 1: Restaurant Profile & Tax Setup

Where to find it on screen:

In the left sidebar menu, look under Settings & Account and click Settings, or click Profile.

What you need to do:

  1. Enter Business & Trade Name:
    • Restaurant Name: Your main business name.
    • Trade Name: The commercial name printed at the top of customer receipts and tax bills.
  2. Enter Business Address & Phone:
    • Type your full physical address and contact phone number. A valid address is required for legal tax receipts.
  3. Select Country & Currency:
    • Pick your country and currency symbol (such as INR ₹, USD $, EUR €, GBP £).
  4. Upload Logo & Cover Photo:
    • Click the upload box to add your brand logo so it appears at the top of the digital menu.
  5. Set Tax & Food Safety Numbers:
    • Tax ID / GSTIN / FSSAI: Enter your commercial tax registration and food safety license numbers.
    • Tax Type:
      • Inclusive: Prices on your menu already include tax.
      • Exclusive: Tax is added on top of menu prices at checkout.
    • Default Tax Rate: Enter your primary percentage (such as 5%).
  6. Save Changes:
    • Look at the bottom of the screen for the floating bar and click the green Save Settings button.

Step 2: Build Your Menu (Categories, Dishes & Sizes)

Where to find it on screen:

In the left sidebar menu, look under Restaurant Setup and click Menu Manager.

1. Create Menu Categories

  1. In the top right corner of the screen, click + Add Category.
  2. Type the category name (e.g., Starters, Wood-Fired Pizzas, Beverages, Desserts).
  3. Click Save. You can drag categories up and down to change their order on the customer menu.

2. Add Dishes

  1. In the top right corner, click the green button + Create Dish.
  2. In the popup window, fill in:
    • Dish Name: Name of the dish (e.g., Margherita Pizza).
    • Category: Select which category it belongs to.
    • Price: Enter the base selling price (e.g., 250.00).
    • Description: Add ingredients, preparation details, or allergen notes.
    • Photo: Click Upload Dish Photo to add a picture.
    • Dietary Tag: Click Veg (green leaf), Non-Veg (red badge), or Egg (yellow egg).
    • Spiciness: Toggle the flame switch if the dish is spicy.

3. Add Sizes & Variants (Optional)

If a dish comes in different portion sizes:

  1. Scroll down to Variants inside the dish editor.
  2. Enter the title in Variant Title (such as Select Size).
  3. Click + Add Variant and enter the name and price for each size (e.g., Small: 180.00, Medium: 280.00, Large: 380.00).
  4. Note: When sizes are added, the customer must select one size, and its price replaces the base price.

4. Add Extras & Add-ons (Optional)

If customers can add optional toppings or extra sides:

  1. Scroll down to Extras inside the dish editor.
  2. Click + Add Extra and enter the option name and extra price (e.g., Extra Cheese: +40.00, Garlic Dip: +25.00).
  3. Click the green Save Dish button at the bottom of the popup.

5. Managing Out-of-Stock Dishes on the Fly

On the main menu list, each dish card has a quick status selector:

  • Available (🟢 Green): Visible on the live menu and open for ordering.
  • Out of Stock (🔴 Red): Shows a "Sold Out" banner on the menu; customers cannot add it to their cart.
  • Hidden (👁️ Grey): Completely hidden from the customer menu (staff only).

Step 3: Create Tables & Download QR Codes

Where to find it on screen:

In the left sidebar menu, look under Restaurant Setup and click Tables / QR Code.

⚠️ Important Rule: Table & Room Code Format

MintLight is intentionally designed to use short 1–2 character codes for all tables, rooms, and resort areas:

  • Dining Tables: 1, 2, 3, 10, 12 or T1, T2, P1 (Patio 1), B1 (Bar 1).
  • Hotel Rooms & Suites: R1, R2, R3 ... R9, or S1 (Suite 1), A1, B2.
  • Resort Villas & Cabanas: V1, V2, V3 (Villa 1–3), C1, C2 (Cabana 1–2).

(Long text labels such as "Room 101" or "Ocean Villa 14" are not supported in the table creation screen. Always use clean 1–2 character codes).

Creating Tables:

  1. In the top right corner, click + Add Table.
  2. Single Mode: Type a 1–2 character code (such as 1, 10, T2, R1, V2).
  3. Bulk Mode: Click the Bulk Mode tab to paste multiple table codes at once separated by commas (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8).
  4. Click Create Tables.

Downloading and Printing QR Codes:

  1. Single Table QR: Click directly on any table card. A preview window appears. Click Download PNG or Download SVG.
  2. Bulk Download for Print Shop: In the top right header, click Download Bulk QRs to download a .ZIP file containing styled QR images for all your tables.
  3. General / Lobby QR: Scroll to the bottom of the tables page to find the View-Only Menu QR section. Download this code for reception standees or flyers where customers can browse without ordering.

Step 4: Turn Ordering On

MintLight has two menu modes:

  • View-Only Mode: Guests can browse dishes and photos, but the cart is hidden and they cannot order.
  • Ordering-Enabled Mode: Guests scanning table QR codes can add items to their cart and place live orders.

What you need to do:

  1. Look at the top center of the dashboard and click the green Manage button (or click Management in the navigation menu).
  2. On the top service card, click Manage Services.
  3. In the popup window:
    • Switch Table Ordering to Active (Green).
    • Switch Billing / Tax Invoicing to Active (Green).
  4. Click Save Changes.

Step 5: Connect Staff Devices (Join Codes)

Staff members do not need to create or remember passwords. They connect their phones or tablets using a secure 6-character Join Code.

How to generate Join Codes for your team:

  1. In the left sidebar menu, look under Restaurant Setup and click Staff & Roles.
  2. In the top right corner, click + Add Staff Member.
  3. Choose the staff member's role:
    • Kitchen: Automatically opens the Kitchen Display Screen (KDS).
    • Waiter: Automatically opens the mobile Waiter Portal (for serving food, taking orders, and settling bills).
    • Manager: Automatically opens the manager console.
  4. Click Generate Code. A 6-character code appears on screen (e.g., MNT-K8P2Q4).
  5. Share the code with your staff member.

How the staff member signs in:

  1. The staff member opens the staff login page on their phone browser (/staff).
  2. Signs in with their Google or Email account.
  3. Enters their Full Name and Phone Number.
  4. Types the 6-character Join Code.
  5. MintLight immediately launches their dedicated role screen automatically!

(Note: Join Codes expire in 60 minutes and are single-use. Generate a separate code for each staff member).

Part 2: Daily Operations by Role

MintLight is built around 3 core operational roles: Kitchen, Waiter, and Manager. There is no separate cashier role—waiters handle food delivery and bill settlement directly from their phones, while a basic POS terminal is available for creating counter/phone orders.

👨‍🍳 1. Kitchen Staff: The Kitchen Display (KDS)

Kitchen staff look at a dedicated tablet or TV screen mounted in the kitchen. When logged in as Kitchen, MintLight automatically displays the Kitchen Display.

What kitchen staff see:

  • Large, high-contrast ticket cards showing the Table / Room Code (e.g., T4 or R2), elapsed prep timer, dish names, sizes (in bold), extras, and special yellow customer notes.

What kitchen staff do:

  1. Opening Step: Tap anywhere on the kitchen screen once upon loading so incoming order sound chimes will ring audibly.
  2. When a New Order Rings:
    • An audio chime plays and a new ticket card appears.
    • Read the table code, items, and special instructions.
  3. Start Cooking:
    • Tap the orange button Start Cooking when you begin preparing the food. (The ticket status changes to orange, letting the waiter and customer know it is in progress).
  4. Mark Ready:
    • When the food is plated and placed on the pickup counter, tap the green button Mark Ready.
    • The ticket turns green and automatically alerts the floor waiters to pick up the food.

🏃 2. Floor Waiters: Delivering Food & Settling Bills

Waiters carry their smartphones on the dining floor. When logged in as Waiter, MintLight automatically opens the Waiter Portal.

Waiters handle the complete customer cycle: serving food, taking verbal orders, and settling bills.

What waiters see on screen:

  • A clean mobile screen with three top tabs: Ready to Serve (food waiting at the kitchen pass), In Prep (dishes being cooked), and Active Tables.

What waiters do:

  1. Deliver Ready Food (Mark Served):
    • Look at the top Ready to Serve list.
    • When dishes are ready, pick up the tray from the kitchen counter, deliver it to the specified Table or Room code, and tap Mark Served.
    • MintLight automatically records that you delivered the order.
  2. Take Verbal Orders at the Table (+ Quick Order):
    • If a customer prefers ordering verbally instead of scanning the QR code, tap the floating blue button + Quick Order at the bottom of your screen.
    • Select the Table code, tap the dishes, and tap Submit to Kitchen.
  3. Settle Bills & Collect Payment (Mark Paid):
    • When the customer is ready to pay, open their served order card on your phone and tap Settle Bill or Mark Paid.
    • Select how they are paying:
      • Cash: Standard cash payment.
      • Card: Credit/Debit card.
      • UPI: Customer scans your QR or pays digitally.
      • Room Charge: For hotel guests charging dining to their room.
      • Split Payment: If the guest pays partially in cash and partially by card, enter both amounts (e.g., Cash: ₹500 + Card: ₹700).
    • Add any staff tip if provided.
    • Tap Confirm Settlement to complete the payment and automatically free the table for the next guest.
  4. Flagging Unpaid Tickets:
    • If a guest leaves without paying or there is a billing dispute, the waiter can tap Mark Unpaid so the manager can review it.

🖥️ 3. Point of Sale (POS): Quick Order Entry Terminal

The Point of Sale (POS) is a simple order-entry screen available on the counter computer or tablet. It is used by staff or managers to quickly enter walk-up takeaway orders or phone orders.

Where to find it on screen:

In the left sidebar menu, look under Operations and click Point of Sale (POS).

What you do in the POS:

  1. Tap a table code or takeaway number.
  2. Tap menu categories and dishes to add them to the ticket.
  3. Click one of two buttons:
    • Send to Kitchen: Fires the ticket straight to the kitchen screen for preparation.
    • Direct Pay & Fire: For quick takeaway where the customer pays immediately upfront.

👔 4. Manager / Supervisor: Shift Oversight & Closing

The manager oversees live floor flow, staff, and daily financials.

What the manager does during a shift:

  1. Morning Opening:
    • Log in and click the green Manage button at the top of the dashboard.
    • Verify that Table Ordering and Billing are Active.
    • Check Menu Manager and turn off any out-of-stock items.
  2. Floor Supervision:
    • Keep Live Orders open (/dashboard/orders) to monitor kitchen prep times, table transfers, and floor bottlenecks.
  3. Night Closing & Auditing:
    • In the left sidebar, click Voids (/dashboard/voids) to review any cancelled tickets and verify staff cancellation reasons.
    • On the Live Orders screen, click Export Orders in the top toolbar to download the daily sales CSV spreadsheet for bookkeeping.

Part 3: The Central Order Management System (OMS)

The Order Management System (OMS) is your central command hub for handling active tickets, table moves, and floor corrections.

How to Open the OMS Window

In the left sidebar under Operations, click Live Orders (/dashboard/orders or /manager/orders).

Clicking directly on any order row opens the Order Details (OMS) Window. This popup contains four dedicated tabs across the top:

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  [ Overview ]   [ Bill & Tips ]   [ Operations ]   [ Timeline ]│
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                              │
│  TABLE T4   •   Order #0042   •   Status: COOKING (8 mins)   │
│                                                              │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Tab 1: Overview Tab

  • What it shows:
    • Table / Room code and live status badge.
    • Itemized list of dishes with selected sizes, extra add-ons, and customer special instructions.
    • Complete financial breakdown: Subtotal, Discounts, Service Charge, Custom Fees, Taxes, Tips, and Grand Total.
  • Primary Action Button: Shows the next logical step (e.g., Start Cooking, Mark Ready, Mark Served, or Settle Bill).

Tab 2: Bill & Tips Tab (Adjustments)

Use this tab to make approved adjustments before the bill is closed:

  1. Assigned Server: Change or assign the waiter name for staff performance and tip tracking.
  2. Staff Tips: Select a tip percentage chip (None, 5%, 10%, 15%) or type a custom tip amount.
  3. Custom Fees & Charges: Add or remove packaging charges or delivery fees. Totals recalculate in real time.

Tab 3: Operations Tab (Floor Escape Hatches)

Use this tab when mistakes happen or guests move:

  1. Table Transfer (Move Table):
    • Situation: Guests move from Table T2 to Table T8 (or from Room R1 to Villa V2).
    • What to do: Open the Operations tab → type the new table code in the box → click Transfer. All items, running totals, and kitchen tickets move to the new table instantly.
  2. Workflow Step-Backs (Undo Mistakes):
    • Situation: A cook or waiter accidentally tapped "Mark Ready" or "Start Cooking" by mistake.
    • What to do: Click the safe step-back button:
      • ↩️ Back to Cooking: Reverts a Ready order back to Cooking.
      • ↩️ Back to Pending: Reverts a Cooking order back to Pending.
      • ↩️ Back to Ready: Reverts a Served order back to Ready.
  3. Void Order (Danger Zone):
    • Situation: Customer leaves before food is cooked, or an accidental test order was placed.
    • What to do: Type a written reason in the void box (e.g., "Customer cancelled prior to cooking") and click Void Order.

Tab 4: Timeline Tab (Audit Log)

  • Displays an exact, chronological history of the ticket from creation to settlement.
  • Shows the exact timestamp and employee name for every action (e.g., "Table transferred to T8 by Sam", "Marked cooking by Chef Alex", "Marked paid by Waiter Alex").

Part 4: Special Setups & Customer Experience

📱 What Customers See & Experience

  1. Scan QR Code:
    • The customer opens their phone camera and scans the QR standee on their table.
    • The digital menu opens in their mobile browser showing their table code at the top (e.g., Table T2 or Room R1).
  2. Choose Items & Add Special Notes:
    • The customer browses categories, selects sizes, and picks extra add-ons.
    • They can type special cooking instructions in the note box (e.g., "Extra crispy, no onions").
  3. Review Cart:
    • A floating bar at the bottom of the customer's phone displays their item count and subtotal. Tapping it opens the cart drawer.
  4. Submit Order:
    • The customer taps the green button Place Order.
    • Their phone immediately switches to the live My Orders tracker showing order progress in real time (Received → Cooking → Ready → Served).

🏨 Room Service & Resort Operations

MintLight supports in-room dining for hotels, resort villas, and poolside cabanas without complex hardware:

  1. Create Room Codes: Use short 1–2 character codes for your rooms and villas (e.g., R1, R2, R3 for Rooms, V1, V2 for Villas, C1 for Cabana 1).
  2. Place QR Standees in Rooms: Put printed QR cards on bedside nightstands, desks, or keycard folders.
  3. Room Ordering: The guest scans the room QR and submits their order.
  4. Kitchen Preparation: The kitchen screen displays the ticket labeled with the room code (e.g., [ROOM R2]).
  5. Room Delivery: The runner delivers the tray to the room and taps Mark Served on their phone.
  6. Settlement: The waiter/runner settles the bill on their phone by collecting UPI/Card/Cash, or selects Room Charge.

(Note on Hotel PMS Systems: MintLight records room charges in its internal order history. If your property uses external hotel management software, room charges are reconciled using daily shift reports unless an automated integration is configured for your specific PMS).

Part 5: Troubleshooting & Quick Reference

Common Problems & Quick Fixes

1. "Why can't I edit items in an open order?"

  • How it works: Once an order is sent to the kitchen, dishes cannot be removed or edited on that ticket. This prevents kitchen confusion and lost food.
  • What to do: If the customer wants extra food, simply submit an Add-On Order for the same table. MintLight tracks multiple orders on the same table together and settles them on one combined bill.

2. "Customer scans QR code, but the menu says 'View-Only' and the cart is missing"

  • Fix 1: Make sure the customer scanned the QR code on their specific table or room card (not a generic lobby poster).
  • Fix 2: Click the green Manage button at the top of your dashboard → Manage Services → turn Table Ordering to Active.

3. "Staff member gets 'Invalid or Expired Join Code'"

  • Fix: Join codes expire after 60 minutes. Go to Staff & Roles in the sidebar, click + Add Staff Member, and generate a fresh code.

4. "Kitchen screen is not making sound chimes for new orders"

  • Fix: Web browsers block sound until a user taps the screen. Tap or click anywhere on the kitchen screen once after loading the KDS.

5. "Thermal printer is not printing receipts"

  • Fix: Check that the printer is powered on and paper roll is latched. In the left sidebar under Operations, open Point of Sale (POS) → Printer Lab (/manager/pos/printer-lab) and click Test Print 80mm to test the connection.

6. "Customer moved to another table"

  • Fix: Open the order in Live Orders → click the Operations tab → enter the new table code → tap Transfer. All items and totals move to the new table instantly.

Quick Staff Cheat Sheet & Daily Loop

The MintLight Daily Operational Loop:

Customer:  Scan QR (or POS Walk-up)  ──►  Browse Menu  ──►  Submit Order
                                                                 │
Kitchen:   Receive Chime  ──►  Start Cooking  ──►  Mark Ready
                                                       │
Waiter:    Pick Up from Pass  ──►  Deliver to Table  ──►  Mark Served
                                                               │
Waiter:    Collect Payment (Cash/Card/UPI/Room)  ──►  Mark Paid & Issue Bill
                                                           │
Manager:   Monitor Live Floor  ──►  Audit Voids  ──►  Daily Close & Export

Order Status Colors on Screen:

  • 🟡 Pending: Newly placed order waiting for kitchen or floor acceptance.
  • 🟠 Cooking: Kitchen chef is actively preparing the food.
  • 🟢 Ready: Food is plated and waiting on the counter for pickup.
  • 🔵 Served: Food delivered to the table or room.
  • ⚪ Paid: Bill settled, receipt generated, table freed.
  • 🔴 Unpaid: Customer left without paying or payment is disputed.
  • ⚫ Voided: Order cancelled with a written reason.

Staff Role Summary:

RoleWork ScreenPrimary Daily Duties
KitchenKitchen Display (KDS)1. Tap Start Cooking when cooking starts.<br>2. Tap Mark Ready when food is plated.
WaiterWaiter Portal1. Deliver ready orders and tap Mark Served.<br>2. Take verbal orders via + Quick Order.<br>3. Collect payment & settle bills via Mark Paid (Cash, Card, UPI, Room Charge, Split).
ManagerManagement / Live Orders1. Check services are Active in morning.<br>2. Generate staff Join Codes in Staff & Roles.<br>3. Audit cancelled voids and export daily sales CSV.
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