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Master Products

The single source of truth for a physical item. This is the atomic unit of inventory and the foundation of the entire menu system.

Definition​

A Master Product represents the raw ingredients and intrinsic properties of what the kitchen handles. It has no concept of pricing or customer-facing menus and serves as the internal operational core.

Key Characteristics​

  • Inventory-focused: Represents actual physical items
  • No pricing information: Pricing is handled at the Menu Item level
  • Internal operational use: Not directly exposed to customers
  • Foundation for all menu items: All sellable items trace back to Master Products

Examples​

  • "Beef Patty" - A single beef patty used in burgers
  • "Coca-Cola Can" - A 12oz can of Coca-Cola
  • "Slice of Cheddar Cheese" - Individual cheese slice
  • "500g Bag of Flour" - Bulk ingredient for baking

Relationship to Other Components​

With Modifier Groups (CUSTOMIZATION)​

Master Products can have inherent properties that are represented as CUSTOMIZATION type modifier groups:

  • The "Beef Patty" Master Product has a "Cooking Temperature" modifier group
  • The "Coffee Bean" Master Product might have a "Grind Size" modifier group

With Menu Items​

Multiple Menu Items can reference the same Master Product:

  • "Beef Patty" → Used in "Classic Burger", "Cheeseburger", "Double Burger"
  • "Coca-Cola Can" → Available in various combo meals

Best Practices​

  1. Keep it atomic: Each Master Product should represent the smallest meaningful unit
  2. Focus on inventory: Think about what the kitchen actually handles
  3. Avoid customer language: Use internal, operational terminology
  4. Consider variations: Different sizes/types should be separate Master Products

Implementation Notes​

Master Products form the backbone of inventory management, recipe costing, and availability tracking. They should be defined with careful consideration of operational needs rather than customer-facing requirements.