Product modifiers allow you to apply common adjustments or notes across products in the same category in the POS. For example, you can offer different milk options for all coffee items. These modifiers appear within the category view, right alongside the products they apply to.

If you're using an online ordering platform, we recommend using Option sets instead of product modifiers to ensure compatibility.

What’s in this guide?

Common uses for product modifiers
Difference between Modifiers and Option sets
Creating a product modifier
Adding modifiers to an order
Removing modifiers from an order
Frequently asked questions

Common uses for product modifiers

• Adding non-dairy milk to drinks, like soy milk for lattes.
• Choosing how a dish is prepared, such as rare for steaks.
• Removing ingredients, like no cheese on a burger.
• Marking dishes for dietary needs, like Gluten-free options.

Understanding the difference between Modifiers and Option sets

Both on-screen Modifiers and Option sets can be used to achieve similar outcomes, but they work in different ways. The key differences come down to:

1. Where you want the modifier to appear.
2. Whether it needs to be linked to a specific product.

Here's a quick cheat sheet to help you decide which one to use. 

Here is how on-screen Modifiers and product-linked Option sets compare in achieving one outcome.

Creating a product modifier

Creating a product modifier is similar to adding a regular product, with just one additional step to complete. 

To create a modifier: 

1. Log in to Back Office with your Lightspeed credentials.
2. From the navigation menu, click Products. 
3. Add a product as you normally would.
4. After the modifier is added as a product, click the cogwheel icon to edit it.  
   
5. Under Product Info, scroll down to Product Options. 
6. Toggle Make this product a modifier to enable it. 
   
7. Click Save at the bottom of the page.

To update multiple modifiers at once, check out our guide on bulk editing using CSV.

Adding modifiers to an order

When a customer requests a change to an item, modifiers let you quickly apply pre-configured customizations directly from the POS with a single tap.

To add a modifier to an order: 

1. On the POS, select the main product for the order. 
2. Select the Modifier you want to apply. 
   
   Modifiers are marked with an M on their product tile. It can only be selected after a main product has been chosen. 
   

Removing modifiers from an order 

If a customer changes their mind or a modifier was selected by mistake, you can remove the modifier you've added to a product while taking an order. 

To remove a modifier from an order: 

1. On the POS, tap the product image or initials in the order list. You'll be taken to the edit screen for that product. 
2. Tap Modifiers.
   
3. Under the Modifiers screen, tap Remove next to the modifier you want to remove.
4. Tap Save to apply the changes and return to the order. 
   

Frequently asked questions

What's next?