Creator
Stations vs. Categories vs. Items
Understand the three layers of Mashgin's menu structure — Stations, Categories, and Items — and how they connect from Creator to the kiosk screen.
🗂️ Overview
Mashgin organizes your menu in three layers: Stations, Categories, and Items. Each one is a different level of grouping, and together they determine how your menu is laid out for customers on the kiosk screen.
This guide walks through each layer, what it represents, and how they nest together — using a single "Burger Queen" example menu shown on the kiosk.
Quick mental model: a Station is the broadest grouping (the whole restaurant or concept), a Category is a section within that station, and an Item is a single menu option a customer can buy.
🏛️ Stations
Stations represent the broadest classification of items and serve as the primary grouping. For example, a station could be "Burger Queen," encompassing all menu options available at the restaurant.
Key facts:
- Every item in your menu must belong to a station
- Stations are managed under Stations in the Creator left sidebar
- A station can hold many categories and items
- Stations can be reordered to control how they appear on the kiosk
For more on stations, see What are Stations? and How to Add Stations.
📑 Categories
Categories are subsets within stations, providing more specific organization. For instance, within the "Burger Queen" station, you might have categories like "Sandwiches" and "Sides," each representing a specific type of dish.
Key facts:
- Categories are optional — a station can have items directly, with no categories at all
- Categories help break up large stations into easier-to-scan groups for the customer
- An item belongs to exactly one category (or no category, if you skip them)
- Categories are configured per-station in Creator
🍔 Items
Items are the most detailed and specific options, representing individual items. Within the "Sandwiches" category, items could include different types such as "Croissant Sandwich" and "Breakfast Biscuits." Within the "Sides" category, items could include "Hashbrowns."
Key facts:
- Items always live inside a station, optionally inside a category
- Each item has its own price, tax setup, image, and (optionally) dotcode and tags
- Items are managed on the All Items page in Creator
- Items are what the kiosk camera and POS recognize at checkout
🧩 How They Fit Together
Putting the three layers together using the same Burger Queen example:
Station: Burger Queen
Category: Sandwiches
- 🍔 Item: Croissant Sandwich — $3.00
- 🍔 Item: Breakfast Biscuit — $3.00
Category: Sides
- 🍔 Item: Hashbrowns — $1.00
Common mistake: skipping the station step. Every item must belong to a station — if an item has no station assigned, it won't show up on the kiosk at all.
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Need help? Contact support at 📧 help@mashgin.com or call (855) 475-0889