Item photos and image tools

Photos sell dishes. The item editor on the Menu page has everything built in: square cropping, AI background removal, background color presets, and a reusable image library — no photo software needed.

Add a photo to an item

1. Open the item in the Menu page (or create a new one).
2. Choose Upload photo and pick an image from your device — or open the image library to reuse one you've already uploaded.
3. Crop it: photos display as squares, and the editor shows you exactly what the card will look like.
4. Save. The photo shows on the item's card, and guests can tap to view it larger.

Clean up the background

Phone photos of plates usually come with messy tables and shadows. The built-in background removal fixes that:

1. In the photo step, use the background removal tool — the AI separates the dish from its background right in your browser.
2. Pick a background color: white, cream, gray, yellow, blue, or any custom color that matches your menu's design.
3. The result is saved as a clean, professional image (WebP or PNG).

The image library

Every image you upload lands in your library, so you can reuse it across items without uploading twice. The library holds up to 50 images on Free, 500 on Pro, and unlimited on Business — the editor tells you when you're close to the cap.

Taking better food photos

You don't need a camera — you need light and consistency:

• Daylight beats lamps. Shoot near a window; avoid the yellow cast of overhead kitchen lights.
• Shoot from the same angle for the whole menu — top-down or 45°, not a mix.
• Get close. Fill the frame with the dish; the square crop rewards tight shots.
• Plate for the camera — wipe the rim, add the garnish, photograph the dish at its freshest.
• Skip the flash. It flattens texture and creates harsh reflections.

Best practices

• Photograph your bestsellers and high-margin dishes first — a photo measurably draws attention to an item, so spend it where it earns most.
• Update seasonal photos — a summer terrace shot under a winter menu reads as neglect.
• Match photos to reality. The photo is a promise; the plate should keep it.

Troubleshooting

• The upload fails or hangs. Very large files can time out on slow connections — most phone photos work as-is, but if one fails, retake or export it at a smaller size and try again.
• Background removal cut into the food. It happens with dishes that blend into the plate. Re-run it on a photo with more contrast between dish and background, or keep the original photo without removal.
• I hit the image limit. Delete unused images from the library, or upgrade your plan on the Billing page — see Plans and upgrading.