An assisted referral is easier to finish when the menu files are ready before you upload them. A missing drinks page, a reflection across the prices or an outdated PDF can leave the owner with questions that a little preparation would have caught.
This checklist is for OmNom Referral Partners helping an owner gather menu photos or PDFs. OmNom’s menu-upload FAQ allows clear menu photos or supported PDFs, up to 12 files, with the owner’s permission. The practical goal is a complete, readable set of approved source material.
1. Agree on permission and the current menu
Ask the owner before creating a restaurant draft or uploading menu photos. Permission is required even when the information is publicly available. Finding a menu on the restaurant’s website does not settle whether the owner wants you to use it for an assisted referral.
Make the request specific: “May I use this menu to prepare your OmNom referral? Is this the version you want me to work from?”
Confirm the location, menu version and any separate sheets to include. A restaurant may have an older takeaway leaflet, a newer counter menu and a different catering PDF. Ask the owner which source applies. If prices disagree, pause that part rather than deciding that the newest-looking design must be correct.
2. Check that the set covers every intended section
Look through the complete menu before taking photos or selecting files. Count the pages and check both sides of printed sheets. Ask whether drinks, sides, desserts, sizes or add-ons appear elsewhere.
A useful collection check includes:
- Every page or panel the owner wants included
- Section headings that explain which items belong together
- Item names and descriptions, with their corresponding prices
- Size choices, extras and any printed additional charges
- Relevant menu notes that would otherwise be cut off at the edge
Keep menus from different locations or service types clearly separate. Do not silently mix a catering package with the regular café menu.
Organize the approved files in reading order. Simple names such as “01-food” and “02-drinks” can help you check your own collection; they are an organizational suggestion, not a promise about how OmNom imports or sorts files.
3. Make small text readable before upload
For paper menus, place the page flat where you can photograph it in even light. Keep the camera facing the page, include all its edges and check for glare, shadows or fingers covering text. Open each photo and zoom in on the smallest prices and option notes. If you cannot confidently read them, retake it.
For a folded menu, check that text near the fold remains visible. A sharp item name is not enough if the price beside it is blurred. For a large menu board, use readable views that preserve the relationship between headings, items and prices.
For PDFs, open the actual file and inspect every intended page. Check for blank pages, missing sections, outdated inserts and tiny or blurred text. Prefer a current original supplied by the owner when available.
OmNom’s limit is stated as up to 12 supported files. Do not treat that as permission to omit sections or compress everything into unreadable images. If your approved menu cannot fit the available upload flow, ask OmNom support for guidance.
4. Leave unrelated and private material out
Check what else is visible around the menu. A counter photo might also capture a customer receipt, staff schedule, private phone number or payment document. A screenshot might include messages or notifications. Retake or reframe the image so the menu is clear and unrelated information is excluded.
Ask for a clean menu-only file if a PDF includes business paperwork. Preserve the menu’s actual wording and prices; do not use cleanup as an opportunity to rewrite unclear details. OmNom advises partners to enter only information they know is accurate.
Sign-in codes, passwords, bank details and identity documents do not belong in the menu collection. The owner handles protected account and payment setup through the appropriate secure forms.
5. A hypothetical café collection
Imagine a café owner approves help preparing an assisted referral. They hand you a two-sided food menu and a drinks sheet, then point to a seasonal special on the counter.
Before photographing anything, you ask whether that special should be included and which prices are current. The owner says the drinks sheet is outdated and provides a replacement PDF. You set aside the old sheet.
You photograph both sides of the food menu and inspect the replacement PDF. One food photo has glare over the sandwich extras, so you retake it. You also notice a customer receipt beside the menu and move the menu to a clear surface for the new photo.
The useful result is an owner-approved source set: both food pages and the current drinks file, with the seasonal item included only if the owner confirms it. This is an example of preparation, not a restaurant case study or a promised import result.
6. Run one final check, then keep the owner involved
Before uploading, confirm:
- The owner authorized this menu preparation and identified the current source
- The collection includes all intended pages and sections
- Names, prices, sizes and options are readable
- No unrelated private material appears in the files
- Any conflicting or unclear details have been put back to the owner
- The selection fits the supported upload flow and its 12-file limit
Clear files do not remove the need for review. The owner must review the prepared menu, and uploading a draft does not make the restaurant live. Required restaurant and payment setup still needs to be completed.
If an upload fails or remains stuck, use OmNom support. There is no guaranteed processing time. A helpful referral starts with trustworthy source material and leaves the owner in control of confirmation and setup.