--- title: "How to Add or Customize Taxes on Menu Items | SpotOn Restaurant" canonical: "https://help.spoton.com/space/SK/2659287469/How%20to%20Add%20or%20Customize%20Taxes%20on%20Menu%20Items%20%7C%20SpotOn%20Restaurant" format: markdown --- ## **Overview** SpotOn gives you full control over how taxes are applied to individual menu items. Merchants can assign specific tax types such as sales tax, liquor tax, sugar tax, or state tax to individual items and choose whether the tax is included in the item price or added during checkout. --- **Quick Links** > Macro (toc) --- # Step-by-Step Instructions #### **Add a Tax to a Single Menu Item** 1. From the Back Office, navigate to **Menu Items**. 2. Select the appropriate Menu Item. 3. Scroll to the **Taxes** section. 4. Click **+ New Tax**. 5. Use the **Tax Type** dropdown menu to select the appropriate tax type (for example: Sales Tax, Liquor Tax, or Sugar Tax). 6. (Optional) Enable the **Included in Price** checkbox. #### **What Does “Included in Price” Mean?** When **Included in Price** is enabled: - The customer pays the displayed menu price. - The applicable tax is included within that price. - The business absorbs the tax amount instead of adding it at checkout. #### **Apply Taxes to Multiple Menu Items** Taxes can also be applied in bulk by using the **Select All** option from the Menu Items panel on the left side of the screen. --- #### **Make a Menu Item Tax-Exempt / Non-Taxable** To configure a menu item so that tax is not charged, assign the item a tax configured with a **0% tax rate**. Do not leave the item's **Taxes** section empty. 1. From the BOH, select **Taxes**. 2. Select **New +**. 3. Enter a descriptive name, such as **Non-Taxable**. 4. Under **Tax Rates**, enter **0%** for each applicable **Order Type**. 5. Save the tax. 6. Navigate to **Menu Items**. 7. Select the menu item that should be non-taxable. 8. Scroll to **Taxes**. 9. Select **+ New Tax**. 10. Select the newly created **Non-Taxable** 0% tax 11. Create a test order in FOH and confirm that tax is not charged for the item. > ℹ️ **Important:** Do not remove all assigned taxes and leave the **Taxes** section empty when configuring a non-taxable menu item. Assign a **0% tax** instead. > ⚠️ **Note:** Configuring a menu item as non-taxable is different from making an individual transaction tax-exempt. If a guest qualifies for a transaction-level tax exemption, use **Make Tax Exempt** from **Ticket Commands** in FOH and enter the applicable tax exemption certificate number. See **[Tax Exempt | SpotOn Restaurant (FOH)](https://help.spoton.com/space/SK/3259367425/Tax+Exempt+%7C+SpotOn+Restaurant+(FOH))** for instructions. --- ## **FAQs** **Can I apply different taxes to different menu items?** Yes. Individual menu items can have different tax types assigned based on business needs or local tax requirements. --- **Can I apply taxes to multiple items at once?** Yes. Use the **Select All** option in the Menu Items list to apply taxes in bulk. --- **What happens if “Included in Price” is enabled?** The tax is built into the listed menu price, meaning the customer does not see an additional tax amount added at checkout. --- **Can I assign more than one tax to a menu item?** Yes. Multiple tax types can be assigned to a single menu item if needed. --- **Can I print each tax separately on the customer receipt?** Yes. If multiple taxes apply to an order, each tax can be displayed separately on the customer receipt. The receipt format is controlled by the **Consolidate Taxes on Receipts** setting for the applicable Station Type. 1. Navigate to **Station Types**. 2. Select the appropriate **Station Type**. 3. Scroll to **Receipts / Printing**. 4. Locate **Consolidate Taxes on Receipts**. 5. Configure the setting as needed: - **Disabled:** Each applicable tax prints as a separate line on the receipt. - **Enabled:** All applicable taxes are combined into a single **Sales Tax** line. > ℹ️ **Note:** Consolidating taxes changes how the taxes are displayed on the receipt; it does not change the total tax amount calculated for the order. --- **What is the Gross Receipt Tax option used for?** The **Gross Receipt Tax** option is used in jurisdictions where a business is responsible for paying a tax based on its gross receipts rather than collecting it directly from the customer. This setting supports tax configurations required by specific local tax regulations and should only be enabled when applicable to the client's tax requirements. > ℹ️ **Note:** If you're unsure whether the Gross Receipt Tax applies to your business, we recommend consulting your tax professional before enabling this setting. --- **Can I add Make Tax Exempt directly to an FOH Command Bar?** Yes. **Make Tax Exempt** can be added to an FOH Command Bar to provide staff with direct access to the existing tax-exemption command. For configuration steps, refer to **[Edit Command Bars](https://help.spoton.com/space/SK/2659287831/Edit+Command+Bars#Related-Articles)**[.](https://help.spoton.com/space/SK/2659287831/Edit+Command+Bars#Related-Articles) > ℹ️ **Note:** Adding **Make Tax Exempt** to a Command Bar does not create a new tax-exemption function; it provides another way to access the existing command available through **Ticket Commands**. --- # Tips > **Important:** Taxes must already be created in the Back Office before they can be assigned to menu items. > **Tip:** Review local and state tax requirements before configuring specialty taxes such as liquor or sugar taxes. --- # Related Articles - [How to Create a New Tax](https://help.spoton.com/space/SK/2659287399) - [Tax/Fee Rounding](https://help.spoton.com/space/SK/2659516793) - [Using New Tax Calculation for Fixing Rounding Errors](https://help.spoton.com/space/SK/2659516863)