Overview
This article explains how to create and assign Service Charges in the Admin Dashboard, including setup options such as fixed amounts, percentage rates, and key configuration toggles. It also covers how to link service charges to specific service types. After saving, the charges will appear at checkout on the ordering website and app. This feature is currently supported with Revel and Toast POS.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This feature has been released, but some parts of it are still being tested. We will publish regular updates via Slack Snack.
Prerequisites and Dependencies
Service charge creation and management is a New Admin-only feature. Old (NovaDine) Admin does not support this functionality.
Imported service charges must be created on the POS first and then added to the Admin Dashboard.
When the service_charges flag is true/ active for the chain, it can be imported and visible for selection. To enable the service change flag, we must submit an eng change request.
Limitations
Service charges aren't discountable
Currently, we support the import of the Toast and Revel POS service charges
It's important to set up service charges to be imported from Toast, because they require a GUID. Manual creation of the Service Charge will fail Toast price validation.
There is no way to update imported service charges in the Admin dashboard
Revel POS limitations for imported service charges
Lunchbox imports Revel service charges, but some Revel configuration variants are not supported. These unsupported charges may still import and can be assigned to service types, but they will not calculate correctly upon POS injection of the order due to how Lunchbox currently calculates service charges + order totals.
Unsupported Revel configurations
Percent charge with Apply To = Post-tax (Apply to total post-tax)
If a Revel service charge is configured with Type = Percent and Apply To = Post-tax, this configuration is not supported and will be miscalculated upon order injection.
Variable Fee
Any Revel service charge with Variable Fee enabled is not supported. These charges will import, but they will not calculate correctly in Lunchbox.
Application Type = Item (Item-based service charge)
Any Revel service charge configured with Application Type = Item is not supported, and will not be imported to Lunchbox. This configuration should be avoided.
These charges can still be imported from Revel (except the item-based type noted above), and they can be assigned in Admin.
Once assigned, they can appear on the ordering platforms, but the amount at checkout will not match what Revel expects.
To avoid mismatches, service charges should be configured in Revel using only supported settings, then imported and assigned in LB's Admin.
Admin dashboard setup
Create a Service Charge
To create a Service Charge, log into the Admin Dashboard and in the left sidebar:
Step 1: Select Operate> Service Types
Step 2: Select a location from the drop-down
Step 3: Select the Service Type you want to add the Service Charge to
Step 4: Scroll to the Service Charges
Step 5: Select the + button to create a new service charge
Step 6: The Form will appear to fill out the Service Charge information:
Name (required) - It should match the original one in the POS
External ID - it can be the charge that the client charges only via Lunchbox ordering platforms, and the charge doesn't necessarily live in the POS
Amount - an input field used for a fixed charge amount fees (e.g., packing fee $2)
Rate (in %) - percentage input field for subtotal percentage-based charges (e.g., 7% of the subtotal)
Min Subtotal - minimum subtotal amount required to apply the service charge
Tax Classes (required) - assign tax class to a service charge, to ensure it gets taxed at the correct rate. For example, some states charge additional taxes on alcoholic beverages, so if a user wants to order one, an additional alcohol fee will be applied, but also passed down to the user to cover what the state requires.
Global toggle - it makes the charge globally applicable instead of being restricted to a certain location. Please note that a global pickup charge would still not apply to, for example, a delivery order that meets all of its other criteria, unless it is explicitly configured for that service type.
Active toggle - Control if the service charge is active or not.
Gratuity toggle - Functionality not yet introduced.
Item toggle - Functionality not yet introduced.
Discountable toggle - It controls whether the service charge is calculated based on the full subtotal or the discounted subtotal of the order.
e.g., if the toggle is active, and a discount is applied to the order, the service charge will be reduced proportionally.
Active toggle = apply the charge after the discount
Inactive toggle = apply the charge before the discount
Step 7: When you are done, select the Save button
Step 8: Navigate to the ordering platform to see if the charges are being properly displayed and calculated as part of the verification.
Set up the imported service charge
To set the imported service charges from Revel or Toast POS,
Step 1: Follow the steps 1 - 5 from the example above to get to the Service Charges section in Admin
Step 2: Select the magnifying glass icon
Step 3: In the text input field, start typing in the name of the service charge previously set on the POS
Step 4: Select the service charge
Step 5: Select the Save button to apply the service charge
Step 6: After saving the list, you should be able to see your introduced service charge at checkout
Step 7: For verification purposes, cross-reference service charge details (Admin dashboard <> POS)
When a charge is imported, Admin prevents users from editing it to avoid mismatches or errors with the POS.
Edit Service Charge
IMPORTANT NOTE: After assigning a service charge imported from the POS, it's not recommended to update it in the Admin dashboard to avoid miscalculations/POS Errors. If the service charge must be updated, the update must be made on the POS directly, and then imported via master-import.
To edit a service charge,
Step 1: Select the Edit button next to the service charge
Step 2: The Edit Service Charge pop-up window will appear. Here we can:
Update service charge name
Update Service Type association:
Assign additional location and service type the service charge will be applied to
Change the status of the service charge availability for a defined location and service type
Change the service charge status
Change the service charge availability to Global
Specify if the service charge is affected by discounts applied to an order or not
IMPORTANT NOTE: Once created or imported, any service charge with an external ID should have an updated amount, rate %, and min subtotal.
Service charges names will be updated only if update_item_descriptors is set.
Service Type Association
When we want to edit a service charge and assign it to an additional location and service type, we can do so only when the Service Charge is already set for at least one location and one service type (already imported and in use).
To assign additional service types to an existing service charge:
Find and open the service charge you want to edit
Scroll to the Service Type Association section
You’ll see the location and service type the charge is currently assigned to. To apply the same charge to another service type:
Select the same location from the drop-down
Then choose the new service type you want to assign it to
Ensure the Status toggle is set to Active
4. Select +Add button
5. Click Save
6. We will see a success message, "Service Type Association Added," and the Edit Service Charge window will close
To assign additional locations & service types to an existing service charge:
Find and open the service charge you want to edit
Scroll to the Service Type Association section
You’ll see the location and service type the charge is currently assigned to. To apply the same charge to another service type:
Select a new location from the drop-down
Then choose the service type you want to assign it to
Ensure the Status toggle is set to Active
Select +Add button
Click Save
6. We will see a success message, "Service Type Association Added," and the Edit Service Charge window will close
7. The service type is now assigned to a new location, and the chosen service type
Delete Service Charge
To delete or remove the service charge for a location or just a service type,
Find the service charge you want to remove2
Select the Edit Service Charge button
3. In the Edit Service Charge pop-up window, find the location and/or service type associated with the service charge you want to delete
4. Select the Bin icon
5. The prompt will appear to confirm deletion. Select the Yes button to confirm.
Please note that the service charge won't disappear immediately from the Service Type Association list.
6. Select the Save button to save changes
7. The success message "Service charge updated successfully" will appear
8. The service charge is now deleted
Service Charge on Ordering Platforms
After assigning a service charge, it will appear on the ordering platforms. The charge is currently listed on the Cart, Checkout, and Order Confirmation pages.
Reporting
Service charges will appear in the Orders reports, but this feature is still in QA as of October 2025. We’ll update this article once testing is complete.
FAQ
Q: Are we replacing Open Items as service charges?
A: In a way, we do, because we used to utilize Open Items as a way to pass the charges to the customer level. However, if the charge is set in the Admin dashboard, and it doesn't exist in the POS, it can create a mismatch in the reporting. Developers are still working on this solution as of October 2025.
Q: Can we import charges from any POS?
A: Not yet. Currently, we support importing service charges defined in Toast POS. Next one is going to be Revel POS.