Quickstart

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This guide walks you through integrating the SmartMenu API into your ordering platform—from initial setup to personalized menu experiences.

Onboarding Checklist

Get API Credentials

Contact your EveryBite partnership manager to receive your staging and production API keys.

Configure Your Chain

Work with EveryBite to set up your restaurant chain, locations, and menu sync.

Integrate the API

Follow the steps below to make your first API calls.

Test in Staging

Validate your integration against the staging environment with test data.

Go Live

Switch to production credentials and launch personalized menus to your guests.

Timeline

Phase	Duration	Activities
Setup	1-2 days	Credentials, chain configuration
Development	1-2 weeks	API integration, UI implementation
Testing	3-5 days	QA, edge cases, performance
Launch	1 day	Production deployment

What You’ll Need

A signed partnership agreement with EveryBite
API credentials for your authorized brand
Access to your ordering solution (currently Olo, with Toast, Square, and PAR coming soon)

Step 1: Get Your API Credentials

Once approved, you’ll receive API credentials that identify which restaurant brand’s menu data your app can access.

# Your API key will look like this:
API_KEY="pk_YWJjMTIzLWRlZjQ1Ni03ODkw.x9Kj2mNpQrStUvWxYz"

Use that exact pk_... value as the Authorization header. Do not prefix it with Bearer.

Step 2: Start a Session

Start a session when the guest opens your app or begins browsing. Provide a stable guest identifier and we bind it to a session:

mutation StartGuestSession {
  startSession(
    input: {
      guestId: "guest_abc123"
      # OR passportId: "passport_abc"
      # OR email: "guest@example.com"
    }
  ) {
    sessionId
  }
}

Example Response

{
  "data": {
    "startSession": {
      "sessionId": "sess_7f3a9c2e-8b1d-4e5f-a6c0-9d2e8f1a3b5c"
    }
  }
}

Store the returned sessionId — you’ll include it in all subsequent requests via the X-Session-ID header. Guest identity is now bound to this session; chain context comes from your API key.

Step 3: Configure Your Headers

Once you have a session, configure your HTTP client with these headers for all API calls:

Header	Required	Description
`Authorization`	Yes	Raw API key value, for example `pk_YOUR_API_KEY`
`Content-Type`	Yes	`application/json`
`X-Session-ID`	Yes	Session ID from Step 2

That’s it. Chain context comes from your API key, and guest identity and personalization context come from the session you created in Step 2. If you are trying requests in the docs UI or directly at https://api.everybite.com/graphql, use Authorization as the header name and paste in the raw pk_... value.

curl -X POST https://api.everybite.com/graphql \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: pk_YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "X-Session-ID: sess_7f3a9c2e-8b1d-4e5f-a6c0-9d2e8f1a3b5c" \
  -d '{"query": "..."}'

const headers = {
  'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  'Authorization': API_KEY,
  'X-Session-ID': sessionId
};

Why so simple? You provide guest identity once when you call startSession. After that, every API call just needs the X-Session-ID header—we resolve chain, widget, and personalization context for you.

Before building your filter UI, fetch the available options for the restaurant:

query GetFilterOptions {
  filterOptions {
    diets { type displayName description isEnabled }
    allergens { type displayName icon isEnabled }
    nutrients { type displayName unit defaultMin defaultMax }
    categories { name count }
  }
}

Example Response

{
  "data": {
    "filterOptions": {
      "diets": [
        { "type": "VEGAN", "displayName": "Vegan", "description": "No animal products", "isEnabled": true },
        { "type": "VEGETARIAN", "displayName": "Vegetarian", "description": "No meat or fish", "isEnabled": true },
        { "type": "PESCATARIAN", "displayName": "Pescatarian", "description": "Fish but no meat", "isEnabled": true }
      ],
      "allergens": [
        { "type": "DAIRY", "displayName": "Dairy", "icon": "dairy", "isEnabled": true },
        { "type": "PEANUT", "displayName": "Peanut", "icon": "peanut", "isEnabled": true },
        { "type": "TREE_NUT", "displayName": "Tree Nut", "icon": "tree-nut", "isEnabled": true }
      ],
      "nutrients": [
        { "type": "CALORIES", "displayName": "Calories", "unit": "kcal", "defaultMin": 0, "defaultMax": 2000 },
        { "type": "PROTEIN", "displayName": "Protein", "unit": "g", "defaultMin": 0, "defaultMax": 100 }
      ],
      "categories": [
        { "name": "Salads", "count": 12 },
        { "name": "Bowls", "count": 8 },
        { "name": "Wraps", "count": 6 }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Step 5: Search Dishes with Preferences

Search for dishes that match the guest’s preferences:

query SearchDishes($preferences: PreferencesInput) {
  search(preferences: $preferences) {
    matches {
      dish {
        id
        name
        description
        nutrition { calories protein carbohydrates }
        allergens { type displayName }
      }
      matchStatus
    }
    almostMatches {
      dish {
        id
        name
        nutrition { calories }
        allergens { type displayName }
      }
      matchStatus
      matchReasons
    }
    notMatches {
      dish { id name }
      matchStatus
      matchReasons
    }
    counts { matches almostMatches notMatches total }
  }
}

Variables:

{
  "preferences": {
    "diets": ["VEGETARIAN"],
    "excludeAllergens": ["PEANUT", "TREE_NUT"],
    "calorieRange": { "max": 600 }
  }
}

Example Response

{
  "data": {
    "search": {
      "matches": [
        {
          "dish": {
            "id": "dish_001",
            "name": "Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl",
            "description": "Quinoa, roasted vegetables, feta, lemon tahini",
            "nutrition": { "calories": 520, "protein": 18, "carbohydrates": 62 },
            "allergens": [{ "type": "DAIRY", "displayName": "Dairy" }]
          },
          "matchStatus": "MATCH"
        }
      ],
      "almostMatches": [
        {
          "dish": {
            "id": "dish_002",
            "name": "Garden Veggie Wrap",
            "nutrition": { "calories": 480 },
            "allergens": [{ "type": "SESAME", "displayName": "Sesame" }]
          },
          "matchStatus": "ALMOST_MATCH",
          "matchReasons": ["Contains Sesame (removable)"]
        }
      ],
      "notMatches": [
        {
          "dish": { "id": "dish_003", "name": "Thai Peanut Salad" },
          "matchStatus": "NOT_MATCH",
          "matchReasons": ["Contains Peanut (excluded allergen)"]
        }
      ],
      "counts": { "matches": 1, "almostMatches": 1, "notMatches": 1, "total": 3 }
    }
  }
}

Results are grouped by match status:

Status	Meaning	UI Recommendation
`MATCH`	Fully meets preferences	Show prominently
`ALMOST_MATCH`	Minor conflict (e.g., removable ingredient)	Show with warning
`NOT_MATCH`	Does not meet preferences	Hide or show at bottom

Step 6: Display Results

Here’s how the response data translates to a user interface:

MATCH

Mediterranean Quinoa BowlQuinoa, roasted vegetables, feta, lemon tahini520 cal · 18g protein · 62g carbsContains: Dairy

ALMOST MATCH

Garden Veggie WrapGrilled vegetables, hummus, mixed greens480 cal · 14g protein · 58g carbs⚠ Contains: Sesame (removable)

NOT MATCH

Thai Peanut SaladMixed greens, edamame, peanut dressing410 cal · 12g protein · 38g carbs✕ Contains: Peanut (excluded)

Sample Code

const { matches, almostMatches, notMatches, counts } = data.search;

// Render MATCH dishes prominently
matches.forEach(({ dish, matchStatus }) => {
  renderDishCard(dish, { badge: 'green', prominent: true });
});

// Render ALMOST_MATCH with warnings
almostMatches.forEach(({ dish, matchReasons }) => {
  renderDishCard(dish, { badge: 'yellow', warnings: matchReasons });
});

// NOT_MATCH dishes: hide entirely or show at bottom
notMatches.forEach(({ dish, matchReasons }) => {
  renderDishCard(dish, { badge: 'red', muted: true, reasons: matchReasons });
});

Get Early Access

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Architecture

Understand how the platform works

Core Concepts

Learn the data model

Authentication

API keys and security

Getting Started

Core Concepts

Guides

Onboarding Checklist

Timeline

What You’ll Need

Step 1: Get Your API Credentials

Step 2: Start a Session

Step 3: Configure Your Headers

Step 5: Search Dishes with Preferences

Step 6: Display Results

Sample Code

Get Early Access

Join the Waitlist

Architecture

Core Concepts

Authentication

​Onboarding Checklist

​Timeline

​What You’ll Need

​Step 1: Get Your API Credentials

​Step 2: Start a Session

​Step 3: Configure Your Headers

​Step 4: Fetch Filter Options

​Step 5: Search Dishes with Preferences

​Step 6: Display Results

​Sample Code

​Get Early Access

Join the Waitlist

Architecture

Core Concepts

Authentication

Onboarding Checklist

Timeline

What You’ll Need

Step 1: Get Your API Credentials

Step 2: Start a Session

Step 3: Configure Your Headers

Step 4: Fetch Filter Options

Step 5: Search Dishes with Preferences

Step 6: Display Results

Sample Code

Get Early Access