Please note that there are two XML Feed types in Phoca Restaurant Menu. One for users, for their readers. Such XML Feed is accessible via RSS icon. The other type of XML Feed is there for external web services.

XML Feed for Users (RSS Icon)

XML feed for users can be enabled in menu link: Menu link to e.g. Daily Menu - Options tab - RSS Icon parameter.

RSS Icon - parameterRSS Icon - parameter

The icon to such feed is displayed at the top of the menu. It is available in Daily Menu and Weekly Menu.

RSS Icon - frontendRSS Icon - frontend

XML Feed for external services

In Phoca Restaurant Menu Pro you can create XML Feed for Daily Menu which can be read by external services. There are web services that collect menus from individual restaurants and publish them on their website. They get that information from XML Feed.

Each such service may have a different XML format and therefore the XML feed output for the Daily Menu is stored in a file that can be overwritten using a template.

components/com_phocamenu/views/dailymenu/tmpl/default_feed.php

Before we can use such a service, we need to set a few parameters. Go to Phoca Restaurant Menu Options and see the section XML Feed Settings. We need to define date format, define XML tags used in the XML Feed and add possible note to the XML Feed. See following image, it is an example setup for one special external service:

Setting XML Feed TagsSetting XML Feed Tags

When we have finished the setup, we create a menu link to the Daily Menu - XML Feed. The link is the same as the Daily Menu link, but in the Format parameter we choose the value XML

Setting Menu Link to XML FeedSetting Menu Link to XML Feed

Our external service has special tags. A type for the group and a special field for displaying allergens for food. Allergens can be stored in Additional Information field of each menu item.

Group Type

Group type can be set for each group in administration.

Group TypeGroup Type

Additional Information

Additional information can be set for each item in administration.

Additional InformationAdditional Information

If we have set values and a menu link to the XML Feed, then nothing prevents us from publishing the menu link and sending it to an external service. In our example, the output will be as follows:

XML Feed Output - HeaderXML Feed Output - Header

XML Feed Output - FooterXML Feed Output - Footer