I approached this project as if I were building a production site for a growing business, not a static brochure. Rather than relying solely on page builders or hardcoded theme options, I focused on structuring content in a way that could scale without becoming difficult to manage.
One of the core challenges was the site’s menu system. The business needed a clear separation between featured menu items and all menu items, while still managing everything from a single place in the WordPress admin. The existing theme handled layout well but didn’t support this level of dynamic control, so additional functionality was needed.
To solve this, I extended the theme by building a custom WordPress plugin that handles all menu-related logic. The plugin registers custom post types and uses Advanced Custom Fields to control things like featured status, descriptions, pricing, and ordering. Custom queries power how items are displayed on the front end, allowing featured items to be surfaced intentionally while keeping the full menu easy to browse and update.
Throughout the build, I focused heavily on maintainability and clarity. Field names were intentional, plugin logic was clearly organized, and responsibilities were separated so future developers or content editors could understand how everything worked. By placing this functionality in a plugin instead of modifying the theme directly, the site can evolve or switch themes without breaking core features.
This project demonstrates my ability to work within existing systems, identify gaps, and extend platforms in a clean, scalable way.
