Why grouping matters
Restaurant menus repeat the same idea in many forms. The same product can appear with small naming differences, descriptions, sizes, and prices. Grouping those observations makes category analysis easier and gives teams a cleaner way to see a pattern across branches.
Why the branch record must stay
A grouped item should never erase the original observation. Price, description, availability, source identity, and branch context can vary. If those details disappear, an aggregate can look precise while hiding the differences that matter operationally.
Use two layers
A strong data model keeps a convenient analytical layer and a source-level evidence layer at the same time. The grouped view helps answer the question quickly. The underlying records make the answer auditable and allow a user to understand why the grouped result looks the way it does.
The practical benefit
Teams get both speed and defensibility: simple charts and comparisons for everyday work, plus access to the original branch context when a number needs to be checked, explained, or exported.
Use the summary as the starting point, while keeping the evidence and context available behind the result.