diff --git a/web/dashboard/src/components/pos2/pos2-screen.tsx b/web/dashboard/src/components/pos2/pos2-screen.tsx
index 762d394..a1d5bc1 100644
--- a/web/dashboard/src/components/pos2/pos2-screen.tsx
+++ b/web/dashboard/src/components/pos2/pos2-screen.tsx
@@ -69,20 +69,25 @@ export function Pos2Screen() {
   // Resolve a VALID branch (auto-pick the first) exactly like the classic POS —
   // the menu/tables are branch-scoped, so a null or stale stored branchId would
   // otherwise load an empty menu. v2 has no branch picker, so it must self-heal.
-  const { data: branches = [] } = useQuery({
+  //
+  // IMPORTANT: orderBranchId returns `undefined` while branches are still loading.
+  // usePos2Menu treats `undefined` as "not yet determined" and pauses the query so
+  // we never fire getBranchMenu(cafeId, null) which returns an empty array.
+  const { data: branches = [], isFetched: branchesFetched } = useQuery({
     queryKey: ["branches", cafeId],
     queryFn: () => apiGet<{ id: string; name: string }[]>(`/api/cafes/${cafeId}/branches`),
     enabled: !!cafeId,
   });
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (branches.length === 0) return;
+    if (!branchesFetched || branches.length === 0) return;
     const valid = branchId && branches.some((b) => b.id === branchId);
     if (!valid) setBranchId(branches[0]!.id);
-  }, [branches, branchId, setBranchId]);
-  const orderBranchId = useMemo(() => {
+  }, [branchesFetched, branches, branchId, setBranchId]);
+  const orderBranchId = useMemo<string | null | undefined>(() => {
+    if (!branchesFetched) return undefined; // still loading → pause the menu query
     if (branchId && branches.some((b) => b.id === branchId)) return branchId;
-    return branches[0]?.id ?? null;
-  }, [branchId, branches]);
+    return branches[0]?.id ?? null; // null = no branches → café-wide fallback
+  }, [branchesFetched, branchId, branches]);
 
   const { data: categories } = usePos2Categories(cafeId);
   const { data: menu, isLoading: menuLoading, isError: menuError, refetch: refetchMenu } = usePos2Menu(cafeId, orderBranchId);
@@ -447,8 +452,29 @@ export function Pos2Screen() {
       </header>
 
       <div className="flex min-h-0 flex-1">
+        {/* ── Left: vertical category sidebar (desktop) ── */}
+        <nav className="hidden w-[116px] shrink-0 flex-col gap-0.5 overflow-y-auto border-e border-border bg-card p-2 md:flex">
+          {catChips.map((c) => (
+            <button
+              key={c.id}
+              type="button"
+              onClick={() => setCat(c.id)}
+              className={cn(
+                "w-full cursor-pointer rounded-xl px-2 py-3 text-center text-xs font-semibold leading-tight transition-colors",
+                cat === c.id
+                  ? "bg-primary text-primary-foreground shadow-sm"
+                  : "text-muted-foreground hover:bg-accent hover:text-foreground",
+              )}
+            >
+              {c.name}
+            </button>
+          ))}
+        </nav>
+
+        {/* ── Center: menu items ── */}
         <main className="flex min-h-0 min-w-0 flex-1 flex-col">
-          <div className="flex shrink-0 gap-2 overflow-x-auto border-b border-border px-4 py-2.5">
+          {/* Horizontal chips — mobile only */}
+          <div className="flex shrink-0 gap-2 overflow-x-auto border-b border-border px-4 py-2.5 md:hidden">
             {catChips.map((c) => (
               <button
                 key={c.id}
@@ -463,6 +489,7 @@ export function Pos2Screen() {
               </button>
             ))}
           </div>
+
           {menuLoading ? (
             <div className="flex flex-1 items-center justify-center text-muted-foreground">
               <Loader2 className="size-6 animate-spin" />
@@ -475,7 +502,7 @@ export function Pos2Screen() {
               </button>
             </div>
           ) : (
-            <div className="grid min-h-0 flex-1 auto-rows-min grid-cols-2 gap-3 overflow-y-auto p-4 sm:grid-cols-3 lg:grid-cols-4 xl:grid-cols-5">
+            <div className="grid min-h-0 flex-1 auto-rows-min grid-cols-2 gap-3 overflow-y-auto p-3 sm:grid-cols-3 lg:grid-cols-3 xl:grid-cols-4">
               {visibleItems.map((it) => (
                 <button
                   key={it.id}
@@ -499,7 +526,8 @@ export function Pos2Screen() {
           )}
         </main>
 
-        <aside className="hidden w-[380px] shrink-0 border-s border-border bg-card lg:flex lg:flex-col">
+        {/* ── Right: order ticket (desktop) ── */}
+        <aside className="hidden w-[360px] shrink-0 border-s border-border bg-card lg:flex lg:flex-col">
           <Ticket {...ticketProps} />
         </aside>
       </div>
diff --git a/web/dashboard/src/lib/pos2/use-pos2.ts b/web/dashboard/src/lib/pos2/use-pos2.ts
index d947a24..4ff0c77 100644
--- a/web/dashboard/src/lib/pos2/use-pos2.ts
+++ b/web/dashboard/src/lib/pos2/use-pos2.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,13 @@ export function usePos2Categories(cafeId?: string | null) {
 }
 
 /** Branch-scoped menu (effective prices) when a branch is selected; otherwise the
- *  café-wide menu. Both normalize to MenuItem so the cart store can consume them. */
+ *  café-wide menu. Both normalize to MenuItem so the cart store can consume them.
+ *
+ *  Pass `branchId = undefined` (not null) while still determining which branch to
+ *  use — the query will pause until branchId is resolved. Once resolved:
+ *    • string  → branch-scoped menu via getBranchMenu
+ *    • null    → café-wide fallback via /menu/items
+ */
 export function usePos2Menu(cafeId?: string | null, branchId?: string | null) {
   return useQuery({
     queryKey: ["pos2-menu", cafeId, branchId ?? "cafe"],
@@ -33,7 +39,8 @@ export function usePos2Menu(cafeId?: string | null, branchId?: string | null) {
       }
       return apiGet<MenuItem[]>(`/api/cafes/${cafeId}/menu/items`);
     },
-    enabled: !!cafeId,
+    // branchId === undefined means "still determining" — don't fire yet
+    enabled: !!cafeId && branchId !== undefined,
     staleTime: 30_000,
   });
 }