Daily offer and daily special: How to promote them without printing anew every day

Why the daily offer matters

A good daily special in the gastronomic industry fulfills several tasks at once. It utilizes what comes fresh from the market or needs to be cleared out. It gives regular customers a reason to come several times a week. And it shows that cooking is done in the kitchen and not just reheated.

For this to work, guests must also see the offer. A note that is tucked into the menu and falls out for the second guest only partially fulfills this purpose.

Chalkboard, note or digital

• The chalkboard at the entrance or on the wall is visible and friendly. Disadvantage: It only reaches guests who are already there or passing by.
• The insert in the menu is quickly printed, but is often overlooked and must be replaced every day.
• The digital menu reaches guests at the table and, via a link, also those who check in advance what is available today.

Many businesses combine: a chalkboard for walk-in customers, a digital menu for everyone else. In the menu template from Same-QR, the daily special is at the very top, above all categories. It can be changed independently of the rest of the menu, and the QR code at the table remains the same.

Formulate the daily offer well

A daily offer must be understood in a few seconds. Less is more here:

• A clear name that says what it is: Veal goulash with butter dumplings instead of Chef’s Special.
• A line for supplement or special feature, if necessary.
• The price clearly visible – and the allergens as with any other dish.
• In the case of limited quantities, an honest notice, such as "while supplies last.

Process in everyday life: who changes what when

The daily special rarely fails due to the idea, but rather due to the process. Define who enters it and by when. It has proven effective for the kitchen to provide the text the day before or early in the morning, and for a person in service to transfer it – to both the chalkboard and the digital menu.

If the dish is out, it is immediately removed or marked as sold out. Nothing is more annoying than ordering an offer that has not existed for an hour.

Regulars inform

Whoever comes regularly at noon wants to know in advance what is available. Therefore, share the link to your menu where your guests already are: in the Google Business Profile, in the Instagram bio, in a WhatsApp group for regular customers, or as a notice board in the office opposite. Because the link always leads to the current menu, you only need to distribute it once.

If your offer changes on a fixed schedule, such as a weekly menu from Monday to Friday, you can also plan the week in advance and show guests the entire plan on Monday.

Common mistakes in daily deals

• The offer from yesterday is still on the board or online.
• No price specified - guests ask or order something else.
• Allergens are missing because the dish is only on the menu today.
• The offer is already out at twelve, but it remains outside until evening.
• Too many daily offers at once, so that none stands out anymore.

A quick look at the board and digital menu at the start of the shift and after the midday service prevents most of these breakdowns.

Frequently asked questions