Having worked in food for the better part of a decade (and always appreciative of it), Chad Bonin is a guy who won't claim to cook well, but knows how to have fun doing it. In 2011, he wrote the "Four Weeks of Breasts", about the many different ways someone with limited training can flavor the lowly chicken breast. He has been published online for over a decade, covering everything from video games and Apple products to comic books and cartoons.
Finding that customers keep coming in the store and ordering the same thing once a week? While their commitment can be admired, they may eventually grow bored and leave to other venues to try something new. You can make sure to court them by instituting a daily specials menu, which will have unexpected bonuses for you and your staff.
Who Should Do This?
Any restauranteur that wants to change up their menu, keep things fresh, and possibly lower costs. Additionally, any restaurant that would like to reduce workload by offering an easy-to-produce dish as a special.
How Do I Start Daily Specials
Simply look at what you’d like to highlight, and advertise that item. Many restaurants do a sidewalk sign with chalk to advertise daily.
Think logistically at what makes sense for what day of the week. It might not make sense to highlight red meat or chicken on Fridays during Lent, but you might want to drive sales by highlighting fish or vegetarian options on those days.
Never…
… shoot down a customer who wants something they had for a daily special in the past and returned to have it again. You may be justified in selling it at a higher cost, or might have to ask for forgiveness if you’re currently out of the materials necessary, but at least hear out the request.
Be careful…
… when it comes to training the staff on the new item. Everyone from waitstaff to the kitchen need to know how to handle the daily special, and at the bare minimum, know what the daily special is and consists of.
Definitely try…
… new items out! You might find that a certain item that you tested on a certain day was a major hit; if it fits in your budget and style, you might want to move that to a regular, everyday item and “promote” it from the daily specials. Word will travel quick on an amazing item, so there shouldn’t be any reason to capitalize on that fact.
It’s a new month, and a warm one at that. Cool off with a nice Chocolate Parfait.
May 2
A fan of mushrooms? Enjoy some Truffles, or stretch the meaning a bit with chocolate truffles.
May 3
Pour some raspberries on top of a pastry base and bake up a Raspberry Tart.
May 4
May the 4th be with you, and use all the powers of the Jedi to combine the three highlights from the day. You can use your Homebre skills to make some alcoholic Orange Juice with Candied Orange Peels somehow. Do or do not, there is no try.
May 5
Have a big lunch with a dessert by tackling a Hoagie followed by a Chocolate Custard.
May 6
It’s International No Diet Day, so take a break and enjoy some Crepes Suzette.
May 7
Roast Leg of Lamb can be simply seasoned with rosemary and garlic seasoning, and a mint sauce on the side contributes to the dish of the day.
May 8
Another day that combines nicely and succinctly into one meal. Enjoy an Empanada, Have A Coke, and top it off with a slice of Coconut Cream Pie.
May 9
Be a little decadent with desert today, and pair a Butterscotch Brownie with a glass of Moscato.
May 10
It may be time to focus on Shrimp and tell you all the ways you can eat it, but why not hear about it from the best man on the subject?
May 11
The name of the day sums it up best: It is National Eat What You Want Day. Eat whatever you want. Just do it.
May 12
Nutty Fudge, in a way, is a lot like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. It’s chocolate and nuts combined into a delicious, sweet and salty treat. Try a few variations on the included nuts to change it up a bit, or even go for a Inception moment and put actual peanut butter cups in your nutty fudge so you can have peanut butter and chocolate while you eat the basis of peanut butter and a variety of chocolate.
May 13
Here’s one of those days where combining the best of both worlds creates an all-new dish. Fruit Cocktail combines various fruits in a cup, while Apple Pie is an American mainstay. Try making an apple-focused fruit cocktail with pie topping, and you’d have an Apple Pie Fruit Cocktail.
May 14
The humble Buttermilk Biscuit arose from a need for cooks to have a cheap side-dish that didn’t require yeast, and was hard enough to scoop up gravy. this proves that, once again, invention rises out of necessity (but buttermilk biscuits, ironically, don’t need to rise).
May 15
If you can’t find something to cook with these, or even don’t know to eat them by the handful, you just don’t understand the glory that is the simple Chocolate Chip. Semi-sweet are, naturally, the best.
May 16
Coquilles St. Jacques is a dish that both Emeril Lagasse and Julia Child crafted their own variations on, made from scallops.
May 17
A Cherry Cobbler, or any cobbler, is a dish that’s simple enough, combining a particular fruit between layers of crust in a pie-like formation. If The Thing ate one, he’d say “It’s Cobblering Time!”
May 18
There’s a whole world of scientific reasonings and tips to make the perfect Cheese Souffle that won’t fall, but the reality boils down to: no sudden movements, loud noises, or vibrations, or else it will fall.
May 19
Devil’s Food Cake isn’t particularly evil, it just pairs off against the lighter Angel’s Food Cake. The dirty secret of the cake industry? Red Velvet Cake is basically Devil’s Food Cake, with a different color and icing.
May 20
Combo time! Have a hearty breakfast of Quiche Lorraine before you go and Pick Strawberries
May 21
Did you follow yesterday’s guidelines? Well, enjoy those strawberries you picked as Strawberries and Cream.
May 22
You’re used to pudding being a sweet, creamy dessert dish, one variation of which is the Vanilla Pudding this day honors. The word pudding is believed to have origin in “boudin”, a French word for “small sausage”, leading to savory puddings such as Yorkshire pudding and more.
May 23
Taffy was a singer of the 1980s hit “I Love My Radio”, and Taffy is also a song from Lisa Loeb. The day probably celebrates Taffy, the sugar/butter/flavoring sweet that’s made by boiling all the ingredients together, and stretching it apart.
May 24
Escargot are snails; deal with it. Consider it a trip into French cuisine.
May 25
Here’s a combo day that might raise some eyebrows. You’re encouraged to Brown-Bag-It this day, and you’re encouraged to drink Wine, so… do the math, and put your wine in a brown bag.
May 26
We’ve got a bit of competition for your post-dinner dining today. Blueberry Cheesecake and Cherry Dessert are fighting for your tastebuds this evening.
May 27
The summer months are here, and school is out for most. A Grape Popsicle would be a great way to cut the heat, wouldn’t it?
May 28
Comboing todays dishes might lead to amazing sandwich. Cook some Brisket, and then toss it on a Hamburger, and you could have a pretty interesting Brisket Burger.
May 29
Not really sure what Coq Au Vin is? Think it through. Coq Au Vin -> Cock With Vine -> Chicken (or more particularly, rooster) With Wine. Now you know a little bit more about international languages and how they relate to your everyday speak.
May 30
A fan of the Mint Julep, celebrated today, might want to take a look at trying the Kremlin Colonel, which uses vodka instead of bourbon.
May 31
The lovely Macaroon may vary from region to region, and it’s origin is debated. The traditional one you may have had in America usually consists of egg whites, sugar, and either coconut, almond, or other nuts, and works well with a chocolate drizzle.
The day is almost over, and you’re having yourself a nice dinner. You could start mixing drinks, but you want to keep it light, as you want to enjoy dessert and friends later in the evening. How does Monin make dinner, dessert, and drinks?
With dinner, you may have enjoyed a variety of tea, possibly Lemon, Mango, Peach, Raspberry, or even Chai. Any of theses mixes can add a bit of flavor and make a fruity tea drink that will fit anywhere across America. Any of these drinks pair well with most dinner dishes, from traditional southern-fried chicken and hearty meatloaf to a classier raspberry-vinagerette salmon or even a quickie leftover pizza.
For simple ice cream and more, you’ve got to add a sauce. White Chocolate, Dark Chocolate (and Sugar Free), and Caramel sauce would all pour nicely over a bowl of ice cream, or directly into a pint of Ben and Jerry’s (or for the real classy, right into your mouth). These sauces can go on cold, but if you want a good pairing, heat them up slightly to have warm caramel or chocolate sauce drizzle over mountains of vanilla ice cream. It’s simple, but effective (and don’t forget the ice cream scoop).
And, if you have an abnormal eating schedule (or if you just like breakfast for dinner, or enjoy a good shake post-workout), don’t forget that Monin products work great for all alternative types of meals, traditionally suited for the morning crew.
Del Taco has faced a tough battle against Taco Bell; while they have less locations and haven’t succeeded against the one-two punch of Doritos Locos Tacos and Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos, they have expanded back into the Atlanta area, and have not given up any sort of fight.
Nation’s Restaurant News reports that they’re trying a host of new items and price-points to find themselves more competitive. Additionally, they’ll continue to highlight their fresh ingredients, especially in the face of the “Cantina Bell” menu at Taco Bell that prides itself on being fresh and healthier.
Their new Buck & Under menu will offer
Mini Cheese Quesadilla
Value Bean-and-Cheese Burrito
Bacon Quesadilla
Crunchy Chipotle Beef Taco
Half-Pound Bean-and-Cheese Burrito
Double Beef Classic Taco
Real Strawberry Lemonade
The “New Tastes” menu ranges from $1.29 to $1.59, and will rotate
Bacon Ranch Grilled Chicken Taco
Chili Cheese Fry Burrito
Fiery Six-Layer Burrito
While these offer great values for the consumer, they really hedge Del Taco’s popularity with those focused on money; by offering a rare, sub-$1 item on their menu, they’ll definitely be a budget-conscious destination for many dinners and diners in this tough economy.
Could your restaurant use a bit of a budget-tightening maneuver to stay relevant? It may be a good idea to look at some of your more profitable dishes and sell “snack size” ones where you reduce ingredient usage for a reduced cost. These smaller portions can also work for a kid’s menu, in many situations, or as a lower-calorie item, depending on the ingredients and construction.
This is not the first time a fast-food chain has partnered with Microsoft, as Burger King released a trio of Xbox 360-exclusive titles, featuring The King, years ago at their locations. Still, it’s possibly the most pervasive pizza promotion since the days of Yo Noid! on the Nintendo Entertainment System.
USA Today reports that, most likely via a special downloadable application, Xbox gamers will be able to order pizzas from the ease of their Xbox 360, customized and with all the accoutrements that one would expect from their online delivery service. Theoretically, gamers will be able to exit their round of HALO 4 or mission in Batman: Arkham City, load up the application, customize and place their order, return to the game, and just pause in a half-hour (give or take) when they have to go to the door and grab the pizza.
This application plugging into a, what is largely considered primarily, video game console, shows two trends for two industries. Video game companies are having to fight the onslaught of technology by integrating various non-game platforms into their machines. The WiiU offers cable-box integration, and all major players also run Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, and more.
At the same time, the food and restaurant industry is having to take any and all advantages that technology offers, such as iPhone and Android apps to order pizzas or place reservations. The industry is no longer acting in a vacuum, and has to grow with the times.
Are you ready for the technological revolution? In the 1990s, the keyword was “synergy”, and the 2000s were driven by “digital”. The 2010s are being defined by “integration”, and businesses will need to take advantage of that.
In America, McDonald’s has had a troublesome history when it came to packaging. The McDLT was an ingenious attempt to “keep the hot side hot and the cool side cool”, but was ecologically troublesome. Their current Happy Meal bags aren’t nearly as cool as the boxes from many childhoods, and there’s the infamous lawsuit that came from a hot coffee spill.
Japan, starting today, is offering a “potato holder” for people ordering a value meal with large fries, RocketNews24 reports. Ideally designed for cup holders in cars (which is an oddity, as Japan is primarily a public transportation nation, at least in major cities), the promotion will last until the end of May.
Fries in their country are mostly the same, but a look at their current promotional items reveals (according to Google Translate)
Classic side menu of the extreme popularity “Mac fries”, “taste to get glue” appeared for a limited time. Salt and Okinawa Prefecture that was used in seasoning, a combination of seaweed rich flavor, you can enjoy a taste deep and simple. ※ After the purchase, you can enjoy an additional fee “Mac fries” and “get to taste glue”. (I do not do the sale only for seasoning)
Not exactly sure who wants to “get to taste glue”, but there’s a fry holder for it.
