The difficult part of a daily-specials menu is often the second day. Yesterday’s dessert remains online, a set-menu price is missing, or a photograph of an old offer is still visible elsewhere. A short routine with a named owner helps keep the information consistent before guests arrive.
Write an offer that makes sense on its own
State the day or period, service hours, included courses and corresponding price. Explain whether drinks cost extra. If there are several combinations, list them separately so guests do not have to infer which price applies.
This fictional example shows a structure you can adapt:
- Weekday lunch — Monday to Friday, noon to 2 pm.
- Starter and main: £19.
- Main and dessert: £19.
- Three courses: £24.
- Starter: vegetable soup or seasonal salad.
- Main: roast chicken or a vegetarian plate.
- Dessert: tart of the day or yoghurt with fruit.
- Drinks charged separately.
These illustrative prices are not a pricing recommendation. Replace them with your own offer, portions, currency and service conditions.
Keep the regular menu easy to find
Use a clearly named specials category instead of mixing temporary dishes into every section. A dinner guest should be able to tell that a lunch offer has finished. Remove unavailable items or update their presentation using the controls your menu tool provides.
You do not need to create a new public address every morning. Update the existing menu and check that the printed QR code still opens it. Keeping the destination consistent makes it easier to maintain the table cards and links you already distribute.
Give someone responsibility for the update
The kitchen confirms availability, a designated person enters the changes, and a colleague checks the menu guests can see. In a small team, one person may handle the first two steps. The final check should still happen on the public page rather than only inside the editor.
Schedule that check as part of opening preparation. A spoken instruction during a busy service should not be the only record of a changed price or sold-out dish. Keep a small list of everywhere you reproduce the specials: menu page, Google listing, printed sheet and entrance board.
Your pre-service checklist
- Confirm today’s dishes and choices with the kitchen.
- Read each combination price, including supplements.
- Check descriptions and allergen information against the recipes being served.
- Save or publish the changes.
- Scan the QR code on a phone outside the editing session.
- Update the board, printed menu and any other copied version.
Handle a sold-out dish during service
Tell the front-of-house team and update the online menu. Open the customer link to confirm the change. If you accept orders through the menu, check that flow too: changing descriptive text does not necessarily prevent an item from being selected. The right action depends on the tool’s availability controls and any orders already received.
Reuse the structure tomorrow
Keep a basic template with your regular service hours and course combinations. Replace the variable dishes, then repeat the same checks. This reduces the amount of rewriting without relying on an old offer remaining accurate.
To put the routine into practice, create your digital menu. If your specials also appear through your business listing, read how to add and check your menu on Google Maps.