You might have the best menu in the entire world (or at the very least, in town). But even your most consistent customers will get tired of eating the same food over and over. At the very least, they’ll wish there was something new to sink their teeth into. It’s always nice to have some variety – and to be surprised every once in a while!
That’s what your specials menu is for.
Your specials menu should delight and surprise your customers, while enticing them to dine with you more often. Let’s take a look at a four easy ways to help perfect your specials menu.
Theme it
First up, let’s talk themes. Your theme is the through-line that connects the different elements of your specials menu. Here’s a few examples of potential themes you could go with!
- Pick a national holiday! (i.e. National Martini Day, National Fried Chicken Day, etc.)
- Make it seasonal. (i.e. Fall Flavors, Sizzlin’ Summer, etc.)
- Create a recurring weekly specials menu. (i.e. Taco Tuesday, Margarita Monday, etc.)
An ideal specials menu has at least some sort of theme. Even if it’s as simple as “The Chef’s Picks for Tonight,” a theme ties your specials menu together. Try your best to really put the special into it. That’s what the whole point is, right?
Keep it concise
A stand-out specials menu is short but sweet. If your specials menu is nearly as long as your regular menu, then your customers are just going to be paralyzed by choice. You don’t want that.
Moreover, keeping your specials menu concise is beneficial on your end as well – meaning less strain on the kitchen and less ingredients to purchase. Focus on making the few dishes you offer as standout as possible. These are specials for a reason.
Sell it
Again, even if your specials are to die for, you’ve gotta put some effort into selling them. If something sounds or looks so-so, then you’ve already lost the sale. Here’s three elements to consider in selling your specials.
- Descriptions – Each dish should have delectable descriptions, perfectly encapsulating why each special is so incredible.
- Pictures – Your specials menu itself should feature high-quality photos of your food at its best.
- Pricing – Have a range of prices. Not all of your specials have to be expensive. Try including a more affordable appetizer. Keep it varied. Offer dessert too!
Promote it – Digitally with CoGoBuzz
At the end of the day, your specials menu is designed to attract customers, both new and old. Therefore, it’s essential that you promote it. Otherwise, how else will people know to come and check it out?
With CoGoBuzz, our state-of-the-art marketing service, we’ll give your specials a digital presence – both in-store and out.
Our service takes advantage of powerful WiFi, SMS, and Email solutions that give your restaurant a wide range of ways to promote. The CoGoBuzz relationship starts when your customers login to your in-restaurant HotSpot. After logging in through email, social media, or phone number, they’ll be taken to a custom landing page tailored to your restaurant. There, they can access your specials menu, sign up for your brand new text-based loyalty program, and more! Once they’ve left, you can promote your specials menu via text or email!
To learn more about the many features of CoGoBuzz, check out the rest of our website!
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What do your specials menus look like? Sound off in the comments!