Guests are always on the lookout for “the latest” at restaurants, and chefs are always inventing ways to keep the menu exciting. But it is not always feasible to overhaul the entire menu daily or weekly. Fortunately, the daily special can always create a little buzz in your house.

Specials are important to keep menus interesting. Ensuring return visits from customers requires a solid mix of standard and signature dishes along with fresh and intriguing options. Equally important, specials give the kitchen manager or chef a chance to stretch the imagination. They also keep the cooks motivated and interested in their jobs.

Most menus do not change more than four times a year to reflect the seasons. Some menus change even less frequently. Without specials to excite the cooks, they often long for new items to prepare, so keeping them energized is vital. Complacent cooks who are not charged by their position may look for a new place to hang their toque.

Daily specials are an ideal way for the kitchen management to teach young cooks new techniques, how to handle new foodstuffs and organize new items in their station with little notice. The daily special presents an opportune time to entice cooks to brainstorm ideas, a process that also invites camaraderie and a sense of ownership. For the chef’s part, the process often unveils initiative and creativity.

Source: RestaurantOwner.com