How to switch when lunch set-menu service ends: distinguish browsing, pending orders and accepted orders

When lunch set-menu service is about to end, first check with the kitchen which choices are still available, then check whether the guest is browsing, has submitted an order that is awaiting confirmation, or has an accepted order. Opening the menu does not reserve food, and updating the menu entry does not invalidate an accepted order. At the changeover, keep these two points distinct before explaining that day’s set-menu options and serving arrangements.

At the changeover, respond according to each of the three order statuses

• Still browsing or choosing: First check what is currently available, then explain whether the guest’s request can be accommodated. Do not promise to hold items based on how early they opened the page.
• Submitted but awaiting confirmation: Check the actual order record and verify it with the staff member responsible for taking orders. Do not ask the guest to place another order instead of checking.
• Order accepted: Follow up according to the original confirmed order. If a change is needed, first check availability and the rules for the existing order. Do not ask the guest to order again or accept a new price just because the menu entry has been updated.

The MenuSnap subscription plans page lists menu availability scheduling and daily menu features. Check your subscription to confirm which features are available; they do not replace confirmation from the kitchen of what is actually available that day.

Before the changeover, the restaurant should assign someone to confirm which choices are still available. Then share any changes with the staff responsible for maintaining the menu and serving guests, so the online menu, printed menus and staff explanations are consistent.

A daily set-menu breakdown card should say more than just the menu name

Front-of-house staff should use the menu confirmed for that day to explain the menú del día, specifying the rules for choosing a starter, main course, drink and after-meal item. The key is not how many categories there are, but whether guests can tell how many items they may choose at each stage, what the price includes and which substitutions need to be checked separately.

• What is available that day: List set-menu choices separately from regular à la carte items that are still available. Do not combine them under the same rules.
• Starter and main course: Record how many items guests may choose at each stage and which dishes are actually available. The kitchen must not assume a choice for an item the guest has not selected.
• Drinks and bread: State exactly what is included and what costs extra. Photos should not imply that every item shown is included.
• Dessert or coffee: Explain how the choices work, and record whether a choice has been made or is being left until after the meal.
• Substitutions and service periods: List available substitutions, any actual surcharges and the confirmed availability. If an item has sold out, explain the alternative first and get the guest’s agreement.

After accepting an order, do not send undecided courses to be prepared ahead of time

After accepting an order, send each course to the relevant kitchen station according to what the table has confirmed. If the guest has not yet decided on dessert or coffee, leave it to be asked about later; do not prepare it as though it had been selected. If availability needs to be checked, assign someone to confirm it with the kitchen and reply to the guest.

If a guest decides at the last minute to skip the starter, first check with the kitchen whether it has already been prepared, then explain what can be changed and whether the price will change. Front-of-house staff should clarify whether the guest only wants to skip that course or also change the timing of subsequent courses. After getting the guest’s agreement, pass the final decision back to the kitchen. Handle the relationship between the set-menu price and its courses according to the rules the restaurant has explained, and have the cashier check the final bill accordingly.

Keep confirmed courses, undecided after-meal items and last-minute substitutions linked to the original order. Do not treat the whole table as placing a new order just because one item is undecided. At handover, assign any choices that still need to be checked to a specific colleague.

Ask about departure times separately; they do not change what is available

When seating guests, the host can ask whether they have a specific time they need to leave, then check the current status of food preparation with the kitchen staff on duty to help guests decide whether to continue dining. A guest’s deadline must not automatically be treated as a commitment from the kitchen. Servers can explain which dishes require extra waiting time, but must not guarantee a completion time without a reliable basis.

If it is clear that a choice cannot be ready in time for the guest’s plans, explain this before the order is submitted and let the guest decide whether to choose something else, have fewer courses or make another arrangement. The preparation requirements for cold starters, hot main courses and after-meal drinks may differ, so explain each in light of the actual situation that day.