How to manage a menú del día that changes daily: inclusions, sold-out dishes and last orders

When the menú del día changes daily, first set out how your restaurant’s menu works, then confirm each day which dishes are available, when you’re accepting orders and what has sold out. Have the kitchen, the person maintaining the menu and front-of-house staff use the same daily record, so the chalkboard, phone and spoken descriptions don’t contradict one another.

Set out what’s included before listing the day’s dishes

Listing a starter, main course, dessert, coffee, drink and bread together doesn’t mean they’re all included. State what your restaurant actually offers: how many courses there are, what the choices are, which items are a choice between two options and which cost extra. If portions differ between the set menu and à la carte, make that clear too. Don’t make assumptions on behalf of guests based on what nearby restaurants typically do.

Use these fields for the daily lunch service checklist

• Service date and restaurant time zone: ____; person confirming today’s details: ____; person updating the menu: ____.
• Set-menu structure and total price: ____; how drinks, dessert and coffee are included or offered as alternatives: ____; extra charges and supplements: ____.
• Today’s starters, main courses and other options: ____; portions and combinations: ____.
• Opening time: ____; set-menu service hours: ____; last order time: ____.
• Limited-availability or not-yet-prepared items: ____; person notifying staff when an item sells out: ____; available substitutions and their prices: ____.
• Updates to the entrance sign, printed menus and phone menu: ____; differences the next shift needs to know about: ____.

Keep previously confirmed rules in place, and clearly mark any changes to the day’s dishes, prices or combinations. If you’re open past midnight, specify which service date applies. Menu service-hour settings in MenuSnap are available depending on the subscription and configuration. They control when the menu is displayed; they don’t replace the kitchen’s confirmation of what it can actually prepare that day, and they don’t mean the system will automatically handle every sold-out item or substitution.

As closing time approaches, respond according to the situation

• The restaurant is open, but staff have stopped accepting orders for the set menu: explain what’s still available before guests are seated or choose their food, rather than telling them their choices are unavailable after they’ve decided.
• It’s close to the last order time: check with the kitchen that the requested combination can still be served, then let the guest know. Don’t treat an option still appearing on the page as a guarantee.
• A dish has sold out: first check how many confirmed orders the kitchen can still fulfil, then stop recommending the unavailable option. Let the guest explicitly choose any substitution.
• A guest orders more during their meal: clarify whether they’re adding a course, ordering another set menu or ordering à la carte, and explain the applicable price. Don’t assume every additional order is covered by the original set menu.

Review the price and dietary information whenever a dish is substituted

Have the kitchen identify the affected item and available substitutions. The person in charge should clarify whether there’s a supplement, then make sure front-of-house staff, the entrance sign and the phone menu are updated. Explain changes to ingredients, portions or prices before the guest chooses; don’t serve a different dish without their agreement. Recheck allergens and other dietary requirements with the responsible staff member. Don’t rely on the safety assessment for the dish that was replaced.

Changing today’s dishes doesn’t mean copying yesterday’s translation

You can reuse an approved translation for a familiar dish name, but still check whether today’s recipe and combination are the same. For a new dish, write down the facts first, then have someone who understands the target language and the food preparation review them. AI can help with drafting, but it can’t fill in ingredients for the restaurant or guarantee that everything has been verified. If there isn’t time to check a detail, don’t make a promise about it; staff should explain what they know based on confirmed information.

Brief the team before the shift; hand over only the day’s changes

Before lunch service, have a colleague explain the drinks, substitutions, supplements and last order time using the menu. Add any unclear details where guests make their choices, rather than creating another script everyone has to memorise. Serve guests who don’t use a phone based on the same confirmed information, and repeat their choices back before entering the order.

At handover, pass on sold-out items, last-minute substitutions and the original orders of guests who still need follow-up. At closing, record any confusion about what’s included, how options work, sold-out notices or times. Next time, start by fixing the point that required repeated explanations. Don’t assume that a dish’s photo, translation or a particular process change caused it to sell less simply because sales were down.