How to tell callers about daily specials

Start with the special name, the price, and one detail that matters. Do not read the whole menu. For most restaurants, one sentence is enough.

Use a line like this:

> “Today’s special is a chicken parm sandwich with fries for $14.95. Would you like to add that to your order?”

A short script works because callers usually want three things:

• What is special today?
• How much is it?
• Is it still available?

If you run different specials by time of day, say that plainly. Example:

If you use ROAL, keep the special in the live menu so the phone host can answer it the same way every time. That helps when the dining room is busy and staff cannot stop to repeat the special over and over.

The biggest problem with specials is stale information. A caller hears yesterday’s special, then gets annoyed when they arrive and it is gone. The fix is a simple update routine.

Use this checklist each day:

1. Write the special in one place before opening.
2. Update your menu board, website, and phone script at the same time.
3. Mark any sold-out special as unavailable right away.
4. Tell staff the exact wording to use on the phone.
5. Test-call the restaurant and listen for the right answer.

A daily specials restaurant often needs a fast way to keep the menu current. ROAL reads public menu pages and can also use an uploaded menu, so the owner can change what callers hear without a long setup process. If the special is only for today, keep the wording short and clear, such as “Friday special” or “today only,” instead of a long description that is hard to hear.

A simple daily update routine

• Morning: confirm the special and price
• Before lunch: check that staff know it
• Midday: remove anything sold out
• Evening: switch to dinner special or regular menu

That routine prevents confusion and keeps the phone moving.

Callers order faster when they hear the details that affect their choice. For a special, that usually means size, what comes with it, and whether they can change it.

Here is a practical phone template:

> “Our special is a cheesesteak combo for $13.50. It comes with fries and a fountain drink. You can add onions or peppers. Would you like one?”

If the special has options, make them obvious. Say the size or portion first, then the add-ons. If your special includes a side, say it once. Do not bury it at the end.

A quick caller checklist:

• Name of the special
• Price
• What is included
• Any limit or cutoff time
• Substitutions allowed or not allowed

If your restaurant sells pickup and delivery, the special should sound the same on both calls. That matters because the caller may compare the special to a standard menu item. If the special is a better value, say so plainly. Example: “It includes fries, so it is a better deal than ordering the sandwich alone.”

ROAL can take the order from the live menu, collect the caller’s name and phone, and confirm the ready time back to them. It will not take card numbers over the phone, so the payment step stays the way your restaurant already handles it.

The trick is to answer the special question and move the call forward. Do not turn the special into a full menu tour unless the caller asks for one.

Use a two-step flow:

1. State the special.
2. Ask whether they want to order it.

Example:

> “Today’s special is eggplant parm with pasta for $15.95. Would you like to add that to a pickup order?”

If the caller needs more detail, give only the next useful piece. For example:

• “Yes, it includes salad.”
• “No, that special does not include soup.”
• “We can make it without cheese.”

This keeps the call short for lunch rushes and helps the kitchen get cleaner tickets. It also reduces back-and-forth when the special is popular.

Keep the script tight

• Say the special once
• Say the price once
• Mention one key detail
• Ask for the order

If you have a lot of daily specials, group them by type. For example, say “Today we have a soup special and a sandwich special” instead of reading every item in full. That helps the caller decide faster and keeps staff from repeating the same long list all day. For broader menu wording, see making your menu easy to order by phone.

Sold-out specials need a fast update, or callers will keep asking for something you cannot make. The clean fix is to change the phone wording as soon as the item is gone.

A simple staff process looks like this:

1. Kitchen says the special is sold out.
2. Manager updates the phone script or menu note.
3. Front-of-house staff uses the new line.
4. Test the phone once so the update sounds right.

Use a direct script like this:

> “That special is sold out for today, but we do have meatball parm and chicken cutlet.”

If you want a smoother handoff, keep one backup special ready. That way callers still hear an option that sounds close in value and style.

For a daily specials restaurant, this also helps with complaints. If a caller heard about the special earlier in the day, the staff can explain that it sold out and offer the closest replacement. When the special changes, do not leave old wording in a recorded greeting, website page, or menu photo. Keep the same wording everywhere.

ROAL can route questions it cannot answer to staff with a summary, which is useful for edge cases like allergy-sensitive questions, catering requests, or a manager request tied to the special. That keeps the phone moving while the team handles the harder calls.

A special should help you move food, not create confusion about value. Before you announce it, know the numbers you want to hit.

Use this simple example and plug in your own numbers:

• Special price: $14.95
• Food cost on that item: $5.25
• Add-on fries or drink: $2.00 extra
• Average ticket with special plus add-on: $16.95

That tells you whether the special is a draw item or a margin item. If the special is meant to bring people in, keep the price easy to say. If it is meant to lift ticket size, pair it with a side or drink that callers can add quickly.

You can also use specials to guide ordering on the phone. Example script:

> “If you want the special, adding a drink for $2 more makes it a full meal.”

That kind of upsell is practical because the caller is already deciding. It works best when the offer is short and clear. Keep it tied to the special, not a long list of add-ons.

If you want to compare phone order costs with other channels, ROAL charges $0.90 per completed phone order, with no monthly fee, no setup fee, and no per-minute fee. That is different from many monthly AI phone tools and from delivery apps that commonly take a commission on each order. For a rough comparison, see pay per order vs monthly AI phone plans.

If you are short-staffed, make the special easy for the phone host or staff member to repeat without guessing. The best setup is one clear daily note, one backup item, and one fallback for questions.

Here is a practical setup list:

• Put today’s special in the live menu or a daily note
• Add the price and one important detail
• Mark it sold out as soon as it is gone
• Keep a second option ready for callers
• Tell staff what to say if a caller asks for details

A good phone greeting can be short:

> “Thanks for calling. Today’s special is available while it lasts. I can help you place an order.”

If you use ROAL, the owner can paste the restaurant website, Google Maps link, or “Name, City” at /try, then test-call the host in the browser without a sign-up. That makes it easier to check whether the special sounds right before forwarding the restaurant’s existing number. If you want to try that with your own menu, build a free test host from your website.

For multi-location groups, keep each location’s specials separate so callers do not hear the wrong item. If you run more than one spot, see multiple locations for a cleaner setup.