Is the daily special finally making a comeback?
By now, we’ve all experienced that dining out has only become more expensive. At an average restaurant, you’ll quickly spend 60 euros per person on a starter, main course and dessert with two drinks. Not something many people can simply afford on a regular basis—and they probably don’t want to spend that much on it either. Is the return of the daily special the solution?
The New York Times recently wrote about this; they studied 121 menus to find out what the trends are and what we can expect from the food-service industry this year.
Every action gets a reaction
The good news: they described menus as a kind of time capsule, characteristic of a certain period. During and (shortly) after the pandemic, we saw many sleek menus—if there was a physical menu at all. In many places, they had been replaced by QR codes that you could scan to view the menu online. The design of the menu was modern, practical and straightforward. Just as uninviting as the time we were living in, you might say.
That is already changing a little. The decor, but also the design of menus, is becoming more playful again. QR codes are (thankfully!) no longer dominant. Personally, I find this much more enjoyable, of course also because, like many others, I don’t want to be reminded of those terrible lockdowns, social distancing and all the other misery caused by COVID-19. This playfulness is also a reaction, a counterpoint to the sleek design of the past.
Shared dining now, but what comes next?
The menus studied by the New York Times were all dominated by shared dining. Notably, almost all the menus follow the same structure. From smaller dishes to larger ones—but all meant to be shared. The starter, main course and dessert structure is gradually disappearing. But according to the New York Times, a countertrend is on its way.
And I hope it is too, in the form of a comeback for the daily special. An affordable, filling meal instead of ‘are you familiar with our concept?’ restaurants where you pay at least 15 euros for each small dish—which you still have to share, too.
We want the daily special back!
I really hope this becomes the counterpoint to shared-dining menus in increasingly expensive restaurants. Lisa Appels, from Food Inspiration, agrees with me: the daily special must return! Whether it’s a winter stew, a hearty soup or a meal salad—as long as it’s filling, well-seasoned and affordable. And if you’re afraid that this is no longer possible in Amsterdam, I have good news: I’ve made a list of the most affordable restaurants in our capital city.
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