There are several menu types that can be selected for use in a restaurant, with these Du Jour menu examples you will better understand this menu type. This added menu is prepared for a specific day and typically the item is not specified on the regular menu.
Soup Du Jour is commonly seen from this type of menu, it means soup of the day. Du Jour menus are very flexible they can change daily and if needed throughout a meal service.
Often Du Jour menu options are displayed on a chalkboard or on a digital screen. The number of items offered can be anywhere from one specialized item to a list of entrees that are available for order.
Chefs will sometimes use the Du Jour menu interchangeably with a special’s menu. A chef I worked under explained to me how he viewed the Du Jour menu as a menu that uses fresh and seasonal ingredients whereas a specials menu is comprised of either leftover ingredients or dishes that need to be sold before they go bad and turn into food waste.
When looking at the Du Jour menu examples you will see menu items such as the catch of the day or seasonal vegetables or meat.
Patrons like to order off a Du Jour menu because they expect it to be fresh. The most popular item you will see on this menu type is a soup Du Jour. Soups are great for lunch and dinner service as they are a make ahead item saving you time on the line.
Customers also expect items on a Du Jour menu to be served quickly, so you will want to avoid overly complex dishes. In these Du Jour menu examples, I have put a few comparisons so you can see the difference in the menu types.
by utilizing a Du Jour menu, you will increase menu options without making it more difficult for your patron’s decision-making process. Having too many options makes it harder to come to a satisfying conclusion of choice.
It also makes a servicers job harder as there are too many things to memorize and push for good sales. When making a Du Jour menu keep these things in mind,
- Ease of service
- Price
- Cook time
- Season
A Du Jour menu should make food service easier not harder.
I hope these Du Jour menu examples help to highlight the usefulness of the menu. It’s a great addition to your normal menu as there are many benefits to using the Du Jour menu such as
- Flexibility during meal service
- Showcases chef skills
- Ease of choice
- Increased sales
- Improved customer satisfaction
- Easy to control
I have also included a Static menu example to compare with the Du Jour menu examples as these are the most popular menus used by restaurants. If you are a home cook and not an aspiring restaurateur, you can instead use these principles for things such as seasonal side dishes or even try your hand at making appetizers.
Soups are notoriously hard to get perfect, I have heard the saying ‘A mark of a good chef is their ability to perfect a soup.’ Although that saying should probably be taken with a grain of salt.
