Introduction

Phone orders remain one of the most valuable and high-intent sales channels for restaurants. When customers call, they’re usually ready to place an order, which makes it the perfect opportunity to promote daily specials.

However, many restaurants either forget to mention specials or present them in a way that feels long and scripted.

The key is simple: Keep it short, relevant, and natural. When done correctly, promoting daily specials on phone calls can increase revenue without increasing call time.

Why Promoting Daily Specials on Phone Calls Matters

Promoting daily specials during phone calls is one of the simplest ways to boost revenue without increasing marketing spend. Every inbound call is already a high-intent customer; they’re ready to order. That makes it the perfect moment to suggest something additional.

Here’s why it matters:

• Increases average order value by adding one more item to the ticket
  
• Moves high-margin dishes that improve profitability
  
• Reduces food waste by promoting items that need to sell quickly
  
• Creates urgency around limited-time or seasonal offers
  

Improves guest experience by informing customers about options they may not know exist.

When done correctly, mentioning a daily special feels helpful, not pushy. It positions the restaurant as attentive and proactive rather than sales-driven.

Best Ways to Promote Daily Specials on Restaurant Phone Calls

Successfully promoting specials on calls comes down to structure, tone, and consistency. It should never feel like a sales pitch. Instead, it should feel like helpful guidance.

1. Keep It Short and Direct

Long descriptions increase call time and frustrate customers. A single, well-crafted sentence works best.

Example:

“Just to let you know, today’s special is our chef’s honey-glazed salmon.” That’s it. No long backstory. No ingredient breakdown unless the customer asks.

A short mention keeps the call flowing while still creating awareness.

2. Mention It Early. But Naturally

The ideal moment to mention a special is:

• Right after greeting the customer
• Immediately before taking the order
• Or just before final confirmation

For example:

“Thanks for calling! Just a quick note, today’s special is our BBQ chicken flatbread.” This keeps the interaction smooth and prevents interruption later.

3. Tie the Special to What They’re Ordering

Relevance significantly improves acceptance rates. If a customer orders pasta, suggest a featured appetizer. If they order a burger, suggest a limited-time side.

For example:

“That pairs really well with our truffle fries special today, if you’d like to try it.” This feels like guidance, not upselling.

4. Use the “Soft Suggestion” Approach

Avoid asking aggressive yes-or-no questions like:

• “Do you want today’s special?”

Instead, soften it:

• “Would you like to hear about today’s special?”
• “We have a quick special today if you’re interested.”
• “Many customers are enjoying our seafood special today.”

This approach reduces pressure and increases engagement.

5. Focus on High-Margin or Priority Items

Not all specials deserve equal attention.

Promote:

• Items with higher profit margins
• Dishes that use surplus ingredients
• Limited-time items that create urgency
• New menu additions you want feedback on

Strategic promotion improves profitability without overwhelming the customer.

6. Avoid Listing Multiple Specials

One of the biggest mistakes restaurants make is listing three or four specials in one go.

This:

• Slows down the call
• Confuses the customer
• Reduces decision-making speed

Choose one primary item per call. If the customer shows interest, then elaborate.

7. Train Staff to Sound Conversational

Tone matters more than wording. Even a simple line can sound robotic if delivered poorly.

Encourage staff to:

• Smile while speaking (it reflects in tone)
• Keep energy natural and friendly
• Avoid reading directly from a script
• Maintain steady pacing
• Customers can instantly sense when something sounds forced.

8. Standardize the Message Across Shifts

In many restaurants, one staff member consistently promotes specials while another forgets. This inconsistency leads to lost revenue opportunities.

Create a short, approved sentence that everyone uses. Keep it under 10 seconds and ensure it fits naturally into the call flow. Consistency turns daily specials into predictable revenue drivers.

9. Track What Works

Not every special will convert equally.

Monitor:

• Acceptance rates
• Impact on average ticket size
• Call duration changes
• Customer feedback

This helps refine messaging and identify which specials perform best over the phone.

How Voice AI Makes Daily Special Promotion Effortless

One of the biggest challenges restaurants face is consistency. Even with training, staff may forget to mention specials during busy hours. During peak times, the focus shifts to speed and accuracy, and promotions often get skipped.

Voice AI eliminates this inconsistency.

Smart restaurant Voice AI systems can:

• Automatically mention daily specials during every phone order
• Keep the message within a set time limit
• Adjust promotions based on availability or time of day
• Rotate specials automatically
• Maintain a natural, conversational tone
• Prevent missed calls that lead to lost sales

Because the process is automated, restaurants no longer rely solely on staff memory or training. Every caller hears the special. Every time.

Even better, Voice AI can adapt dynamically.

For example:

• Promote lunch specials during lunch hours
• Highlight dinner bundles in the evening
• Stop promoting an item once it’s sold out

This level of precision increases upsell opportunities while protecting operational flow.

Instead of adding pressure to employees, Voice AI reduces workload. Staff can focus on food preparation and in-store guests while phone promotions run seamlessly in the background. The result is a more efficient system that increases revenue without increasing labor costs or call time.

Conclusion

Daily specials are designed to drive revenue, move inventory, and create excitement. But they only work when customers know about them. Promoting daily specials on restaurant phone calls doesn’t require a long script or aggressive selling. A short, well-timed, relevant mention can significantly increase average order value while maintaining a smooth guest experience. By keeping the message concise, choosing the right timing, focusing on one priority item, and ensuring consistency, restaurants can turn every incoming call into a strategic sales opportunity.

And with smart automation tools like Voice AI, promoting specials becomes effortless, standardized, and scalable. Every phone call is already a customer ready to buy.

The question is simple: are you making the most of it?