The Crucial Question Every Diner Should Ask About Soup Of The Day

One way to avoid blaming yourself for a less-than-enjoyable meal on your first visit to a restaurant is to put your fate (or at least the fate of the meal) in the hands of your server. They'll likely know more than you about what's good to eat and what's not at the establishment. More importantly, they can help steer you away from a disappointing dish. If the server follows up with a question about your preferences, believe that they're putting some real thought into their suggestion, and also have a good idea about what their kitchen puts out.

The soup of the day, or "soup du jour" if you're eating at a French restaurant, sometimes gets a bad rap, but it doesn't always have to be for the adventurous eater. In fact, there are several practical reasons for the soup of the day to be on the menu, and not all of them are to repurpose old ingredients. As with getting general food recommendations, ask your server about it. However, in this case, you're not just asking for a suggestion. "I would just ask the server's honest opinion," says chef Randy Feltis of @‌KatherineWants on TikTok and author of "Katherine Wants: The Ultimate Date Night Cookbook." Brimming not just with recipes but tips on cooking and feeding loved ones (especially the romantic kind), chef Randy gave Chowhound some exclusive tips on how to navigate eating at an unfamiliar restaurant. This is especially important if you're out on date night, when there's slightly more pressure on things going well. A disappointing meal can be quite the mood dampener. 

Servers will generally try to guide you to a dish they think you'll enjoy. Conversely, some restaurant staff may not be comfortable revealing details about a certain dish being subpar — perhaps it's premade or frozen, for instance. In these cases, it's unlikely the server would tell you. This is where you should look for other signs.

"The server's face will melt if it is store-bought. You cannot hide it," chef Randy Feltis reassures. If the server hesitates or tries to guide you to another dish when asked about the soup of the day, consider it a red flag. Another query to help you decide, suggests the chef, is how long that particular soup of the day has actually been on the menu. The soup of the day, as a carrier for leftover odds and ends, can often be the soup of the week or even the month — something first-time visitors will be unaware of.

On the other hand, don't write the dish off entirely, as the soup of the day could be a hidden gem. "At the end of the day, the soup is made by a lower staff member, but it is something that they take pride in and want to shine," chef Randy reveals. While it can be chancy, the soup of the day can be a major payout, and will offer better value than some overpriced restaurant dishes that are rarely worth it. Ultimately, it's best to go by your server's suggestions, and if the soup comes highly recommended, take their word for it.