Image Credit: Stephanie Ervin

The next time you go to a restaurant and look at the menu, your server might approach your table and explain the specials—one or two items not on the menu.

But lately, the idea of specials—not to mention the number—has gotten out of hand.

I was at one restaurant recently where the waiter spent 12 minutes explaining 19 (I counted) specials.

Here’s my rule: When the number of specials at the restaurant eclipses the number of items on the actual menu, something is wrong.

First, you can’t remember all of them, and perhaps most importantly, if there are that many specials, then what’s so special about them?

The best approach—a robust menu with many choices, and one, or possibly two, really special dishes that the chef went out of his or her way to create.

For more information about food and travel, check out:

• The Science Behind Airplane Food
• How You Can Find Healthy Food in Airports
• Foodie Events Where You Can Meet the Farmers

Keep reading for more travel tips.