Upgrade Blue Plate Specials With Modern Techniques

Classic, stick-to-your-ribcage blue plate specials—no matter the state, city or zip code—have always delivered on two enduring promises: outstanding value and deep, full-bodied flavors.

Over the years, they’ve become one of the few perennials of the American dining scene—budget-friendly, soul-satisfying fare. They first arrived on the American dining scene in the 1920s, when the prospect of “dinner for a dime” was a necessity, impressing both small-town and big-city diners enough to become staples...