Big C’s Community Picks & One-Week Wonders

A new way we’re trying food, together

As we step into 2026 and our sixth year in business, we wanted to find a better way to try new things without waste, pressure, or guessing. That’s how Big C’s Community Picks and Big C’s One-Week Wonders came to life.

This is our test kitchen, and you’re part of it.

What is Big C’s Community Picks?

Community Picks is how new ideas get chosen.

Each week, we share a few food ideas we’ve been wanting to try. These might come from something we’ve seen, something we’ve been thinking about, or something one of you sent our way.

You vote by simply liking the post. Likes equal votes. The idea with the most likes wins.

Once a winner is chosen, it becomes a Big C’s One-Week Wonder.

What are One-Week Wonders?

One-Week Wonders are limited-run specials made in small batches.

Here’s what that means:

• We typically make 30–40 servings 

• They are served on a specific day, starting at 11 AM

• They are available until sold out

• If they don’t sell out, they are carefully packaged as meal prep so nothing goes to waste

These are not permanent menu items. They are meant to be tried, tested, and learned from.

What a typical Test Kitchen week looks like

We’ve built this schedule to be realistic for our kitchen and clear for our customers.

Friday–Sunday: Community Picks voting posts go live on social media. This is when you vote.

Monday: Behind-the-scenes testing and prep day. Even though we’re closed to the public, it’s still a full workday. We test recipes, portion sizes, pricing, and execution.

Tuesday: The winning Community Pick is announced. Ingredients are finalized and sourced.

Wednesday: 🕚 Served starting at 11 AM This is when the One-Week Wonder is available, while supplies last.

Why we need lead time

We ask for a 3–5 day lead time between voting and serving.

That time allows us to:

• Source quality ingredients, including specialty items from our suppliers

• Prepare everything responsibly in our licensed commercial kitchen

• Make sure pricing and portions make sense

• Keep our regular menu running smoothly

Doing it this way keeps things intentional and sustainable.

January focus: fresh, high-protein, lower-carb

For January, our Test Kitchen focus is fresh, high-protein, lower-carb options. These are the kinds of meals many of us are trying to understand and realistically incorporate into everyday life, ourselves included.

These dishes are inspired by ideas and creators already out there, and we want to be clear that we respect the original creators. We’re not claiming originality. We’re taking inspiration and preparing these ideas responsibly, with quality-sourced ingredients, in a commercial kitchen setting.

Have an idea? Send it to us.

We always want your input.

If there’s a reel, TikTok, or even just a food idea you’d like us to try:

• Send it in a DM

• Tag us

• Or leave a comment with the idea

We’ll add it to the rotation and include it in an upcoming Community Picks vote.

Why we’re doing this

This approach lets us:

• Try new things without waste

• Learn what actually works in real life

• Keep food quality high

• And involve the community in shaping what we serve

You vote. We cook. We learn together.

Thanks for being part of Big C’s Test Kitchen and helping us grow the right way. Want to be part of what we try next?

Follow along with us on Facebook each week to see what’s coming up.

That’s where we’ll:

• Share the upcoming Wednesday One-Week Wonder

• Open voting for Community Picks

• And gather ideas for future specials

If you’ve seen a reel, TikTok, or food idea you’d love for us to try, send it our way or drop it in the comments. We’ll add it to the rotation and include it in an upcoming vote.

You help shape what we make. We’ll handle the rest.

We’re glad you’re here.