Learn English – the best English translation for “Mittagsmenü” (German)

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I've been looking around but it seems there is no single word or phrase which translates "Mittagsmenü" – at least not literally.

"Mittagsmenü" – as I understand it – is some kind of "special offer". It's not a la card thus it's cheaper. Usually those "Mittagsmenüs" are for working people who just go out for lunch.

If I had to guess I'd go for "lunch menu" but it does not seem very common. The reason I ask is because I am trying to optimize my website for search engines and it can be advantageously to have describing URLs. That's how I arrive here.

Best Answer

Lunch special

sounds like the closest corresponding term in English.

In the US, restaurants primarily serve everything 'a la carte'. There may be specials of the day, but they are in a sense simply just like other a la carte entries that change from day to day rather than always available. In other words, the conception corresponding to the continental meaning of 'menu' has no real word for it because it just doesn't happen. If it does, the word 'menu' is not used but the French 'prix fixe' or 'table d'hôte' is instead.

And it is common for more informal restaurants to have one or two changing items every day, called 'specials' or 'lunch specials'. In American diners in the 50's, these were often called:

blue plate special

after the blue rim on the plate that they were traditionally served in. This is the closest term for the German concept but is not identical.