Happy hour special

[Ida1]

I have been learning English about restaurant. This word ”special” often appears in restaurant conversations.

For example:
1. I’d like your special cocktail,Beijing Cocktail.
2. We can offer you some discount during the happy hour special.
3. Would you like to have a breakfast special with your coffee.

I think special in the first sentence mean “being a particular one”. But i don’t know the other two.Does it mean some discount in the other two sentences?

 

[owlman5]

.Does it mean some discount in the other two sentences?

Special in those sentences should refer to some sort of discount on food and drinks. Special after happy hour sounds fairly unlikely to me. In my part of the world, people generally use happy hour by itself: You can get two drinks for the price of one* during happy hour.

*People often call such drinks 'twofers': 'twofers' = two drinks for the price of one drink: That bar offers twofers for happy hour.
Some restaurants regularly offer 'specials' for lunch or dinner during certain days of the week: I'd like the meatloaf special.

 

[pops91710]

All three have different meanings.
#1- sounds like a house specialty (mixed drink)
#2- Happy Hour is in itself a discount period
#3- Breakfast special is the house's own special dish such as a "Grand Slam" — "Two buttermilk pancakes, two bacon strips, two sausage links and two eggs." or "Dulce de Leche pancakes".

 

[Keith Bradford]

For me, "special" might mean several things:

• one that the chef is offering today only, because he saw some rare/cheap/fresh item on the market this morning
• one that the chef is offering today only, because he's trying out a new idea
• one that is his personal speciality with a secret recipe

There's no reason to believe that it's going to be cheaper than the rest of the menu.

 

[Myridon]

We're having a special on our Beijing Cocktail. They are at a special (discount) price.
Would you like to have our special Beijing Cocktail? We make them in our own special way. (Normal price)
Would you like to have our Beijing Cocktail special? We only make them on Thursdays and today is Thursday. (Just like every other bar's Beijing Cocktail and probably at the normal price.)

 

[Ida1]

We're having a special on our Beijing Cocktail. They are at a special (discount) price.
Would you like to have our special Beijing Cocktail? We make them in our own special way. (Normal price)
Would you like to have our Beijing Cocktail special? We only make them on Thursdays and today is Thursday. (Just like every other bar's Beijing Cocktail and probably at the normal price.

All three have different meanings.
#1- sounds like a house specialty (mixed drink)
#2- Happy Hour is in itself a discount period
#3- Breakfast special is the house's own special dish such as a "Grand Slam" — "Two buttermilk pancakes, two bacon strips, two sausage links and two eggs." or "Dulce de Leche pancakes".

Thank you so much Myridon and pops91710.
I got it. Special can refer to special price (a discount), or special way/time/etc., which is different from other restaurants/other time.

So if I go into a restaurant, take my seat and ask the waiter:
”what are today’s specials?”

Can it mean all the specials?

 

[Ida1]

Special in those sentences should refer to some sort of discount on food and drinks. Special after happy hour sounds fairly unlikely to me.

For me, "special" might mean several things:

• one that the chef is offering today only, because he saw some rare/cheap/fresh item on the market this morning
• one that the chef is offering today only, because he's trying out a new idea
• one that is his personal speciality with a secret recipe

There's no reason to believe that it's going to be cheaper than the rest of the menu.

Thanks a lot owlman5 and Keith Bradford.
I thought special should refer to some sort of discount which is different from specialty.If not,when the waiter ask:
“Do you want to have a taste of our special offer?” It will be confusing.

 

[london calling]

So if I go into a restaurant, take my seat and ask the waiter:
”what are today’s specials?”

Can it mean all the specials?

It can mean all 'specials', but they won't necessarily be discounted.

 

[Keith Bradford]

...I thought special should refer to some sort of discount which is different from specialty.If not,when the waiter ask:
“Do you want to have a taste of our special offer?” It will be confusing.

1. Special doesn't necessarily mean discounted. A special (offer) will always be at a price that the restaurant is happy with. That may be cheaper than usual, more expensive than usual, or at the same price with some other incentive added.
2. Special offer relates to pricing. Special (dish) relates to cooking.

 

[Ida1]

Thank you all so much.
These make it clear.
And can I say that specialty is one of the specials? Specialty is equivalent to special dish?

 

[Ida1]

It can mean all 'specials',

Thank you so much. I got it that ’the’ should be omitted .

 

[london calling]

Thank you all so much.
These make it clear.
And can I say that specialty is one of the specials? Specialty is equivalent to special dish?

I don't know. We say 'speciality' in BE.

 

[pops91710]

And can I say that specialty is one of the specials? Specialty is equivalent to special dish?

Hmmm, not exactly. For example, Texas Roadhouse's specialty (aside from other food dishes offered) is thick flame-grilled beef steaks. It isn't a "single dish", or "today's special" that they offer only at a certain time of the day or day of the week. It's what's on their menu every day and why people go there. It is what they specialize in.

 

[Ida1]

Hmmm, not exactly. For example, Texas Roadhouse's specialty (aside from other food dishes offered) is thick flame-grilled beef steaks. It isn't a "single dish", or "today's special" that they offer only at a certain time of the day or day of the week. It's what's on their menu every day and why people go there. It is what they specialize in.

Thank you so much pops91710.
I see now.I should understand them separately.