specials vs specialties

[whl626]

What is the main difference between these two words ?

Is it correct to ask in a restaurant ' What are your restaurant specialties ' to mean the famous dishes here ?

[RonBee]

Yes. Say, "What is your special?" (The dish of the day.) Or say, "What are your specialties?" (The dishes the restaurant specializes in.)

:)

[whl626]

Then ' special ' and ' specialty ' are interchangeable ?

What is your special / specialty :)

[Casiopea]

Then ' special ' and ' specialty ' are interchangeable ?

What is your special / specialty :)

Waiter! What's the special today? (What's the special on the menu today? What's not the usual fare?)

Waiter! What's the specialty here? (What's the chef's specialty? What does she cook the best?)

:D

[whl626]

I am really not used to words or sentences in a short form :). The clears up the mess. Thanks :)

Oops one more thing. Specialty and speciality are the same right, ? I believe ' speciality used in Britain whereas the other in the US or else where ?

[RonBee]

Then ' special ' and ' specialty ' are interchangeable ?

What is your special / specialty :)

Cas already explained it, but perhaps I can add my two cents. :wink:

A restaurant's specialty is something that they do all the time and, presumably, better than other people. A special is "special" for that day.

(Thanks, Cas.)

:D

[RonBee]

I am really not used to words or sentences in a short form :). The clears up the mess. Thanks :)

Oops one more thing. Specialty and speciality are the same right, ? I believe ' speciality used in Britain whereas the other in the US or else where ?

Yes, but as noted below, speciality is chiefly British.

• speciality
  1. A distinguishing mark or feature.
  2. specialities Special points of consideration; particulars.
  3. Chiefly British. A specialty.
  http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=speciality

(Note: elsewhere is one word.)

:)