Lunch menu
A lunch menu is usually inexpensive lunch in restaurants or in schools .
Germany
In Germany, the term mostly refers to offers of food that are usually only offered in restaurants Monday to Friday at lunchtime. The dishes often change daily or weekly and are offered at lower prices than the regular offers on the menus due to the limitation to a small selection of one to five dishes.
The offer is mainly intended for working people who want to go to a restaurant for their daily lunch instead of, or in the absence of, a canteen at the place of work.
Because of the lower price, a lunch menu often only consists of a plate with sometimes very reduced side dishes, but it can also be a menu consisting of a combination of starter, main course and dessert.
The dishes are often only available for a limited time at lunchtime (discounted).
Switzerland
In Switzerland, the term mostly refers to offers for schoolchildren of all ages. A lunch menu in this sense is a school-internal offer for inexpensive catering during lunchtime. In most cases, pedagogical or socio-cultural support from teachers or other specialists is an integral part of the offer. Sometimes afternoon care or task assistance is also part of the concept.
Lunch tables in Switzerland are mostly subsidized by the municipalities. They are in the context of the political debate on the compatibility of family and work . The number of offers has increased sharply over the last few years, especially in urban areas of Switzerland. According to estimates, there are currently around 1000 to 1200 lunch tables throughout Switzerland (as of February 2006).
For many municipalities, lunch offers are an inexpensive alternative to day school .
Austria
In Austria, the terms menu of the day, menu of the day or lunch menu are used. These have the same meaning as the term lunch in Germany.
