Special is the 'special of the day' and just one course. Menu means the fixed-price meal for the day. It will be three courses...appetizer or salad, main course, dessert, and is usually a very good bargain. Carte means ordering from what we call 'the menu,' or the list of all things available to order; the '300' figure about is probably an estimate of what a three-course meal ordered that way would be.

Sally Watkins