Spain's Midday Set Meal Costs 14.70 Euros as Weekly Servings Fall

The menú del día has been a fixture of Spanish work life for over 50 years, but its role as a standard midday meal is changing. Spanish food journalist Lakshmi Aguirre details the current state of this tradition in her new book, Menú del Día: Everyday Scenes of a First Course, a Second Course and Pudding. The work traces the history of the set-price lunch and assesses its future viability.

Restaurants across Spain still serve approximately four million of these meals on each weekday. However, the habit is losing popularity among the general public. In 2009, renowned chef Ferran Adrià declared the tradition dead, citing economic downturns and a shift toward bistro-style dining. Those bistro menus often charge between €20 and €30 for similar three-course offerings.

The origin of the menú is rooted in political strategy rather than culinary tradition. It was created in the mid-1960s by Manuel Fraga, the information and tourism minister under dictator Francisco Franco. The regime aimed to show foreign visitors that food in Spain was plentiful and affordable following the post-war scarcity years. Establishments were legally required to serve a soup starter, a main dish of egg, fish, or meat with a side, and a dessert of fruit, sweets, or cheese.

Regulations at the time fixed prices between 50 and 250 pesetas. The law also mandated that the included drink be a pure Spanish red or white wine with at least 12% alcohol. In the early 1970s, the government renamed the offering to encourage domestic consumption and distance the meal from its origins as a tourist attraction.

Aguirre notes that many Spaniards are unaware of the menú's official origin. She observed that people often express surprise when she mentions Fraga. "It says a lot about us Spaniards; we forget very quickly," she said. She views the lunch as a reflection of societal changes and notes that nostalgia for the tradition is increasing as it becomes less common.

Several factors are contributing to the decline in daily servings. The average price of the menú has risen to €14.70. Many workers now save time by bringing food from home or using microwaveable meals from supermarkets. Rising costs for energy and ingredients make it difficult for small, family-run restaurants to maintain a rotating daily menu. Some owners have responded by offering a single "dish of the day" or adding Latin American dishes to cater to a changing customer base.

Aguirre describes the menú as a social institution that has always mirrored the society eating it. She argues that the tradition is currently in trouble but not yet finished. Her ideal version includes simple dishes such as vegetable stew, hake in green sauce, or baby squid in ink, followed by leche frita or rice pudding.

She lists specific criteria for identifying a good venue, including a regularly changing menu, fresh chips, and a regular clientele. She prefers chalkboards that avoid trendy ingredients like avocado, burrata, or truffle. She also values seeing the owners' children doing homework at a back table. For Aguirre, the value of the menú lies in providing a place for families and individuals to gather.

"What's being lost is a meeting point," Aguirre said. She described the lunch as a space where people with limited means can eat out and those living alone can find company. She stated that the privilege of the menú is "not just in being able to pay for a meal, but also in having the time to enjoy it".