Menú del día

What it is

The menu offers three or four choices for each course. The first course, the primero, is the lighter one: a salad, a soup, lentils or beans, vegetables, rice or pasta. The second, the segundo, is meat or fish, commonly grilled or stewed, with potatoes or salad. Dessert is fruit, yoghurt, custard, rice pudding or a slice of cake, and can often be swapped for coffee. A glass of wine, beer, water or a soft drink is included, and so is bread.

Where it comes from

Set lunches for workers are old in Spain. One common account ties the modern form to the 1960s, when the government required restaurants to offer a fixed-price tourist menu so that visitors would know what a meal cost. The obligation has long gone, but the habit suited the Spanish working day, with its long midday break, and it stayed. Certain dishes have their days. Many places serve paella on Thursdays and a chickpea stew midweek.

How it works

Lunch is served from about half past one to four. The menu is written on a blackboard by the door or recited by the waiter, and is often not on the printed card, so you may need to ask for it. You choose one first and one second course at the start, and dessert later. It is usually offered only at lunch and only on weekdays. Weekend menus cost more. In some bars the price is higher on the terrace.

How to do it

1. Look for a board outside that says menú del día and a price.
2. Sit down between half past one and three thirty.
3. Ask ¿Tienen menú del día? if no one mentions it.
4. Choose one primero and one segundo, and say what you will drink.
5. Pick dessert or coffee when the plates are cleared.

Good manners

• Each person orders their own menu. Sharing one between two is not accepted.
• Do not ask for many changes. The price depends on the kitchen cooking in bulk.
• A small tip of loose change is plenty.

What is eaten

Lentil soupA hearty soup made from lentils, often with vegetables and spicesPaellaRice cooked with meat, seafood or vegetables in a wide shallow pan from ValenciaGazpachoChilled soup of blended raw vegetables, served cold in Spain and PortugalCocido madrileñoChickpea stew from Madrid, served in separate coursesFabada asturianaAsturian white bean stew with pork and sausageOlivier saladA Russian salad of diced vegetables, meat and mayonnaise, served at festive mealsCrème caramelCustard dessert topped with a layer of liquid caramelRice puddingSweetened rice cooked in milk, found in many forms worldwideSpanish omeletteEgg and potato omelette, often served as a tapa in Spain

Sources and further reading

• Menú del día on Wikipedia
• Spain.info: official tourism site of Spain