4 Million Daily Set Lunches Remain in Spain Despite Rising Costs

Four million set-price lunches are still served every weekday in Spain.

The tradition, known as the menu del dia, has been a staple of Spanish working life for over half a century. However, the habit is losing ground as economic pressures and shifting dietary preferences alter the restaurant landscape. Ferran Adria, the country's most famous chef, declared the practice dead in 2009. He cited changing habits and the rise of bistro-style dining that charges 20 to 30 euros for simple meals. Seventeen years later, the format persists, though it faces new challenges.

Spanish food journalist Lakshmi Aguirre has released a new book, Menu del Dia: Everyday Scenes of a First Course, a Second Course and Pudding. The work traces the origin and evolution of the daily set lunch. Aguirre argues that while the tradition is in trouble, it is not finished. She describes the menu as a reflection of Spanish society's evolution and notes that nostalgia is growing as the habit fades.

The daily set lunch originated in the mid-1960s under the dictatorship of Francisco Franco. Manuel Fraga, the information and tourism minister, devised the format to show foreign visitors that food in Spain was plentiful and affordable. This followed the years of hunger after the civil war. The law required establishments to offer a soup starter, a main course of egg, fish, or meat chosen from at least three options with a side dish, and a pudding based on fruit, sweets, or cheese. Prices were fixed between 50 and 250 pesetas. To ensure quality, the accompanying quarter-litre of wine had to be a pure, clean, and pleasant Spanish red or white with at least 12% alcohol.

In the early 1970s, the offer was renamed to encourage ordinary Spaniards to use it, not just tourists. Today, many residents are unaware of this origin. Aguirre said that when she mentioned Fraga during her research, many people reacted with shock. She stated, "It says a lot about us Spaniards; we forget very quickly." The menu has become so common that its history is often overlooked.

The average price of the daily set lunch is now 14.70 euros. Many workers short on time opt for quick alternatives, such as bringing food from home or microwaving supermarket meals. Rising energy and food costs make it difficult for small, family-run restaurants to maintain a rotating daily choice. Some venues have switched to a single dish of the day. Others have added Latin American staples to reflect Spain's changing demographics. Aguirre accepts these changes, noting that the menu has always mirrored the society that eats it.

Aguirre outlined her ideal version of the meal as a simple vegetable stew, followed by hake in green sauce or baby squid in ink, and finished with leche frita or rice pudding. Her criteria for a good venue include simple dishes, a regularly changing menu, and chips that are not frozen. She also looks for a chorus of regulars and a chalkboard free of trendy ingredients like avocado, burrata, tartare, truffle, or sourdough bread. Bonus points are given if the owners' child is doing homework at a table in the back.

For Aguirre, the issue extends beyond the cost of a meal. She described the restaurant as a meeting point where families with limited means can eat out and people living alone find company. She stated that the true privilege of the menu lies not just in being able to pay for a meal, but also in having the time to enjoy it.