Spain's Menu del Dia Holds On but Gets Pricier: The Country Still Serves 4 Million a Weekday

The average price of Spain's menu del dia rose this year to 14.70 euros, 50 cents more than a year earlier, according to a recent look at the fixed price set lunch tradition that still shapes mealtime across the country. Despite the increase, Spain continues to serve around 4 million menus del dia every weekday.

Prices vary notably by region, from 13.50 euros in Murcia and the Canary Islands to 16.30 euros in the Basque Country. Almost half of restaurants also offer a medio menu, a smaller version aimed at diners looking for something lighter or cheaper.

The tradition, however, faces pressure from several directions. Changing daily routines are pushing more time pressed diners toward a quick lunch, bringing food from home or buying a ready meal, instead of sitting down for a full multi course menu.

At the same time, rising energy and food costs are making it harder for small family run restaurants to keep offering a changing daily selection of starters and mains at a fixed, affordable price, squeezing the format from the supply side as well.

Despite that pressure from both sides, the menu del dia remains a fixture of everyday life in Spain and a barometer of how the country eats, with no clear sign of disappearing, even as its price and shape keep adjusting gradually to new habits and costs.