152 Times a Year: The Stats That Show Spaniards' Love for Eating Out

Three Times a Week, Every Week

Low wages, chronically high unemployment, and rising prices never seem to prevent Spaniards from sitting down for a meal or a drink with friends and family. We all know that food and eating together is central to Spanish culture — but just how important is it, in hard numbers?

A recent study by global food market analysts Circana has put a figure on it: the average Spaniard eats out 152 times a year. That works out at just under three times per week, every week, throughout the year.

To put that in European context: Spaniards are only surpassed by Italians, who eat out a remarkable 221 times per year. But they comfortably outpace the French, who average 142 times annually — a statistic that might surprise those who associate France most strongly with food culture.

A separate survey by Spain's Centre for Sociological Research (CIS) adds further weight to the picture: 88% of Spaniards eat out at least once a month, and only one in ten never eats out at all.

More Than a Third Above the European Average

The Circana data also found that 43% of people in Spain eat out for lunch or dinner, compared to the European average of 35%. That eight-percentage-point gap is significant — it reflects not just a cultural preference but a structural feature of Spanish daily life, where the menú del día (the set lunch menu offered by most bars and restaurants) has long served as an affordable, sociable alternative to eating at a desk or at home.

Collectively, Spaniards spend approximately €43.5 billion per year on eating out — a figure that encompasses everything from traditional bars and sit-down restaurants to cafés, vending machines, and convenience food from supermarkets. While the latter options are less common in Spain than in some northern European countries, the market for convenience and ready-to-eat food is growing.

A Non-Negotiable Expense

Perhaps the most striking finding comes from a survey by the Spanish Hospitality Association, the Barómetro FOOD 2025: three quarters of Spaniards refuse to reduce their visits to restaurants even when prices are rising.

For 74% of respondents, eating out is a non-negotiable expense — something they will protect even when tightening their belts in other areas. As María Abolafio, a Wellbeing Expert at Edenred, put it when discussing the findings: "People in Spain are willing, for example, to cut back on expenses like clothing or technology before they cut back on restaurants."

When forced to economise, Spaniards are more likely to trade down — choosing a cheaper restaurant or a simpler dish — than to stop going out altogether. Nutritional quality and sensory pleasure were both highlighted as top priorities even among those watching their spending.

How Much Do Spaniards Spend When They Go Out?

Government figures for 2024 suggest the average Spaniard spends €1,010 per year at bars, restaurants, and cafés — roughly €84 per month, or around €19 per outing if spread across the 152 annual visits.

Breaking down individual visit spending from survey data:

• 28.6% of respondents spend between €31 and €50 per visit
• 7% spend less than €15
• Just 1.8% report spending over €70 per person

The menú del día remains the anchor of Spain's eating-out culture — a two or three-course set lunch with bread, a drink, and coffee, typically offered on weekdays. According to Hostelería de España, the average price of a menú del día across Spain in 2025 was €14.20 — a figure that has been rising steadily, though it remains exceptional value by northern European standards.

Regional variation is significant:

• Balearic Islands: €16.00 average menú del día
• Basque Country: €15.80
• Catalonia: €15.40

In many parts of inland Spain and along the Costa Blanca, prices remain closer to the national average or below — one of the genuine pleasures of daily life in areas away from the most tourist-heavy hotspots.

Are Spanish Eating Habits Changing?

The one area of genuine change identified in the data is takeaway. The Circana study found that the fastest-growing food segment in Spain, compared to previous years, is takeaway food — whether ordered from a restaurant or picked up from a supermarket.

Spaniards have traditionally been strongly resistant to eating on the go or at home from a takeaway box. "It's a country that eats in the dining room," as one researcher put it. But the growth of delivery platforms, rising rents that have pushed younger people into smaller flats, and the financial pressures on younger generations who cannot always afford restaurant prices may be slowly shifting habits — particularly among under-35s.

That said, the core culture shows no signs of giving way. The bar, the terraza, the long Saturday lunch, the post-work caña — these remain defining rhythms of Spanish life that 152 annual eating-out visits simply reflect.

What This Means for Expats

For expats who have made Spain their home — particularly in communities along the Costa Blanca, Costa del Sol, and in the cities — integrating into the local eating-out culture is one of the most rewarding aspects of life here. The Spanish model of sociable, affordable, frequent eating out is a genuine quality-of-life asset that many expats cite as one of the things they would miss most if they ever left.

A few things worth knowing as a newcomer:

• The menú del día is your friend — at €12–€16 for a full three-course lunch with a drink, it remains one of the best-value meals in Europe and is how many Spanish workers eat lunch every weekday
• Lunch is the main event — in Spain, lunch (typically 2–4pm) is the largest meal of the day. Dinner is lighter and later (9–10pm). Trying to eat dinner at 7pm may leave you in an empty restaurant
• The bar is not just for drinking — the neighbourhood bar is a social hub where people eat breakfast, have a coffee, catch up with neighbours, and watch football. It is the living room of the street
• Tipping is optional, not obligatory — unlike in the US or UK, tipping in Spain is genuinely discretionary. Rounding up or leaving small change is common; large percentage tips are not expected

This article is based on reporting from The Local Spain, published March 25, 2026, and data from Circana, Spain's Centre for Sociological Research (CIS), Hostelería de España, and the Barómetro FOOD 2025. This article is for informational purposes only.