Why do the Spanish eat dinner so late?


Why do the Spanish eat dinner so late? Spain changed to CET after the Spanish Civil War in 1940 but continued to eat at the same time. Therefore, 1pm lunches became 2pm lunches, and Spaniards were suddenly eating dinner at 9pm instead of 8pm, and to this day, the clocks were never changed back.


What country eats dinner the earliest?

In the northern nation of Norway, residents prefer to get their eating done relatively early in the evening. In fact, the normal time for middag, a Norwegian supper of hearty dishes like stews and mutton casseroles, falls in the early-bird-special time frame of 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.


Do Spanish people nap a lot?

In modern Spain, the midday nap during the working week has largely been abandoned among the adult working population. According to a 2009 survey, 16.2 percent of Spaniards polled claimed to take a nap daily, whereas 22 percent did so sometimes, 3.2 percent weekends only and the remainder, 58.6 percent, never.


What makes lunch in Spain different from most countries?

In Spain, we eat lunch much later in the day than most other cultures, that is, between the hours of 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm. If you're an international student, you may be used to eating lunch much earlier in the afternoon, probably around 12:00-1:00.


What is the biggest meal of the day in Spain?

Lunch is the mid-day meal, or la comida as it is called in Spain, and it is the largest meal of the day. It usually comes with multiple courses, eaten between 1:30 and 3:30 pm.


Is it rude to be late in Spain?

Punctuality is not highly important in Spain. People can arrive half an hour late to a social function with no questions raised. If someone turns up late and apologises, people are likely to respond with something like “no pasa nada” – meaning “It's not that important”.


What are the 4 meals in Spain?

A day (of eating) in the life of a Spaniard
  • Spaniards LOVE their food! In fact, the typical Spaniard probably eats more times throughout the day than most people around the world. ...
  • Spanish Meals: ...
  • El Desayuno – Breakfast. ...
  • El Almuerzo – Brunch. ...
  • La Comida – Lunch. ...
  • La Merienda – Late-Afternoon Snack. ...
  • La Cena – Dinner.


Do you tip in Spain?

Tipping in Spain works differently: The customer actually has the option to not leave any tip at all. However, restaurants expect a 10% tip on each bill—although it's not a formal rule, and that percentage is much lower than tipping practices in other countries.