Spain sees shift in traditional late-night dining habits

Spain is experiencing a shift in its traditional late-night dining culture. While dinner has historically been served after 10 p.m., recent data suggests Spaniards are beginning to eat earlier in the evening.

Reservation platforms indicate a significant change in consumer behavior. CoverManager reports that half of all dinner bookings are now made before 9 p.m., up from 27% a decade ago. Similarly, TheFork noted that 8 p.m. reservations have nearly tripled since 2019, while 10 p.m. bookings have decreased by half.

The tradition of late dining is partly rooted in history. In 1940, General Franco moved Spain from the GMT time zone to GMT+1 to align with Nazi Germany. Although the country remained in this time zone after World War II, the shift effectively pushed meal times later relative to the sun. While some experts suggest earlier meals could improve productivity and health, the change represents a departure from a long-standing pillar of Spanish national identity.