In short
- The menú del día is a fixed-price weekday lunch: primero, segundo and postre or coffee.
- Bread and a drink are usually included. Lunch in Spain starts around 2 pm.
- You order each course with De primero…, De segundo… — five phrases do it all.
What you get
Walk past almost any restaurant in Madrid at lunchtime and you'll see a board outside: Menú del día, followed by a short list of dishes and one price. It was designed for people eating out on a working day, and it's still how millions of Spaniards have lunch.
- El primero — the first course: salad, soup, pasta, rice, vegetables or legumes.
- El segundo — the main course: usually meat or fish, often with chips or salad.
- El postre o café — dessert or a coffee: fruit, flan, rice pudding…
- El pan and la bebida — bread and a drink (water, wine, beer or a soft drink).
Ordering, course by course
The waiter will often recite the options instead of handing you a menu. Don't panic: ask them to repeat, or point at the board. You choose one dish from each course.
Una mesa para dos, por favor.
A table for two, please.
¿Qué hay de menú hoy?
What's on the set menu today?
De primero, quería la sopa.
For the first course, I'd like the soup.
De segundo, el pescado.
For the main course, the fish.
Para beber, agua, por favor.
To drink, water, please.
De postre, flan.
For dessert, flan.
¿Me lo puedes repetir, por favor?
Can you say that again, please?
Camarera
Hola, ¿qué vas a tomar?
Hi, what are you having?
You
El menú, por favor. De primero, quería la ensalada.
The set menu, please. For the first course, I'd like the salad.
Camarera
¿Y de segundo?
And for the main course?
You
El pollo, por favor.
The chicken, please.
Camarera
¿Para beber?
To drink?
You
Un agua con gas.
A sparkling water.
Allergies and special diets
Restaurants in Spain must be able to tell you which allergens their dishes contain, so don't be shy about asking. Say it clearly at the start.
Soy vegetariano/a.
I'm vegetarian.
Pick the form that matches you.
Soy alérgico/a a los frutos secos.
I'm allergic to nuts.
¿Esto lleva gluten?
Does this contain gluten?
Sin carne, por favor.
Without meat, please.
Coffee, the bill and the sobremesa
After dessert many people have a coffee — a cortado (espresso with a dash of milk) or a café solo. Then comes the sobremesa: chatting at the table after the meal. Nobody will bring the bill until you ask for it.
Un cortado, por favor.
An espresso with a little milk, please.
La cuenta, por favor.
The bill, please.
¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?
Can I pay by card?
Questions
Is the menú del día available at dinner?
Usually not: it's a weekday lunch offer. Some places have a weekend or evening menu, but at dinner most restaurants serve à la carte.
Is the drink really included?
In most places, yes — one drink, and bread. If you want a second drink or a coffee that isn't included, it's charged separately. When in doubt, ask: “¿La bebida está incluida?”
Can I swap a dish?
Within the menu, you choose one option per course. Small changes are often fine if you ask nicely, especially for allergies.
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