Dining at a Spanish tavern has become a bureaucratic affair

Going to a tavern for dinner is no longer about spontaneous beers and tapas, but about managing reservations, time slots, and set menus that drive up the cost.

The traditional tapeo, that last-minute plan to put the world to rights with friends over beers, seems to have vanished. What was once a spontaneous act now resembles administrative paperwork. Entering a tavern in **Madrid** neighborhoods is no longer just about ordering a bite to eat; it means scheduling an appointment, adhering to time slots, and often accepting a set menu that has inflated the bill to unexpected heights.

## The era of set menus and time control

Not long ago, you could walk in, order some tapas, and stay as long as you liked. Now, even for an informal dinner, you face calls to confirm your arrival time, reminders of available slots, and pressure not to linger. If you arrive a few minutes late, the welcome can be, at the very least, tense. Spontaneity has been replaced by punctuality and efficiency, almost as if you were managing a hotel reservation.

## The price of the "experience"

The bill is where the transformation is most evident. What used to be a moderate expense for beers and tapas now skyrockets. **140 euros** for a tortilla, an octopus dish with more potatoes than cephalopod, a lacón, and some croquettes from a bakery may seem excessive. Inflation, yes, but also the pretension of offering an "experience" that, in many cases, amounts to an ordinary meal, sometimes with fifth-range ingredients, in a venue that tries to evoke a past it doesn't always manage to convey.