Menorcans want to spend little when eating out

Bep Al·lès/Ciutadella - The latest CIS data from summer 2025 confirm a trend that was already noticeable in Menorca: people are eating out less and paying much closer attention to how much they spend. According to the survey, 11.3% of the Spanish population never go to restaurants, and 7.8% do so only very occasionally — not even once a month. On the island, restaurant owners consulted admit that this reality has also taken hold strongly over the past year.

The bulk of the population, 30.5%, eats out between one and three times a month, while 29.1% exceed that frequency. “In summer it still holds up, but the rest of the year people are much more restrained,” explains the owner of a restaurant in the port of Ciutadella.

As for spending, 55.7% of respondents say they spend only between €15 and €30 per person when dining out. Only 28.6% are willing to spend more than €30 per head. In Menorca, where tourist prices often raise the average bill, many residents opt for simpler options, low-season promotions or special gastronomic event menus such as Menorca al Plat, Mostra de Cuina de Menorca, and the Ruta de la Vermella Menorquina, among others.

A further 6.9% of the population state that they would never pay more than €15 — a figure that on the island is seen mainly among young people and families prioritising savings. Only a very small percentage (5.7%) reaches the €51–70 range, and even fewer (1.8%) would accept paying more than €70. “Special celebrations are the only reason to increase spending,” says a waitress from Ferreries.

Food shopping: supermarkets win the battle

The CIS also provides data on where people buy their food. In 2024, supermarkets were the clear leaders with a 68.2% market share, and projections for 2025 reinforce this dominance: 40.4% shop there once a week and 26.3% two to three times a week.

In Menorca, this trend is also clearly visible. Local shops and traditional markets maintain a more modest, though appreciated, role: 29.1% of Spaniards shop at neighbourhood stores and 23.7% visit municipal markets. Menorcan local retailers argue that, beyond price, they offer quality and locally sourced products.

Those who go to the supermarket every day account for just 9.2%, while 12.9% buy food two or three times a month and 7.1% only once.

Saving and changing habits

The conclusion is clear: a consumer profile strongly focused on budgeting is consolidating, reserving restaurant visits for specific occasions and relying on supermarkets as the main source of food.

Even so, in Menorca the good weather and the weight of the tourism sector suggest that, at least during the next high season, terraces and bars will remain full. But for the rest of the year, every euro counts.