Social and business etiquette in Madrid: an expert guide

This article is part of the FT Globetrotter feature. Guide to Madrid

I first moved to Madrid in 2000. Since then it has changed enormously and has become a popular tourist destination, mainly geared towards the luxury market. Sadly, some classic bars and restaurants have closed and been replaced by American fast food chains. The city is now more culturally and racially diverse thanks to immigration and, in a commercial sense, has become much more internationalised.

Let’s take the typical Spanish tardiness, which has fallen out of fashion and been replaced by a more Anglo-Saxon punctuality. Not long ago, many companies still imposed a mandatory two-hour lunch break, but in Madrid, gone are the days when you could go home at lunchtime, eat and take a nap before returning to the office. That’s not to say that Madrid residents no longer take siestas (they do at weekends and on holidays), but these days it’s better not to ask whether people still take siestas in a business capital like Madrid, for risk of offending.

Yet this is a city that never lets you forget that you are in the beating heart of Spain, thanks to the seemingly endless traffic jams on the main boulevards and avenues, the packed streets, the vast array of Spanish culinary options and a cacophony of conversation everywhere you turn.

Don’t be intimidated by the demonstrations in Spain demanding a new model of tourism, in particular the launching of water pistols. Protesters in BarcelonaMost people you’ll meet in Madrid will be delighted to welcome you to their city and will want to tell you all about their culture, their history and, in particular, their food. It’s a very social city: you can expect a warm and friendly welcome in the enviable array of bars and restaurants, a scene that’s flourishing thanks to the city’s simultaneous economic and cultural boom. It’s lively and bustling. So don’t dampen the mood. Here’s how.

Greetings

Madrileños are generally known for being very open, friendly and pleasant from the start, even in a business environment. Don’t be surprised if a complete stranger offers you a cheerful and loud greeting. “Good morning“when you get into an elevator, or even the bathroom, or (horror!) standing next to each other at a urinal.

When men greet other men, a preliminary handshake can quickly turn into a hug when a relationship has already developed. When men meet women, and women meet women, even for the first time, it is very common to exchange two kisses on the cheek (leaning first to the left and then to the right, unlike Italians, who go right and then left, something that can lead to all kinds of involuntary and awkward facial clashes when these two nationalities meet).

That said, many Spanish women felt somewhat relieved when the pandemic temporarily put an end to the tradition. two kisses and they are now more willing to offer a helping hand. I would advise visitors to do the same, but if they offer you a hug or two kisses, go with the flow.

If you are a Spanish speaker, don’t worry too much about using polite words. you form instead of youIt is rarely used today, even in a business context, unless you are meeting with a CEO or other very high-ranking executive.

Eating

It is often necessary to make some major changes to accommodate Madrid residents and their eating habits. Although breakfast is enjoyed anytime between 7:00 and 10:00, depending on your work schedule, lunchtime typically starts at 14:00 or 14:30. If you need to start earlier, keep in mind that many restaurants do not start serving until 13:00.

Meanwhile, dinner is served until 9 or 10 pm for most Spanish families (result of Spain Change to Central European Time in 1940) —even during the work week, and even for small children. (In fact, Spanish TV prime time doesn’t start until 10 p.m.)

This means that lunch is the most important meal of the day and is often enjoyed at a local bar or restaurant in the form of Menu of the day (a menu that includes a variable selection of starter, main course, dessert, drink, bread and coffee, all for a very reasonable price).

Lunchtime remains sacred to Spaniards. Nowadays, 90 minutes is the minimum for a business meal. But be prepared for it to drag on. And don’t be tempted to eat lunch at your desk: it’s valuable time to get to know your colleagues and partners better and forge stronger relationships.

Likewise, invitations for a mid-morning or mid-afternoon coffee should always be accepted. Going out for a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack is de rigueur in Spain, to get through the long hours of hunger between the three main meals. Business in Madrid is done around a lot of food and drink.

Drink

Madrid residents love to drink, whether it’s a vermouth before lunch or dinner, a nice cold, foamy beer or, of course, a glass of Rioja or Ribera del Duero. But they don’t get drunk in a business context. And it’s very important that you do too. Excessive drinking at company celebrations such as Christmas parties or dinners is frowned upon.

If bottles of liquor suddenly appear on your table, you are free to help yourself, as you are now locked in the… dessert — a wonderful Spanish word that literally means “on the table,” describing that long, drunken postprandial debate that can last for hours.

Do like a Madrilenian and always eat while you drink. A night out in the Spanish capital is a marathon, not a sprint; it requires a pace that will be a little strange to anyone used to trying to beat the bell in UK pubs. You can expect restaurants to stay open until 1am, bars to close after 3am and clubs to keep serving until 6am. One tip: when seeking the attention of a bartender or waiter, it is often necessary to say hello loudly and confidently, otherwise you may wait much longer than Spanish customers to be served.

Paying the bill

Friends and colleagues from Madrid often insist on paying the bill, to which one must offer vigorous, almost theatrical opposition. If a Spaniard says he wants to “invitate you”, that means he is going to pay. invite It means paying the bill. However, it’s important to insist on paying next time, to avoid any resentment as the relationship progresses.

Gala dinners

With so many bars and restaurants on offer in Madrid, it is perhaps not surprising that invitations to the homes of clients or colleagues are rare. Also, especially in the city centre, apartments can be rather small, so many Madrid residents depend on them. street life (“outdoor life”) for their leisure activities.

Many close friends and colleagues will never have seen the inside of each other’s homes, preferring instead to meet up for lunch in restaurants or tapas in the city’s bars and restaurants. myriads of establishments or bars for expertly crafted frothy coffee white hair (the smallest measure of beer).

How to dress

In Madrid, business attire is becoming more and more casual. Ties are a rare sight these days, except in the most common places: investment banks, large consulting firms, law firms. As a general rule, the way to go is to dress casually and smartly (or even smarter).

When to schedule a meeting

Madrid residents with children may not be in the office or working remotely until 10am, and it’s best to schedule meetings from that time onwards (and before 6pm, as many workers will be looking to leave after that time). It’s also worth considering that many companies finish early on Fridays, usually around 3pm, and that during the sweltering months of July and August when schools are closed, many employees will be allowed in around 8 or 9am and leave at 3pm.

There was a time when Madrid turned into a ghost town in August, when bars, restaurants and small businesses would close their doors for the month and everyone would head to the beach. That is no longer the case. But you can expect staffing to be short during the summer months and fewer important decisions to be made as people flee the scorching heat of the city centre for the cold north of the peninsula or the coast.

Topics of conversation

Spaniards can talk for hours about food and drink, and it’s no wonder. Most of what is eaten and drunk in the country is produced locally, and many Madrileños have roots in other regions that have their own culinary peculiarities. You might expect, therefore, to be drawn into long conversations about how grandmothers or aunts make their tortillas or croquettesand be sure to show all the interest you can muster in this enthusiasm.

As in so many other countries, the topics to avoid are religion and politics. Spain remains as divided between left and right as it has been for decades, perhaps even more so since the emergence of far-right groups such as Voice and far-left alliances such as Sumar and Can.

Football is, in general, a sure-fire topic. For many Madrileños, with their three top-flight teams – Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid and Rayo Vallecano – sport comes second to food on their list of priorities. And asking about someone’s family is often a good idea: family units in Madrid, and Spain in general, tend to remain incredibly close-knit, as can be seen any weekend of the year when generations gather together for long, leisurely meals in restaurants.

In Spanish culture, it is also much more common to interrupt others while they are speaking. Don’t be offended and don’t be afraid to insist on your point of view if you are interrupted, whether during a business meeting or in a social setting.

One misstep to avoid is asking whether Madrid’s water is drinkable: there are few things that Madrid residents are as proud of as the quality of their tap water.

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