Meal Hours
Chileans usually eat four meals a day, beginning with a light breakfast of toast with a well sugared cup of tea or coffee. Visitors need not worry if they crave a huge plate of eggs or fresh squeezed juice because many hotels and resorts offer more elaborate choices.
Lunch, the day's main meal, is generally served between about 1 and 3 pm, when some restaurants offer excellent fixed-price specials in addition to their regular menu. Many businesses shut their doors during these hours and it is not unusual for a large company to let its phone ring and ring during this time.
As in many parts of the world, extended lunches can be more than just meals among businessmen. In late afternoon, between about 5 and 7 pm, it is common to take onces (afternoon tea), which usually consists of a sandwich and some kind of dessert or pastry, plus tea or coffee. Dinner is rarely earlier than 9 pm and often runs as late as midnight. These meal times reflect the nature of the Chilean workday; Chileans usually begin work at 9am and finish in the late evening around 8pm after taking the long lunch in early afternoon. It is normal for working people to go to bed after midnight on a regular basis during the week.
