What time is dinner in Chile?
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One of the funniest things I’ve come across is asking people what time dinner is in Chile. It’s actually become kind of a staple in my tours. Some participants have been here two, three, even four times. Others have spent five weeks traveling through every little town Chile has to offer. And still—when I ask them, usually near the end of their trip, “What time is dinner in Chile?”—they hesitate.
Then I tell them it’s a trick question. People usually say, “Oh, it must be really late, because between 7:00 and 9:00 p.m., not a single local was around.” Others say, “On Sundays and Mondays, every restaurant seemed to be closed—we didn’t get what the deal was.” Some even thought it was because they were staying in a touristy area, or that locals avoided those places because of tourists. |
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And that’s when I break the news:
Nope. None of that. We’re just very different people.
While everybody else is having dinner, we’re sitting around having tea—at tea houses or fuentes de soda, which are classic spots known for giant sandwiches, and either a tea, a soda, or—for those looking to spice it up a little—a beer.
Now let me explain the two theories of elevenses—or what we call once.
Nope. None of that. We’re just very different people.
While everybody else is having dinner, we’re sitting around having tea—at tea houses or fuentes de soda, which are classic spots known for giant sandwiches, and either a tea, a soda, or—for those looking to spice it up a little—a beer.
Now let me explain the two theories of elevenses—or what we call once.
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Two Theories on “Once” (or “Onces,” if You Ask an Elder)
When it comes to our beloved once—the tea-and-bread meal Chileans eat in the evening—there are two main theories: The first is a widely believed myth: Many Chileans say that the word once comes from the eleven letters in aguardiente, the local firewater. Supposedly, workers who wanted to drink secretly would say, “Let’s go have the eleven,” as a coded way to avoid saying they were drinking alcohol. Over time, this “eleven” supposedly evolved into the name for an entire mealtime. The second? Well... it’s my historical studies and putting two and two together; I think you'll see that it makes a lot more sense. Also worth noting: older generations in Chile don’t say once—they say onces, with an S at the end. Why are we pluralizing eleven? That’s already your first clue that something strange is going on. |
During the early 20th century, in the bustling nitrate mining town of Humberstone, Chile, workers observed a mid-morning break reminiscent of the British "elevenses." This pause provided a much-needed respite from the harsh desert conditions of the Atacama. Given Humberstone's British influences, it's plausible that this tradition was inspired by British customs, offering workers a moment to recharge with tea and light snacks before resuming their labor-intensive tasks |
Lord Cochrane Having Elevenses
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Lord Cochrane and the British Blueprint
I once read that when Lord Cochrane came to Chile, he spoke French at the dinner table. And people were blown away. Chileans had never seen someone so refined—well-dressed, tall, handsome, speaking French, drinking wine, talking about architecture. Because you’ve got to remember, back then an admiral wasn’t just someone who sailed ships. They were part of high society. They were expected to know about culture, history, science—everything. Admirals were the Renaissance men of their time. So it makes perfect sense that Chileans wanted to be like them. And not just the elite—the middle class, too. |
The Real Routine: Tea Culture Long Before the Saltpeter Era
Let’s imagine the daily life of a British businessman living in Valparaíso in the 1820s or 1830s. It probably went something like this:
07:30 AM wake up and "wash" (people didn't shower back then).
08:15-08:30 Breakfast with the family (or something similar to breakfast / Le Petit Déjeuner).
09:00 Morning meetings or work engagements.
11:00 Elevenses, a mid-morning tea and snack, with clients or colleagues.
Between 12:30-13:00 , Lunch, either business or family.
15:00 Afternoon tea. This couls have been something alone, or with clients, or with family.
16:00 More meetings.
17:00 Five o’clock tea—either formal or casual, and this also marked the beginnning of pre-dinner social activities, such as walks, carriage rides, reading, indoor card games, visits to friends, etc.
Supper or dinner parties in the evening with the family, normally starting between 18:00 and 19:00.
This routine wasn’t secret. It was visible. And for Chileans working in those homes—serving tea, pouring drinks, setting out scones and cookies they couldn’t even afford—it was aspirational.
And it didn’t take 100 years to catch on.
Tea culture had already taken root in Chile long before the saltpeter towns of the 1920s. A key date to keep in mind is 1914, when many British families who had been living in Chile for almost a hundred years left to go fight the Great War. Back then, if your parents were British—even if you were born in Chile—you were still considered a British subject, and you were expected to serve.
So, by the time the British left, their tea customs had already become a quiet part of Chilean life.
Why the “Aguardiente Has 11 Letters” Theory Doesn’t Hold Up
Let’s circle back to the popular explanation.
The word once supposedly came from the eleven letters in aguardiente—a nickname used to discreetly reference drinking.
Cute? Sure.
Realistic? Not really.
It’s a stretch to believe that people would go from hiding their alcohol breaks to sipping tea with bread in front of their kids. Even more so in cities like Iquique and Valparaíso, where British tea culture was already present and prestigious.
However, to give that theory some credit, here's where it gets interesting:
To this day, we say "tomar once"—to drink eleven. And that phrasing helps explain why the aguardiente story became so widespread. Even if it's historically shaky, once people started believing it, they began saying “drink eleven” to refer to the meal. That helped lock the myth into the culture.
But it likely wasn’t always like that.
Before the nitrate boom and the saltpeter rush in places like Iquique and Humberstone, Chileans probably said something more like “come over to my house for onces.” It was a meal, not a drink. But after the drinking story caught on, the phrase "tomar once" became the norm—even if most people weren’t drinking anything stronger than tea. So there’s a bit of truth in the language—but not necessarily in the origin.
And let’s not forget: Chile has never been known for great coffee. We’re far from Colombia and Brazil, so coffee was never our strong suit. Tea? That made sense. It was imported by the British, stored well, and adopted quickly.
Let’s imagine the daily life of a British businessman living in Valparaíso in the 1820s or 1830s. It probably went something like this:
07:30 AM wake up and "wash" (people didn't shower back then).
08:15-08:30 Breakfast with the family (or something similar to breakfast / Le Petit Déjeuner).
09:00 Morning meetings or work engagements.
11:00 Elevenses, a mid-morning tea and snack, with clients or colleagues.
Between 12:30-13:00 , Lunch, either business or family.
15:00 Afternoon tea. This couls have been something alone, or with clients, or with family.
16:00 More meetings.
17:00 Five o’clock tea—either formal or casual, and this also marked the beginnning of pre-dinner social activities, such as walks, carriage rides, reading, indoor card games, visits to friends, etc.
Supper or dinner parties in the evening with the family, normally starting between 18:00 and 19:00.
This routine wasn’t secret. It was visible. And for Chileans working in those homes—serving tea, pouring drinks, setting out scones and cookies they couldn’t even afford—it was aspirational.
And it didn’t take 100 years to catch on.
Tea culture had already taken root in Chile long before the saltpeter towns of the 1920s. A key date to keep in mind is 1914, when many British families who had been living in Chile for almost a hundred years left to go fight the Great War. Back then, if your parents were British—even if you were born in Chile—you were still considered a British subject, and you were expected to serve.
So, by the time the British left, their tea customs had already become a quiet part of Chilean life.
Why the “Aguardiente Has 11 Letters” Theory Doesn’t Hold Up
Let’s circle back to the popular explanation.
The word once supposedly came from the eleven letters in aguardiente—a nickname used to discreetly reference drinking.
Cute? Sure.
Realistic? Not really.
It’s a stretch to believe that people would go from hiding their alcohol breaks to sipping tea with bread in front of their kids. Even more so in cities like Iquique and Valparaíso, where British tea culture was already present and prestigious.
However, to give that theory some credit, here's where it gets interesting:
To this day, we say "tomar once"—to drink eleven. And that phrasing helps explain why the aguardiente story became so widespread. Even if it's historically shaky, once people started believing it, they began saying “drink eleven” to refer to the meal. That helped lock the myth into the culture.
But it likely wasn’t always like that.
Before the nitrate boom and the saltpeter rush in places like Iquique and Humberstone, Chileans probably said something more like “come over to my house for onces.” It was a meal, not a drink. But after the drinking story caught on, the phrase "tomar once" became the norm—even if most people weren’t drinking anything stronger than tea. So there’s a bit of truth in the language—but not necessarily in the origin.
And let’s not forget: Chile has never been known for great coffee. We’re far from Colombia and Brazil, so coffee was never our strong suit. Tea? That made sense. It was imported by the British, stored well, and adopted quickly.
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So, it’s safe to say that if you’re walking around town on a Sunday night looking for a restaurant that’s open—not inside a hotel—and you’re not finding anything, and it’s 7 p.m.?
You’re two hours too late. Because we started having tea two hours prior to that. And chances are, it’s happening inside people’s homes. |
Do you want to experience an Chilean Elevenses? |
