Eating out in Brazil today

Abstract

This article aims to explore the meanings and practices of eating out in Brazilian daily life. Since the mid-1980s, this practice has been spreading and diversifying in Brazil. Based on a series of three qualitative/quantitative surveys carried out between 2005 and 2015 in major Brazilian urban centres, we identified a clear distinction between eating out at weekdays and at weekends. At weekdays, by association with work, commitments and studies, this practice is perceived as both an obligation and an expense. At weekends, however, its association with leisure, family and friends makes it a pleasant investment and a cultural product. In this context, the meanings of eating at home versus eating out change, as well as the sense of the meals, selection of restaurants, sociability patterns and even the ethos of eating.