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EVERYDAY ARGENTINA

Life in Argentina, explained

Argentina has its own rhythms and social customs, and some everyday routines can feel different to visitors from the United States or Europe. Lunch and dinner often happen later than foreigners expect, and social plans can be more flexible about time.

Greetings, tipping and daily interactions also have their own conventions. A little familiarity with these habits can make it much easier to navigate restaurants, shops, work and social life.

Language: Spanish & English

Business hours & schedules

Many shops close for a few hours in the early afternoon for the siesta (an afternoon rest), particularly outside the largest cities, and reopen into the evening. Many people also stop for merienda, a light late-afternoon meal of coffee or mate with something sweet, which helps bridge the gap to a late dinner. Dinner runs later than in the United States or northern Europe: 9 or 10 p.m. is a normal time to sit down at a restaurant in Buenos Aires, and some places do not open their kitchens much earlier than that. Dinner at 7 p.m. is possible, but you will likely have the dining room to yourself. Nightlife follows the same shifted clock: bars and boliches (the local word for nightclubs) often do not fill up until well past midnight and keep going until 5 or 6 a.m., sometimes even later. Arriving at 11 p.m. counts as early.

Tipping in Argentina

Tipping is not expected the way it is in the United States, but it is still appreciated. In restaurants, around 10 percent is standard when service isn't already included; rounding up or leaving small change is common for cafés, taxis and casual services rather than a strict percentage. Many restaurants add a small optional cover charge (cubierto) for bread and table service, which is separate from a tip.

Customs & everyday etiquette

A single cheek kiss is the standard greeting between acquaintances, including in many first-time introductions and business contexts, a departure from the handshake-first norm in much of the English-speaking world. Social plans are often treated with more flexibility around timing than in the United States or northern Europe, particularly for informal gatherings, though punctuality is expected in professional settings. An invitation to a dinner party at 9 p.m. is generally understood as a starting range rather than a time. Argentines are generally warm and conversational with strangers, and small talk before getting to business is normal rather than a delay to work through.

Argentina's 2026 feriados

National public holidays for 2026. Dates and classifications follow the Argentine government's official calendar.