¿Qué tal? is used in both, informal and formal situations, so you can greet an elderly person with ¿qué tal?

Is Hola que tal formal or informal?

This greeting is most definitely informal.

Is Que tal a common greeting in Spanish?

“¿Qué tal?” is also a very general greeting. You can use this with anyone, regardless of age or how well you know them, as it works for formal and informal settings. It’s a prevalent way of greeting someone, widely used between locals in Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries.

When we hear “¿qué tal?” in everyday conversations, what we are often hearing is a shortened version of “¿qué tal estás?” or “how are you?” This is a very common expression to use for a variety of different situations and is acceptable for when you are meeting up with friends or just running into someone you haven’t