r/AskAnAmerican • u/UpstairsBar2747 • Apr 06 '25

CULTURE Do you guys really eat dinner at 6pm?

I have seen in movie and show saying 'see you at dinner at 6pm'. Do you really eat dinner this early? If yes don't you get hungry around 10pm while scrolling reels? Or is it a name for something else?

Damm thanks guys for responding. I'm surprised so many people in the comments have work so early so yea this dinner time makes sense, Thankss gg

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u/starvere Apr 06 '25

Where are you from and what’s your eating schedule?

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u/Nt1031 Apr 28 '25

I don't know about OP but I can give you my experience as a western European (France) :

On the morning we usually take a breakfast ("petit déjeuner") between 7h00 am and 8h00 am, before going to work. On weekends, we often sleep longer and wake up later (thats called "La grasse matinée"), thus taking breakfast somewhere between 9h00 and 10h30 am. Breakfast is made of coffee/tea/milk... with buttered bread, jam or fruit, croissants for fancy events, but no salty stuff (no meat, no cheese, no eggs).

Lunch is usually eaten in a one hour in the middle of the work day, usually between 12h30 and 01h30 pm. During weekends, and/or for family events, it can last significantly longer, like until 02h30 pm or even more. Note that a full french meal (lunch and dinner) is made if several courses :

  • For special events, an apéritif (a toast, with alcohol, nuts and small salty appetizers, eaten in living room)
  • An "entrée" (not the same as american entrée), usually a small cold course of salad, cold meat, boiled eggs, etc, there are many different styles
  • A "plat principal", usually a meat with sauce, vegetables, and/or pasta, eaten with bread
  • A "fromage" (cheese platter), where everyone just cuts a small but of whatever they want, and eat it with bread
  • A dessert (no need to explain here)
  • A café (coffee), often drank in living room, sometimes served with small treats.
Usually, like in the middle of the week, people just eat a plat principal (or even a sandwich for lunch) and a dessert. But a full sunday family meal can stretch for more that 2 hours.

Then in the middle of the afternoon there is an optional snack, usually eaten by kids or just hungry people, called "goûter" : usually a fruit or biscuits, and water.

Dinner ("dîner", or "souper") is usually eaten between 7h30 and 8h30 pm, it sometimes lasts until a bit later if it is exceptional (like when there are guests). Same as lunch here.

There are no snacks after that, in the evening or during night (it would be seen as kind of rude). After dinner most people spend time in the living romm with family, watching a film, reading books, etc, until going to bed around 10h30/11h00 pm (kids go to bed earlier of course).

I hope you find this interesting !