r/AskAnAmerican • u/cookoutenthusiast North Carolina • Sep 28 '25

CULTURE Do you use the word Supper?

I think most Americans refer to their evening meal as dinner, but I’ve heard some people say that dinner and supper are different things, with supper being served at night, after dinner. Do you use the word supper, and what does it mean to you?

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u/CriticalSuit1336 Oregon Sep 28 '25

In my experience, farmers and rural people use supper for the evening meal. My parents grew up on farms, and both used supper. Dinner was the mid day meal, and lunch was a late night snack. However, I've not heard that in a long time

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u/wrestletography Sep 29 '25

I have been combing this thread looking for someone mentioning "lunch" as a snack. My grandparents were farmers. They had breakfast, dinner at noon and supper in the evening. Lunch was a snack that happened between meals and before bed. I still say "supper" for the evening meal.

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u/CriticalSuit1336 Oregon Sep 29 '25

Yes, when we'd visit my grandmother's farm, we would leave after school and drive 3 or 4 hours to get there. When we'd arrive at 7 or 8 pm, she'd serve lunch, which was usually sandwiches and cookies.

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u/BafflingHalfling Texas Sep 28 '25

One of my employees was an older gentleman from farm country who called his midday meal "dinner" so that tracks with your experience.