Dinner vs Supper

For years my wife and I have argued about Dinner vs Supper.  Believe it or not depending on which part of the country you are in saying dinner can actually mean lunch.  My wife thought I was just stupid for years when I would argue with her that I had heard people use dinner to mean lunch.  I searched the Internet over for proof that I wasn't crazy and finally found something.

image

Standard Version

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Southern Version

  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
  • Supper

The word "supper" typically means the last mean of the day but for whatever reason it isn't used much outside of the South.  I lived in Michigan for eight years and cannot recall a single time I ever heard someone say supper.  The word "dinner" means the main meal of the day.  Obviously this is more vague and since you are not suppose to eat a heavy meal before going to bed I think this is why people have adopted saying dinner to also mean lunch.  Dinner is usually eaten in the evening, but it can be eaten at lunchtime.

To fix the world's confusion I think this is what we should do.

My Version

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Supper

This solves the problem of even using the word dinner and avoids confusion since supper is the last meal of the day.  Logical, easy, no confusion.

posted @ Friday, March 14, 2008 7:22 PM

Print

Comments on this entry:

# re: Dinner vs Supper

Left by Brian Sullivan at 3/14/2008 8:19 PM
Gravatar

I'm right there with ya, Keith. I use that very same combination.

# re: Dinner vs Supper

Left by chris at 3/15/2008 12:14 AM
Gravatar

Here's a better idea: breakfest, lunch, dinner.
The south lost, the north won. Move on ya southern bastards.

# re: Dinner vs Supper

Left by Jay R. Wren at 3/15/2008 7:17 PM
Gravatar

I'm there with ya too Keith.

But I use the word dinner when it is the biggest meal of the day. So if we site down for sunday dinner at noon, 1, 2 or 3 pm. It is dinner. But on saturday when we were just running around and didn't have a big meal. That was lunch.

We called it supper when I was growing up in Michigan. But I am the child of 2 people who grew up on farms. North Indiana farmers call it supper.

# re: Dinner vs Supper

Left by matt at 3/20/2008 11:15 AM
Gravatar

So funny Keith ... my girlfriend and I were arguing about this last week because I enjoy late night snack / meal at around 10pm ... I call this supper and we have argued about it ever since ...

For some reason some people consider these late night meals supper ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supper

# re: Dinner vs Supper

Left by Michael Kimsal at 3/25/2008 7:01 AM
Gravatar

A lot of people in the UK use "dinner" to mean lunch as well. When we're watching shows people will say "see you at dinnertime" and they generally mean noonish (lunch). "Dinner" might be a regional UK thing as well - I can't say for sure.

# re: Dinner vs Supper

Left by Michael Kimsal at 3/25/2008 7:05 AM
Gravatar

Just got the update from Lesley - "dinner" is generally used by "working class" people to mean lunch.

"Working class" people - breakfast/dinner/tea

Most people use breakfast/lunch/dinner

Posh people - breakfast/luncheon/supper

# re: Dinner vs Supper

Left by Keith Elder at 3/25/2008 7:35 AM
Gravatar

I had no idea I would have been considered Posh :)

(from wikipedia)
"Sometimes, there is some implication of ostentation or snobbery in such a description, and it is usually used in a derogatory fashion. In the UK it often refers to people who have a higher social background and associate themselves with members of the upper class or speak according to received pronunciation."

 re: Dinner vs Supper

Left by Leonard Thompson at 8/24/2008 3:25 PM
Gravatar

I grew up in rural Minnesota. It was always Breakfast, Dinner, Supper in that order.
If we went out to eat at a fancy place it was to a Supper Club for the evening meal. Supper Clubs were open evenings only. We would sometimes eat at a Cafe or Restaurant as those places served meals all day long. There you could have Breakfast, Dinner or Supper. Johnny Cash had a song about, "come home come home it's Supper time, the shadows lengthen fast............" Supper in that case was evening.
Never heard of a Dinner Club. When we went to school we carried a Lunch Box or Dinner Pail.

Your comment:






 
 
 
Please add 1 and 3 and type the answer here:
 

Live Comment Preview:

 
«September»
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
31123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
2829301234
567891011