What time do Americans have dinner?

I read an interesting parenting book a while back that said, if family meals are important to you, and so are youth sports, you might consider having breakfast be the family meal.

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beka13@reddit

I love the problem-solving in that statement.

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I felt this so deep in my kid ubering soul. There's nights I can make dinner, there's nights where we grab something quick in between, and there's nights where we all just raid the fridge and "figure it out" together.

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Relevant-Ad4156@reddit

We call that last one the "whatever you night". No, that's not a typo. One of the kids tried to repeat "whatever you find night", and missed the word. So that's what we've called it ever since.

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Traveler108@reddit

I'm 74 and I think that 4:30 is way too early for dinner. I have dinner between 7 and 8:30. 4:30 if you're hungry is an apple or a cookie or tea but dinner? Nope.

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saltporksuit@reddit

My spouse had a weird schedule when we first got married in our 20’s so we often ate really early. We quickly discovered that eating out at 4:30 to 5 meant no crowds and the first stuff out of the kitchen preparing for the rush. It’s been many, many years now and we still try to early bird it. So saddle up, nana and pop pop, it’s dinner time!

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t_bone_stake@reddit

Nothing wrong with the early bird

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TheBimpo@reddit

I think it’s fair to say that most of us would consider that to be a bit early. We have a massive population with a massive amount of different lifestyles, but I think you’ll find that between 5-7:00 is the most common time that most people would agree to.

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GrunchWeefer@reddit

5 is super early. I'd say like 6:30-8:30 or 9.

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skucera@reddit

TBF, everything is an hour later on the East Coast.

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Learning_Lion@reddit

Agree. I finish work around 5:30 and am lucky to get home by 6:30. If I’m also cooking that night, we’d be lucky to eat by 7:30. I usually get my son to shower while I’m cooking so that he can eat dinner, brush his teeth, then go straight to sleep after.

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GrunchWeefer@reddit

Do people really eat at 5 in the Midwest? I haven't even left work at that time, yet. I think 6:30-7:30 is the norm here. Friends from immigrant families from some parts of the world seem to eat even later. Like I have Indian friends with families that eat super late every day, at 9 or 9:30.

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HonoraryBallsack@reddit

In Spain dinner is eaten between like 9:30pm and midnight.

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katrain82@reddit

We spent the summer in Spain. I absolutely love the country, but I can’t stand the dinner hour!

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HonoraryBallsack@reddit

I studied there a long time ago for a year and loved the schedule! But I was partying out late every night and sleeping every siesta until my host mom's seafood cooking would wake me up around 10pm.

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kgiann@reddit

Midwest checking in: I normally eat dinner at 4:30. It's 5:00 Central, and I just finished having dinner.

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one-off-one@reddit

Counter Midwesterner im probably going to eat dinner tonight at 8:30

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kgiann@reddit

Ope

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Writes4Living@reddit

Midwest checking in. I like to eat 530-6. I go to bed early so dinner needs to be done early.

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WarNerve74@reddit

Honestly, we used to eat dinner at 3:30, my dad went to bed at 7 to be up at 2 am, so right after school we’d eat dinner.

But usually gatherings and Holliday parties usually start around 4 in south east Wisconsin

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Hungry_Reading6475@reddit

Midwest here. We eat at 5:30 but a lot of our friends/ neighbors eat around 6 to 6:30. Any later than that would be considered late for eating at home though, barring unusual circumstances.

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skucera@reddit

No, my family eats between 6 and 7, but I have kids who need to eat on a quasi-predictable schedule and then need to get to sleep before school in the morning.

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stirwhip@reddit

And still they do everything three hours early.

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krombopulousnathan@reddit

That’s so late haha

We eat typically between 5:30 and 7:00 and we are mid 30’s

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TheBimpo@reddit

Lots of people work a 7-3, 7-4, 8-5 etc.

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apgtimbough@reddit

Agreed. I get done with work at 4pm. I work from home and start making dinner almost immediately after stopping. So we eat anywhere from 4:30-6 (depending on what I'm cooking). And I'd say we eat earlier than most people.

But if we're going out? I usually do dinner reservations at 6-8pm (depending on the restaurant, who we're with, and what's available). 4:30 dinner at a restaurant is early. I wouldn't call it "weird" just a bit early.

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Do_I_Need_Pants@reddit

8pm?? I’d die 😭

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Past-Apartment-8455@reddit

Could be worse. I normally skip dinner.

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Do_I_Need_Pants@reddit

I skip breakfast, can’t skip dinner.

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dwhite21787@reddit

Breakfast is one of the five most important meals of the day!

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EdgeCityRed@reddit

FIVE?

Breakfast at 7 AM

Second Breakfast at 9 AM

Elevenses at 11 AM

Luncheon at 1 PM

Afternoon Tea at 3 PM

Dinner at 6 PM

Supper at 9 PM

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ProfessionalHour3639@reddit

What are you eating at “dinner” and then “supper”? Is dinner like an appetizer situation?

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Willowsatine@reddit

That's a hobbit you're responding to.

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FarmerExternal@reddit

I usually just eat dinner

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Pewpew_Magoon@reddit

Breakfast skipping gang, rise up!

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sahniejoons@reddit

6:30 pm

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ratmom666@reddit

4:30 dinner isn’t very common here as far as I know. That’s way too early and it’s more of a snack time or something. A more common dinner time is 6pm-8pm

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maxwasatch@reddit

5-7 usually. Evening activities tend to start at 6:30-7:00

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clunkclunk@reddit

Before we had kids, 7. When the kids were toddlers it was around 5 so we have time to clean them up before bedtime around 6:30. Now that they're all school aged, about 6 or so.

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Specialist-Two2068@reddit

It's a little early. Most people eat dinner between 6:00 and 7:00 PM on a normal workday, assuming both spouses work (and they normally come home around 5:30 to 6:00 PM, and assuming about 1 hr meal prep). On a weekend some people might eat earlier, but it would still be between 5:00 and 6:00 PM.

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DankBlunderwood@reddit

Traditionally people get off work at 5:00, and start making dinner when they get home. So usually between 6:00 and 7:30 would be the usual timeframe.

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scrapcats@reddit

4:30pm is definitely too early for me. I don't finish work until 6pm most days, so I'm usually eating closer to 7.

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seajayacas@reddit

It depends. If you work until 7:00pm or so, you ain't gonna eat all that early. If you don't have to work a lot of hours you tend to eat earlier.

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FarmerExternal@reddit

My family usually does dinner between 6-7. If I’m alone it’s anytime 7-10 honestly

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NickCharlesYT@reddit

It'd be weird for me, but I don't exactly consider my schedule to be normal. I typically have breakfast at 9 lunch usually between 1-2 (I always try for noon but can never quite get away from work long enough until later in the afternoon), and dinner tends to be super late around 8-10. Go to bed around 1am and do it all again the next morning.

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kgxv@reddit

Most people haven’t even left work by 4:30. When I was high school, dinner would be somewhere in the 6:45-8:00 range. Now that I’m an adult, dinner is whenever I get home and have the energy/appetite to make something. 4:30 is an insane time to have dinner unless you’re going to sleep at 7:00.

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AardvarkSweet1279@reddit

I’m just getting home at 4:30 so that wouldn’t work for me honestly

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jaethegreatone@reddit

A lot of people work 9-5.

Me personally, I just ate breakfast at 4:30pm.

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Low-Cat4360@reddit

Due to work, 4:30 is often the time I have lunch. Then dinner is around 11pm. This is pretty normal for a lot of people I know, especially for restaurant workers

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anglenk@reddit

I eat around 9, but I also work/live a nocturnal life in Phoenix and don't like to eat when it is hot.

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scaredofmyownshadow@reddit

I’m nocturnal also and have lunch around 5 pm and dinner around 9:30 or 10.

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Swine70@reddit

4 for supper 7 for dinner.

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TopperMadeline@reddit

No, but older adults tend to eat dinner that early.

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LoverlyRails@reddit

My parents prefer to eat dinner at 4 pm and be in bed before 8.

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scaredofmyownshadow@reddit

My parents (well, just my mom now) are usually in bed by 8:00, read for an hour and asleep by 9:00. The alarm is set for 7:30 am every morning, even in retirement. 7:30 - 8:30 is for drinking coffee and reading the newspapers in bed before preparing for a surprisingly full day.

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Watchfull_Hosemaster@reddit

Before kids, around 7:30 - 8:00.

After kids, around 6:00 - 6:30.

4:30 would be a late lunch for me.

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WthAmIEvenDoing@reddit

I don’t even know if this is specific to any certain region. I think each family eats based on what time they get off work, what activities they may have after work/kids sports practices etc. I don’t eat at the same time every day. It also depends on if I’m cooking and how long it takes to prepare the meal.

My grandfather worked at the same company for 52 years. He would wake up around 330am and get home around 330pm. They always ate at 4:30. The only other time I have eaten that early is when my kids were babies and went to bed early.

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nanalovesncaa@reddit

We eat between 5-6. I like to have dinner and dishes done by 6.

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AHockeyFish@reddit

Around 7-8 usually.

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fishred@reddit

When it comes to a weekday dinner, that would be considered unusually early for most people. I think it might be a bit more common on Sunday, which might be earlier for two reasons:

(a) it's not uncommon to do have a Sunday brunch (especially after church), which is usually earlier than lunch would be, so dinner is moved up as well; and

(b) some people have big family dinners on Sunday that potentially combine multiple households, and the earlier dinner gives everyone the chance to relax and visit and still get home at an early enough time.

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someolive2@reddit

early! everyone has GERD

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MrsGrumpyFace@reddit

We do 4:45-6, depending on when dad gets home/if I have to work in the evening. Little kids so we need to feed them before they become monsters and both adults just like having the dinner ready for the other.

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Odd-Help-4293@reddit

I think most people are still at work or driving home at 4:30. But maybe if you're retired. I would say 6 or 7 are more common times.

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itsmejustmeonlyme@reddit

I work varying shifts in retail so my dinner time changes all the time.

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DeLaVegaStyle@reddit

4:30 is early and would be considered a tad weird. Normal dinner time is generally between 5:00-7:00, with 5:00 being on the early side of normal. But if there little kids involved, 5:00 dinner is more normal. In a lot of bigger cities, especially on the east coast, dinner tends to be a bit later. On weekends, dinner tends to be a bit later, more like 6:00-9:00.

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4cats-inatrenchcoat@reddit

I'm 22 with a non 9-5 job and no kids and I eat from 6-8. Anything before 5 is too early to me. The only times I do eat that early are Easter, Thanksgiving, & Christmas since my family makes dinner for those holidays.

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03zx3@reddit

That's a little early. I'd say more like 6:00

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obriensg1@reddit

I work until about 4:30. If I cook, which I typically do, I aim for 6, or 6:30 at the latest

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GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit

That would be early for most people.

I rarely eat a real dinner. We usually just snack during the evenings. Lunch is the big meal in our home.

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marshallandy83@reddit

Lots of working-class people in the UK call lunch "dinner", because the word used to refer to the largest meal of the day which, for those of us doing manual labour, would've been the meal at midday.

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Deolater@reddit

The mid-day meal is called "dinner" in a lot of books.

Personally, I don't really use the word "dinner". My evening meal is "supper".

I've been told this is old-fashioned

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mrsolodolo69@reddit

growing up in NC all my old southern relatives always called it supper.

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GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit

You will find dinner to mean the same here to similar groups of people.

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Weekly_Candidate_823@reddit

Agreed, I bring a whole spread with me to work for a good lunch. It usually includes an entree, a side, a fruit, and some bread maybe.

Snack around 4-5:30.

Dinner is just a small meal around 8. Can be more or less depending on my hunger level.

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theshortlady@reddit

We do the same with a largish snack in the evening around six, a prandicle if you will.

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GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit

I just learned a new word.

Thank you.

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rr90013@reddit

That sounds very European

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AshDenver@reddit

6:30pm / 1830 in our house. 1630 would be Old People Early Bird Special dinner time.

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TemerariousChallenge@reddit

That would be considered rather early for any day other thank Thanksgiving, I'd say

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myshellly@reddit

It would be a tad early, but I’d rather eat earlier than later.

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MattieShoes@reddit

4:30 is early, and associated with old people. But it's still reasonably common... I'd say 5:30 to 6:30 is normal, but anywhere from about 4:30 to 8:00, depending on stuff like the day of the week, when you wake up, when you last ate, etc.

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greasyprophesy@reddit

I’m not even off work till 7pm

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senatorpjt@reddit

I used to eat dinner somewhere between 6-8pm, have been eating somewhere between 4-6 now that I have kids. If I wait until later they will fill up on snacks and shit

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Gunslinger_247@reddit

Growing up we are at 430.

Now that I'm married with my own family we eat around 530.

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Just_Me1973@reddit

We usually eat around 5:30/6:00 at our house.

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parvares@reddit

4:30 is the end of my work day. I still consider it the afternoon. I don’t get off until 5pm.

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toilet_roll_rebel@reddit

I have a friend who eats at 5 pm due to severe heartburn. When I stayed with her for a few months, we ate separately. I usually eat 7-8.

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AllSoulsNight@reddit

Now if you're old timey folk in the south, dinner is the noon meal. But anyway, supper is usually 6-ish. Sometimes in the summer, we eat supper around 5, then go work in the yard. Old folk tend to do early bird supper around 4:30. Some restaurants have early bird specials for such folk.

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2Beer_Sillies@reddit

Whenever we want to

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TheHappy_13@reddit

At the firehouse, dinner is on the table at 6 pm. Every 5 minutes after 6 pm is $1 off the money that each person owes to the buyer. If a run makes dinner late, something beyond our control, or it is made known that dinner will be late the $1 off is null and void.

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einsteinGO@reddit

I don’t even get home from work until 7pm. Sometimes we eat at 9/10.

4:30 could be lunch for me. And I get up at 4:10 in the morning, lol

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Stickyfynger@reddit

6/7 bc we go to bed by 9:30/10…

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Supersaiyanmrpopo69@reddit

I eat lunch at 430

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everyoneinside72@reddit

4:39-5:30

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Squirrel179@reddit

My family eats at 4, which is definitely earlier than is typical. The adults will have another snack/small meal around 10pm.

My kid has sports in the evenings that start at 5, so we have to eat before practice. There's not enough time after to get dinner, a shower, and get to bed on time. Plus, we get hungry.

There's no "dinner time" that's specific to American culture. Families do whatever works for them.

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travelinmatt76@reddit

I usually eat around 6, but if I'm working by the time I get home and showered it 7pm

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Hotsauce4ever@reddit

I grew up with dinner on the table at exactly 5:30 pm every evening. I grew up in a very traditional family—dad did his 9-5 and mom stayed at home.

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ghjm@reddit

Restaurants that close between lunch and dinner typically open for dinner at 5pm. If you go to a fast food place at 4:30pm you'll usually find it pretty empty.

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Guy2700@reddit

It would be a bit weird for most people as most people get off of work around 4-5 pm

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Top-Comfortable-4789@reddit

Most people would consider that early. Dinner time varies person to person. My family eats dinner around 5:00-5:30pm and I eat dinner around 7:00pm when I’m not eating with them. I have friends that eat dinner around 10:00pm or later.

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Kineth@reddit

That's on time if I'm 80 years old.

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TallDudeInSC@reddit

It depends of your family and your lifestyle. I eat dinner at 6:30p at home, but usually 7:30-8p when I eat out.

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Ralfsalzano@reddit

In NYC we eat at 10-12am lol

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KR1735@reddit

4:30 is quite early.

It varies, but my family typically has dinner at 6pm unless there are activities going on.

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taniamorse85@reddit

4:30 isn't out of the ordinary for me, but that's because I have a roommate who has to eat on a schedule. She doesn't cook, so I make sure dinner is ready anywhere from 4 to 4:30. Sometimes, I'll eat at the same time as her, and sometimes, I'll eat later. If I were just cooking for myself, though, I'd probably eat around 6.

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libertarianlove@reddit

It’s a little early but I also depends on when you go to bed. If you are in bed and asleep by 8 due to working a very early shift then that would be a normal time.

I would say anywhere from 5:30-7:30 would be a typical dinner time in the US.

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Spiritual_Lemonade@reddit

Anywhere from 5 to 10pm Children and the advanced elderly are the 5 scene. 6-6:30 is for families or people home from work. 7 is sports people and the fancy people start eating now. 8 still sports and more fancy people 9 the last bit of sports and mostly fancy people 10 this is when ritzy fancy people and Europeans eat

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ZLUCremisi@reddit

Yeah. Especially with kids who have after school programs or sports. They go till 5/6 some times.

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AmericanMinotaur@reddit

6:00 pm for me.

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MattinglyDineen@reddit

If you have a kid who plays baseball then in the spring you either eat dinner at 4:00 or 9:00.

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CapitalFill4@reddit

6-8 is normal dinner time imo. I’m more likely to push it later than earlier due to other commitments but 6-8 sounds right.

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Vera_Kai@reddit

6pm.

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YB9017@reddit

My husband gets home at 7. We typically eat at 8 :/ but I think that’s later than what’s normal.

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bytenob@reddit

6 pm on the dot.

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thedawntreader85@reddit

Whenever we want.

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_Internet_Hugs_@reddit

6:00 is pretty standard, earlier if you have younger kids and later if you have a long commute.

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Routine_Phone_2550@reddit

Usually sometime around 6:00-7:00 pm, but there’s some variation, especially if there’s children. People tend to be flexible on the matter.

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i-touched-morrissey@reddit

5:30-6 pm for me. Some people I know call the noon meal dinner and the evening meal supper. I use lunch and dinner. Supper is weird.

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Dont_Wanna_Not_Gonna@reddit

Do you mean dinner or supper?

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HotButteredPoptart@reddit

In about 20 minutes.

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No-Profession422@reddit

Usually 7-8pm timeframe.

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RodeoBoss66@reddit

If you live a general existence between 6 AM and midnight, 4:30 would likely be considered a fairly early dinner, unless you’re a senior citizen (62 and older), especially if you live in a retirement community, where it would be considered fairly normal.

If you’re in agriculture or another field, and you usually get up between 2 AM and 4:30 AM, it would probably be considered a normal dinner (also often called “supper”) time.

If you work the graveyard shift (11 PM to 7 AM), which some people do, 4:30 PM would probably be breakfast.

There is no right or wrong answer. Your dinner time is whenever it needs to be.

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TravelerMSY@reddit

Only somebody that had to be at work at 5 AM would eat dinner that early

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blueprint_01@reddit

Earlier dinners are becoming more common because of intermittent fasting.

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Do_I_Need_Pants@reddit

I have eaten dinner anywhere between 4:30-6:30.

My normal range is between 5:30 and 6.

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WingedSeven@reddit

A bit early but def not unheard of. I wake up later in the day (8 AM) so my meal times are later. ~8:30 for breakfast, ~15:00 for lunch, and ~18:00 for dinner.

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Shadw21@reddit

Assuming a 9-5 day shift, most are probably still at work at 4:30. Anytime from 5-8 would probably be a normal 'dinner time' for most Americans, depending how long they have to drive to get home from work and whether they go out to eat, get drive-thru, or go home to eat.

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liberletric@reddit

4:30 is early, I eat anywhere from 5:30-7

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theBeardsley@reddit

6:00 here.

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Subject_Trifle2259@reddit

6-8pm, on the weekends it can be a bit later since dinner is often apart of the fun of going out.

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Meilingcrusader@reddit

Generally between 5:30 and 7pm

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Danibear285@reddit

When would a meal referred to as “dinner” be traditionally consumed and partaken in?

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Relevant-Ad4156@reddit

In my part of Ohio, "dinner" is the evening meal. "Supper" is for weirdos.

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CountryMonkeyAZ@reddit

Buahahaha. My mom was a farm girl from Indiana. I grew up on 'dinner' is the big noon time meal, supper was the lighter (usually desert for my grandpa) meal at night.

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Relevant-Ad4156@reddit

I live in a small city surrounded by rural/farm areas, but I'm fully a city-slicker.

I'm aware of the system you describe, but it's never been my life.

But when I say that people who say "supper" are weirdos, it's because I see "dinner" vs "supper" in the same light as "pop" vs "soda" or "couch" vs "sofa" (synonymous words for the same thing, but one is clearly wrong...lol)

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AcidReign25@reddit

Yes. That is really early. A lot of people are still at work or kids at after school activities. We are generally in the 6:30-7:30 range to start eating.

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theshortlady@reddit

We normally eat at 6 pm. When I was a kid in the sixties, we ate at 8 pm because my dad closed his store around then.

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workntohard@reddit

It varies. When out shopping or vacation I like to eat out that early since this will often get in ahead of crowd at many places. When home, rarely this early, closer to 5:30-6pm.

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tcrhs@reddit

It’s early. We usually eat around 6ish.

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ThatMuslimCowBoy@reddit

I eat around 9 because I work late except during Ramadan I do Iftar at 540 usually depending on sunset.

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amethystmap66@reddit

It really depends on your family. My parents are divorced and growing up I would have very different dinner routines in my different houses. With my dad, dinner would usually be 6-7, maybe at 8 if something was going on. With my mom having dinner at 8-10 was pretty normal, because it just fit better into both our routines. I personally prefer to eat later, but now dinner is always between 5 and 7:30 because I’m in college and those are the times my college’s dining halls are open.

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Weekly-Bill-1354@reddit

Not if you're 70+

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Bluemonogi@reddit

I think 5-8 pm is common. A lot of people don't get home from work until 5 so dinner at 4:30 may be a little early.

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tibearius1123@reddit

When mom is done cooking it and not a minute sooner. You better not ask either.

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STLFleur@reddit

We have it super early... if my husband is on day shift and not working OT, we eat dinner at 3:30pm.

After dinner my husband goes to the gym and most evenings the kids have some kind of sport/extra curricular that I need to take them to so it works out for all of us!

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MortimerDongle@reddit

I'd say anything between 5-7:30 is normal enough that people wouldn't comment on it. 4:30 is a bit early, 8 is a bit late. Obviously eating at a weird time occasionally for scheduling reasons is normal, too.

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minnick27@reddit

I eat at 530, my wife and daughter eat at 730. I go to sleep around that time, that’s why I eat earlier. On Fridays we go out to eat so we usually eat around 630

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Evil-Cows@reddit

I work from home so if I have something that’s already made and I’m hungry I might eat at 4:30 but that’s not the norm. Usually I’m around 5:00 or 530 which is considered early.

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ogreblood@reddit

I've been to a few Thanksgiving dinners that began around 430pm, which kinda makes sense for me because it's a fairly heavy, long meal. More of a celebration.

But a standard dinner usually starts around 7pm for me.

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That-Addendum-9064@reddit

for me, i’ve always considered dinner time to be 6-8pm

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MockingbirdRambler@reddit

My SO and I both work active jobs, and we don't often eat breakfast or lunch. We generally start cooking as soon as both of us are home, anywhere between 4:30 and 6 pm.

Used to drive our old roommate nuts, he was a full-time student, we both worked 4/10s. He'd come home at 4:30 and we would be making dinner.

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a-potato-in-a-bag@reddit

Whenever I make dinner?

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Maleficent_Scale_296@reddit

I eat my main meal about 1:00 pm, then have a snack, maybe bread and cheese around 8:00 pm, go to bed around midnight. I started doing this when we lived in Germany and it just suits my rhythm better so I still do it.

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catiebug@reddit

It would be early, but it will happen if you have kids with sports or activities in the evening. I can't find the meme right now, but it's basically "kids with activities? dinner's at 4:30pm or 9:30pm, best I can do". Which pretty well illustrates that 4:30 is hella early and 9:30 is hella late. My family eats dinner at 5:30 and that's earlier than most of our friends.

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ruppert777x@reddit

I'm 37 and we eat dinner during the week at 330.

But we eat another smaller snack at 8pm or so. But we both personally like eating our large meal earlier right after work.

On weekends dinner is around 8pm usually for us.

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Wafflebot17@reddit

Right when I get home from work, 5-6. It’s my only meal of the day most of the time.

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mkshane@reddit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGGi4SpPtqc

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Eastern_East_96@reddit

4:30 too early for most, I usually start chowing down on my dinner between 5:30-7

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WaddlesJP13@reddit

I usually eat dinner between 4:30 and 6:30

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EspressoOverdose@reddit

Around 7

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cozynite@reddit

For Sunday dinner at my parents’ house (big Italian family), dinner starts at 3:30 with antipasti, then main meal at 5, then dessert around 6.

During the rest of the week, it’s usually closer to 7 because of kid activities in the evenings. Saturday is a toss up and could be 6:30 or later.

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_Cattywampus_@reddit

My family typically eats dinner anywhere 5:00-6:30.

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Pa_Cipher@reddit

During the week, dinner is usually around 7-8pm since I get off work at 7 most days. We go out to eat on Saturdays usually around 4:30 to avoid the dinner rush and because I usually get off work at 4 on weekends.

So TLDR: it depends on my work schedule.

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who_peed_in_my_soup@reddit

In my house, between 5 and 6. But we’re early risers.

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ByWillAlone@reddit

It's going to be different for everybody.

For me, "normal" time is anytime from 5:30-7:30 but I do (rarely) have instances of dinner before or after that.

Big Holiday meals with larger family groups tend to be on the earlier side.

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greenmarsh77@reddit

Yeah, 4:30pm is earlier than most Americans eat dinner. Most have dinner between 5:30-8pm. Although, you will see older, retired Americans eating dinner around 4-5pm - as they often get discounts on their meals.

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ThisGuyRightHereSaid@reddit

46yr old male who lives alone. Anywhere between 5pm and 9pm.

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SummersPawpaw_Again@reddit

At dinner time

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tsukiii@reddit

4:30 is a bit on the early side, the stereotype is that senior citizens eat dinner early like that. I tend to eat somewhere in the 6-8pm range, but there’s no set “right” time.

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eugenesbluegenes@reddit

This scene from Seinfeld is every bit as relevant now as it was in the 90s

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Pearl-Station@reddit

It would definitely be considered early. I eat dinner around 5-5:30 and my friends call me a geriatric for it.

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eugenesbluegenes@reddit

I think this scene from Seinfeld is every bit as relevant now as it was in the 90s

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delightful_caprese@reddit

4:30 is a late lunch for me

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schmelk1000@reddit

Depends on when I get home from work. Dinner for me ranges from 6pm-9pm respectively.

It’s funny you say you’re having dinner at 4:30pm because my Polish friend literally messaged me that he was eating dinner at that time today!! I spent the summer with a host family in Italy and dinner there was roughly between 9pm-11pm. It crazy how much the culture changes even when comparing northern Europe to southern Europe.

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IWantALargeFarva@reddit

It's slightly early. But sometimes when you have kids in sports, the options are either 4pm or 9pm. In that case, we try to opt for 4pm and a snack on the drive home.

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Twgoeke@reddit

It’s early for most people. BUT could be a good time for someone who gets up really early and goes to bed early.

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Thebiggestbot22@reddit

Anytime between 7-8 pm usually

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DirtierGibson@reddit

7 pm in our house. Sometimes later on weekend nights.

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DrGerbal@reddit

I shoot for 6. 7 at the latest. Most folks work till 5 so 4:30 is kind of in between lunch and dinner. Like a weird area where maybe you have a snack to tide you over till dinner

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misterlakatos@reddit

Most people probably eat between 5:30 and 7:30 pm.

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PhasmaUrbomach@reddit

That would be early for me. Between 5:30 and 7:30 is more like it.

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Nuttonbutton@reddit

I wake up at 4 am and I still eat dinner between 5:30-7pm (17:00- 19:30)

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EvaisAchu@reddit

I only eat dinner at 4:30 after a hike. It’s normally because I only snack while hiking and I am freaking starving by the time I get home.

My family would normally eat dinner at 6pm. My husband and I eat dinner anywhere from 7-8pm.

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oswin13@reddit

I often have rehearsals starting at 6 or 630 so eating at 430 isnt super wierd to me, i need a bit of time to digest before dancing. If i eat that early i usually have a snack before bed though.

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Gatodeluna@reddit

Yes. Restaurants will have ‘early dinner’ prices, but most people don’t eat until around 5-7 pm. At 4:30 people might be snacking & drinking pre-dinner. And at home, 8 pm would be later than most; restaurants are a different story.

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DaemonPrinceOfCorn@reddit

I try to have my pre-k kid’s dinner on the table at 5pm bc his bedtime is 6:15. Husband and I just try to eat whenever we can. If I had to set a range that would be “normal” I’d say 6pm give or take thirty minutes for families with younger kids and about 7 give or take 30m for families with older kids.

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ami_unalive_yet@reddit

Between 5pm-8pm.

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WaldoJeffers65@reddit

Growing up, my father had a strict rule that dinner had to be on the table at 5. That was pretty early by most standards- I would be called inside to eat dinner while pretty much all of my friends were still outside playing.

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virtual_human@reddit

I've eaten dinner at 4:00 pm for years now. Works for me.

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DJ2Gunz@reddit

5-6 pm but given the economy I highly doubt people have dinners with family members anymore. Everyone is working multiple jobs never home, just to pay for the place you are never at. Mercia

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foxsable@reddit

We go out to dinner every weekend with my parents. Having a young child and dealing with the Florida heat means waiting half an hour to be seated is not ideal. We started going to dinner at 5:30, and while we are never alone, we almost never have to wait for more than a few minutes. As soon as 6 hits it gets worse, and if we leave around 7 the line is much lower. So, 6 on the weekend seems to be the highest Occurrence of Americans eating in Florida. Florida has people from all over the country especially in my area, so it seems a good barometer.

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erbush1988@reddit

Anywhere between 5 and 7 I'd say.

I eat between 5 and 6 on any given day. I get off work at 4 (WFH) and start cooking to be ready by 5. Wife gets off work at 5 (Also WFH) but sometimes works longer. So yeah. Anywhere from 5 to 6 in my home.

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webbess1@reddit

5:30 pm to 7:00 pm

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EclipseoftheHart@reddit

I aim for 6/6:30pm, but it usually ends up being closer to 7pm. 4:30pm is quite early for many people as most of us aren’t off work yet at that point and even if we were we might not be home yet.

I’ll eat as early as 5pm, but that is an exception and not the norm.

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Suckerforcats@reddit

I eat anywhere from 3pm-4:30pm. I eat all my meals earlier in the day.

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Sipping_tea@reddit

Seems early but I wouldn’t think it is crazy or anything. I like to eat around 5:30-6, but 5-7 is normal.

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jessper17@reddit

We usually eat between 5-7 depending on what’s going on that day. Rarely earlier. 4:30 is pretty early.

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Left-Acanthisitta267@reddit

We eat at 4:30 on my Wife's last break she works from home. I get up for work at 3:00 AM. She gets off at 6:30. So it is too late for me to eat then. But generally we eat a little later on weekends.

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Afromolukker_98@reddit

6-8

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captainstormy@reddit

Most Americans are still at work at 4:30. First shift at most places runs either 8:30am - 5pm or 9am - 5:30pm.

Older retired people like my wife's parents sometimes have dinner then. But that's because they get up at like 4am and go to bed around 7pm.

Dinner times vary vastly from family to family. Some people like to eat first thing after work/school is over so they may have dinner around 5:30-6. Others like myself like to do dinner late, when I'm done with everything else and can relax and have a nice meal and unwind. Sometimes it's at late as 9pm.

I'd say 6-8 are probably the prime hours most people have dinner with a few earlier and a few later.

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TinyRandomLady@reddit

I think the majority eat somewhere between 5-8:30.

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rr90013@reddit

Usually between 6 and 8. Some people, especially elderly or will small children, will eat earlier. Some people will eat after 8, especially young adults and people who work late.

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MarcusAurelius0@reddit

5:30 to 7:30

On average IMO

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q0vneob@reddit

4:30 is early bird special time, where restaurants have discounts for elderly people.

we usually eat between 6-7

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TehLoneWanderer101@reddit

4:30pm is my late snack time.

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MrLongWalk@reddit

4:30pm would be considered unusually early, between 5:30 and 7:00 is the norm. Most people I know eat at around 6.

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voteblue18@reddit

Bit early. When I was growing up we always ate at 6. Now as an adult we do 7-7:30.

I think it’s more common for families with children to eat earlier.

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calicoskiies@reddit

Yea, that’s a little early, but dinner time really varies depending on your job. Someone who works a 6a-2p might eat dinner at that time, while someone who works 9a-5p would likely eat 6p or later. I work 2-10p and eat dinner at like 8 or 9p.

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Swimming-Book-1296@reddit

If by dinner you mean the evening meal? Yes, that is way too early.

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SnapHackelPop@reddit

That’s pretty early, but that’s what time we ate growing up lol. Of course friends would be super confused when we said we had to go home for dinner, and people would call the house to the annoyance of my parents. Yeah no shit Mom, people aren’t expecting anyone to be sitting down for a meal already!

My dad worked 6-4. I imagine it was just a natural time for him to eat, so we all did

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Saltwater_Heart@reddit

Around 6:30 for us. I hear about it anywhere from 5:30 to 8.

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PartyThe_TerrorPig@reddit

It depends on what time zone you’re in.

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Redbubble89@reddit

Would 4:30pm be considered weird as a time for dinner for Americans?

Early bird special or someone over 75.

Most are 6-7 while 8 or later is considered late.

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Illustrious-Lead-960@reddit

It varies a lot depending on what part of the country you’re in.

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manicpixidreamgirl04@reddit

Yes, 4:30 would be early. Except for maybe at a big family holiday party, you might start setting out the appetizers at 4:30, but people usually don't sit down for the main part of the meal until at least 5 at the earliest.

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namhee69@reddit

On average, 430p is fairly early but if you work at 5am then it’s reasonable. In average, 530-730pm or so.

We don’t normally eat super late like the Argentines or Spanish do where 8 is stupid early. I do eat late out of habit but I’m the exception and not the norm.

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Relevant-Ad4156@reddit

My household aims for somewhere around 6pm. Some nights it ends up being later (especially if we're busy or are stuck in the "what do you want to eat?" cycle)

As others have said, 4:30 isn't unheard of (especially among the older folks), but for the majority, that is too early.

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SnarkyBookworm34@reddit

Normal dinner time is like 5 to 7 usually. The only times I'm eating dinner that early is if it's a major holiday (like Christmas or Thanksgiving), and we're planning to have a giant feast, or if i lose track of time and hadn't eaten lunch at a reasonable midday hour.

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