Your opinion on when "dinner" should be served?

[Papa Deuce]

I have mentioned in 2 other threads that I am having a pig roast in August. I sent out invitations that said the event was from 2PM - ???. Now this event has always gone until about 11PM in years prior.

I just told my wife that the pig would be ready at about 5PM depending on how quickly it cooks. She must have amnesia, because this is how it has ALWAYS been, but she doesn't seem to remember it that way.

Now, to get to the point, she is upset that I won't have the pig ready at 3PM or so. She said that some people will come at 2PM and will want to eat and go soon after, and they expect to have pig. BTW, the way I cook pigs will take "about" 8 hours for a 75 pound pig. ( give or take )

There will be TONS of stuff available to eat prior to 5PM, including smoked brisket and other entree quality food.

My opinion is that just because the party starts at 2 - and probably goes until around 11PM - that it is perfectly fine if some people show up at 2PM and leave at 4PM without having pig. They will still have lots of great food, conversation, fun and games.

I figure that the vast majority of people probably won't show up until at least 3PM, and maybe later, and 5PM - 6PM is perfectly acceptable as a time to serve the pig....

This is actually a little bit of an argument we are having.

I guess there is no 100% "right" answer, but which do you feel is closer to how you feel about it?

 

[raysnkaysmom]

My initial answer at the title was 'when your hungry'


Then, as I got farther into your post, I thought about how *I* like to eat shortly after arriving....BUT...since you said you'll have other food prior to the actual pig at 5ish...I think that is perfectly acceptable

 

[NHdisneylover]

When I am invited to a BBQ (a pig roast would fall into this category) satrting mid afternoon (which would be 2:00 or later) I assume the main entree (pig in your case) will be served aroun 5-6. I also assume snacky stuff (chips, veggies, etc) will be available from the get go. If the invite were for 1:00 (maybe even 1:30) or earlier I would assume it was a lunch (as opposed to dinner) and that food would be served much sooner. Even when the invite for an outdoor event like that is for ery near dinner time (say 6:00) I assume the main course will not be served until an hour or so after start time.

 

[FireDancer]

I would serve it 5ish. I've been to my fair share of pig roasts and they are always social events, not a quick stop by for dinner. One of the biggest aspects of these gatherings is to socialize before and after eating so having the pig ready right at 2 or 3 seems a bit silly.

You can always put on the invitations that the party starts at 2 and the pig will be served around 5 so if someone wants to just come and eat they can get there a little later.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I get annoyed when I go to an event and the food isn't served reasonably.

A delay of 4 hours would greatly annoy me.

Most events I go to have the snacks and stuff out and no more than a 2 hour lapse of time between party start and food being served. Parties do go on into the night and that is for desserts, drinking and talking.

Since it is a pig--I could live between 4 and 5.

Perhaps your wife is basing her comments with you on what she has heard from her guests. Your guests should be considered when deciding on when to serve food. I would also let people know when to expect the pig to be served.

We live in Florida (and can bbq year round--yum!) and that is about how it goes around here. 6 would be far too long to wait for a 2:00 party. (if food is at 6, parties around here usually begin at about 3 or 4).

Now if you just said bbq, i wouldn't care. But since the pig is the main attraction---that's like holding the birthday cake hostage.

 

[Papa Deuce]

I get annoyed when I go to an event and the food isn't served reasonably.

A delay of 4 hours would greatly annoy me.

Most events I go to have the snacks and stuff out and no more than a 2 hour lapse of time between party start and food being served. Parties do go on into the night and that is for desserts, drinking and talking.

Since it is a pig--I could live between 4 and 5.

Perhaps your wife is basing her comments with you on what she has heard from her guests. Your guests should be considered when deciding on when to serve food. I would also let people know when to expect the pig to be served.

We live in Florida (and can bbq year round--yum!) and that is about how it goes around here. 6 would be far too long to wait for a 2:00 party. (if food is at 6, parties around here usually begin at about 3 or 4).

Now if you just said bbq, i wouldn't care. But since the pig is the main attraction---that's like holding the birthday cake hostage.

She hasn't said that, and, like I said, it has always been around 5PM, and we have been doing this event for about 5 or 6 years now....

 

[raysnkaysmom]

She hasn't said that, and, like I said, it has always been around 5PM, and we have been doing this event for about 5 or 6 years now....

Time for us to get an invite

LOL
although I initially thought the meal should be served closer to the time of the party starting, I voted for 6pm. Because..thats about in the middle of the time your party goes... And, you are having snack food up until..
Like someone said, this is an all day event, not some quick dinner. It'd be nice to have something like that to go to.... hmmmm

 

[mjkacmom]

Around here, if a party is starting around 2, I would figure the main meal would be served around 5 or 6. We usually spend several hours snacking/drinking before the real food is served.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

We host lengthy parties, too. The main meal needs to be sometime near the middle of the party. I voted for 6PM. Let guests know when the pig will be served and those who want to arrive later can - but most will probably arrive early for the party itself.

While the food is a central part of the party at a pig roast, the point is to get together and have fun. Any friend worth inviting will not care - as long as you keep the booze flowing...

 

[The Mystery Machine]

5pm is good.

While I do understand your wife's argument, this is not like grilling hamburgers and you will have other food.

So the pig gets a pass, it gets to be late.

 

[TriMom]

We have pool parties every weekend. Here is how things go for us. Party starts at 2. Most people show up about 2:30 - 3. Chips, salsa, veggies and beer are ready to go by 2:30. The grill gets turned on somewhere around 6. Dessert comes out about 9, and people start leaving at 10- 11. So a 5 o'clock pig sounds perfect to me.

 

[Jennasis]

5 sounds good to me. So where is the DIS-wide invite??

 

[BCDisneyFanatic]

If the pig is "ready" at 3pm, what are you going to do with it until 11pm? Is it going to sit there over the fire, drying out and yucky by 5pm and thereafter? Or, do you have a place to refrigerate all that meat after it comes off the grill? Logistically, having the pig ready closer to 6pm makes more sense to me. I agree with the PP that if your DW is concerned, you should just write the estimated time the pig will be ready on the invitations (or just spread the word).

 

[C.Ann]

I think your schedule is perfect!

I would not expect to arrive at 2 - eat right away - and be gone by 3.. Sounds kind of rude to me - considering all the time and effort you're putting into this..

Hope you have good weather and a great time!

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

Before I read anything but the poll, I voted for 5 and I stick by my answer after reading your post. If you want, mention it on the invitations though.

 

[Veronica Lodge]

Before I read anything but the poll, I voted for 5 and I stick by my answer after reading your post. If you want, mention it on the invitations though.

Me, too. My first response, without reading the post, was 5 pm.

 

[Papa Deuce]

Before I read anything but the poll, I voted for 5 and I stick by my answer after reading your post. If you want, mention it on the invitations though.

Well, they have already been sent... they were about 2 weeks ago.

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

Well, they have already been sent... they were about 2 weeks ago.

Well, then since it's what you've always done and I assume most of the guests have been to the party before they should know

 

[Angelhalo]

I agree with your wife. If people are attending a pig roast and can't hang around all afternoon, then there should be pig for them to eat within at least an hour of their arrival.

 

[Meriweather]

5-6 pm

We always had our big July 4th bash starting at 3....munchies from the beginning and do the big grilled meal at 6. Been that way for 25 years.....never heard a complaint. People do show up late.
And if they are staying until 11, you need to space it out.