Americans. Do you get confused by dinner and tea?

Question

I've just answered a question where the asker wondered what she would have to eat for tea. You could tell who the Americans were, one thought we were all in a 50s timewarp and the others suggested crumpets, scones, fancies and Earl Grey .... for your information, that would be more like 'high tea'.

Unless you're posh, you have breakfast, dinner and tea in the UK. I'm a carer and we had a girl from South Africa working with us for a while and she would get very confused about the fact that we called my ladies and gentlemen for dinner at midday, I remember her becoming quite animated in her protests at one point.

Okay, I wasn't trying to attack American culture, I am interested to know what you make of tea. I certainly don't know everything about anything which is why I ask questions, to increase my knowledge.

For the person who thinks we sit around drinking tea at teatime, that is interesting, it confirms that you equate tea with high tea. Tea is our evening meal with a smaller one about 9pm called supper which is a drink and biscuits or sandwiches but we consider tea to be our main meal after dinner/lunch.

Personally, I hate tea - the drink. If I have a hot drink I prefer coffee. usually I stick to cola. I'm just about to have a bottle of Pepsi Max with my broth that should be just about done.

I apologise if I've come across as critical, that's not my intention.

Come to Britain ... you never have to stop eating. We have lots of official little meals and snacks.

Breakfast
ten o clock
elevenses
brunch
dinner (lunch)
one o clock
two o clock
high tea
tea
six o clock
sevenses
supper.

Well, they say, little and often, we have it down to a fine art don't you think?

Answer 1

Wow, I hv certainly learned a lot bout the UK culture through your post. Thanks for posting! Well, I wasn't born and raised in US but have been here a few years. To me, tea is what we have in the evening...... say after work hours. Or it could be at 4pm. To me, tea is hot tea, and some snacks. That is very common in the culture I come from. It's a tradition infact. And dinner to me, is always the night-time meal.

Ok am all confused when I think about it now....lol.

Answer 2

This is very interesting. :) Just from being here at Yahoo! Answers, I've learned (I thought, anyway!) what tea is. Mainly from the people in the Food section who ask things like, "What should I make for tea?" Seems that there are an awful lot of British people in the food section for some reason. Anyway, before reading all the questions and answers over there, I assumed tea was something you guys ate at about 4:00 p.m. with tea, cucumber sandwiches, petit fours, etc. Sort of "froo froo" foods. After reading some of them, I assumed that your idea of tea is actually what we call "supper" or "dinner"--eaten around 6:00 p.m. or so, meat, vegetables and starch. Now, after reading this particular question that you asked, I think I'm confused all over again. :) Why would you eat a normal size meal mid-evening, then turn around and eat a smaller, lighter supper (biscuits, etc.) at 9:00 p.m.? For us (Americans) that's actually a snack. Not a lot of people snack after dinner because "they" tell us it's bad to go to bed on a full stomach.

I think I have it all figured out, but the only thing I want to know is why don't you just eat more food during "tea" so you won't be hungry a few hours later?

Answer 3

Its not true to say in the UK we have breakfast, dinner and tea, it's not that simple!

I always have breakfast, I think we all do, theres no disputing that bit.

But I never ever have dinner at 12 /1 o'clock. Its definitely lunch. Schooling tends to confuse people by calling it school dinners which it clearly isn't. Its one of those things that bugs me, when people call lunch, dinner.

As for tea, well if we're eating at home and its just us then we'll make something for tea. But if we are going out to eat, or people are coming round and you're likely to put more of an effort in, then its dinner. Tea is a casual thing, dinner is nicer.

So if someone asks you to dinner, Never ever make the mistake of turning up at midday!

And never ask anyone if they want a brew, cos thats just horrible, the word make me want to barf!

Answer 4

Actually Tea is a term that comes from the traditional working class. The upper classes would have tea (actual tea and cakes etc) later followed by dinner. The 'working class' often farm labourers and miners could not afford 'tea' and dinner and started calling their early dinner tea. The usage of the word 'tea' now denotes class and places you squarely in the working classes whilst the upper classes will always have 'dinner'. The use of the word 'tea' instead of dinner is not acceptable in many professions and I read a book about English classes that states it squarely puts you into a peg - so if you want to talk properly an d be professional it is 'dinner' not ' tea,

Answer 5

I have no problem with that here in the US!

I rarely breakfast (my body tells me when I need to eat).

I don't midday dinner...I lunch!

And at your Tea, I have supper or dinner followed by, not tea but an enormous amount of Cognac. I hope that answers your question!

Was that a question?

Answer 6

The idea of incorrectly refering to lunch as dinner and dinner as tea is a peculiarity of the British lower classes. Most middle class people and most professionals in the hotel and restraunt industry call the midday meal lunch and the evening meal dinner.

Answer 7

I've bee linving in UK for 2 years. I'm not American, I'm Brazilian. Yes I am confused about dinner and tea. It's hard understand another culture.
I'm happy to know that Americans have the same thoughts as Brazilians about breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Answer 8

What the hell is tea? Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner? Where does the hell tea come in to that? Tea? Sounds stupid. That the time of the day setup to drink tea? Just because americans don't know what the hell your talking about when you say "tea" that makes us dumb?!?

Breakfast = morning food
Lunch = afternoon food
Dinner = evening food

tea = sounds like a time you sit around and drink tea

Answer 9

Breakfast , Brunch , Lunch , Tea , Dinner , Supper!

If old people have a proper cooked meal at lunch time instead of dinner time fine , call it their dinner , but its still lunch time!

When I first came to Lancashire (UK) people would ask if I wanted a brew , meaning cup of tea.

If someone invites you for dinner, would you turn up at lunch time ? I think not.

Answer 10

I am laughing my ar*se into spasms. Now, adding on tea versus high tea, and the plot thickens ever so much.

I can't believe some of the answers I have read thus far.

Cheeky