Bbq etiquette

I would say eat 1 ish

I’ve never been to a BBQ where I haven’t taken a contribution towards the food, I think it’s really rude not to. I’ve never seen or heard it questioned either, other than in the UK, and with the greatest respect, I’m not sure we’re bbq experts so I’ll keep going with my Southern Hemisphere learnt bbq etiquette 😂to each their own I guess.

If they’re saying come anytime from midday I’d expect most people won’t arrive until at least 1:00 and that many won’t arrive til later. So i’d assume that the main bbq would probably be between 2-3 but that maybe there would be nibbles out before that. Although if people are bringing their own food and it’s a gas barbecue grill that can just be left on all afternoon I guess maybe it would be fine just to stick your burgers etc on whenever you want. But to be safe I’d probably have a big, late breakfast under the assumption the real food wouldn’t be served for at least the first couple of hours.

If you invite someone to a BBQ and ask them to bring their own food what you're inviting them to is a fire, not a bbq.

Never been to a BBQ where I have to provide any food. You bring alcohol and soft drinks yes but anything else, is a no.

That only works if everyone turns up at roughly the same time and the bbq big enough to cook all the food at once

I went to a bbq recently where all of the food and drink was allocated to various couples who would be in attendance to bring. The hosts provided rolls and sweet potato fries 😅

That’s not how it works.

People arrive from midday. The BBQ is turned on at a certain point, and all the food gets cooked.

It’s ALL put on the table, along with salads and sides - people are told to help themselves. No-one needs to ‘wait for the person who bought the burgers to arrive’.

Happy days.

I think the point is this is slightly extreme. It seems the hosts are providing nothing but some rolls and some sides. It’s fine to bring a bottle and a contribution but this seems the hosts are basically providinf nothing

you can get eight burgers and 12 sausages for just over a fiver from Asda. I get they might be really skint and can’t afford that though.

it’s just awkward if you’ve nothing to give your guests and need to wait for them to front up to cook any food, and then you e everyone eating at all different times and if it’s only a small bbq some folks will need to wait hours till their food is cooked.

Also lived in two hemispheres, and this sort of invitation is completely par for the course for a group BBQ.

Just bring a bottle and some - anything! - to throw on the BBQ.

It really doesn’t matter what. Some sausages. Some burgers. Some lamb steaks. Some kebabs. Something plant-based if you’re a vegetarian. Literally. Anything. It all gets cooked and put on the table and everyone helps themselves.

There is inevitably loads left over and no-one goes hungry.

I would expect the bbq to be on all afternoon! People will be arriving with all different sorts of meats and veg for the bbq - are they cooking it themselves - will there be a queue for the bbq - is it a large crowd?

I would expect the hosts to provide the meat or at least some and then other people bring sides. The meat is the most important part of the Bbq unless you are vegetarian so the hosts should cover that. The hosts will likely have the sides ready to go but if you are wanting meat you would have to wait till guests turn up so that it could be cooked in dribs and drabs.

If never turn up empty handed and would always take a drink, dessert etc. to someone's home when visiting but I wouldn't expect to bring the main part of the meal.

‘Served on arrival’ - what the….?!??

Is this you hosting @hashbrownsandwich and that’s why you’re asking?

Well, quite obviously, it can’t be served on arrival, if guests are bringing food to be cooked on arrival - which is perfectly normal and acceptable for a big group BBQ.

So why is this even being asked?

I would expect to eat when the food is ready - be that at 1pm or significantly later.

I would expect drinks and nibbles on arrival, and then to eat whenever - absolutely not fussed at all, and wouldn’t expect a set time. Just when it’s ready.

I'd bring a bottle and desert or side in my circle but the meat is a bit arkward

Or bring your own burgers if that's what you'll be wanting?

I think it’s perfectly normal to bring a bottle and some kind of food donation to a bbq!

I'd assume the BBQ would be lit around 12.30 with food 1.30.

BYO makes a lot of sense but I don't know how you keep track of who's is who's !

Usually, when we have BBQs, we tell people to bring anything they want and then provide some basic bits too, such as burgers, sausages, steaks, and things on kebab skewers, as well as the bread, sauces, and salad. We'd set that off cooking at lunch time so, according to your timing op, it'd be ready by around 1. People can bring what they like if they want something specific.

We're all skint in our circle though so if we have a get-together we have to share the cost or else none of us would be able to afford it.

do find the attitude (I have only ever come across on MN) that you should only be able to invite people to anything if you are wealthy enough to provide everything really strange

I understand you went for hyperbole there but no one said anything like this that everything should be provided. In the grand scheme of things declaring someone to have to be “wealthy“ to be able to provide a few burgers is quite odd. Or your definition of wealthy is different to everyone else’s

Honestly I have would have no idea how much to bring or what the etiquette would be. I've never received such an odd invite.

It’s how every single BBQ I’ve ever been to, in two different hemispheres has been, no poor hosting about!

Eat before you go and get there mid afternoon. Take a pack of sausages.

BYO meat is perfectly normal in Australia.

BBQs are quite frequently BYO where I'm from.

I would expect BBQ to be lit at 12/12.30 and eating to be from about 1pm onwards.

I certainly would not be ready or expecting to eat the minute we arrived.

Was just about to say the same 😂