Just checking-if you were planning a weekend with friends at someone's house and I said

[BertrandRussell]

"shall we do a pot luck supper on
Saturday night?" what would you think I meaner?

Meant, obviously, not meaner!

Leftovers?

Everyone brings a plate/dish of something?

Everyone bring a dish at random

Everyone bring a different dish.

Some people are in charge of buying and cooking starters, other people do the main course?

That I need to bring a dish. So my response would be “sweet or savoury?”

I feel I should know but actually I'd be confused.
I think you mean everyone bring something.But part of me thinks you mean "let's eat whatever happens to be in the house"

I've only ever heard the term mentioned on here.
If I wasn't a Mumsnetter I'd have to ask what you meant.

But if you were all going to stay with someone, could you bring dishes with you? Depends how far away I guess.

Everyone bring something. I think at random. And then just hope you don’t end up with a load of potato salad.

Everyone bring a dish. Isn't that tricky though if they / you are away from home? You would need to get it ready on the Thurs/ Fri before you leave and then transport it.

I'd assume we all contribute a dish to eat, but isn't it an American or Australian term?

We would call it a fuddle where I work.

From watching American tv shows, I’d know this would mean everyone brings a dish.

In my neck of the woods (up North, deepest, darkest Yorkshire/Mining country) this would be called a Fuddle (I’m a distant native of the area by way of private education and I didn’t have the foggiest what this meant initially )

What everyone else said swinging

It’s everyone bring a dish, but not an option if you’re away from home all weekend

Ha! @WinkyisbackontheButtetBeer beat me to it!

I’m also in Yorkshire orange

Maybe it’s just a local term.

also ask if they want you to do a course (my friends & I do this) or perhaps a Vegan (starts thinking of off jokes here re vegans)

In the US it means everyone brings something.

At home in Ireland my mother would say "we'll take pot luck on saturday night" and it would mean we'd take whatever was in the fridge and cobble something together.

If I was staying with someone who wasn't american and they said it I'd presume they meant the "take pot luck" meaning as how would I bring a dish to the meal when I wasn't at home. If an american said it when I was staying with them, I'd offer to buy the wine or beer instead of a dish.

I’d think you meant a muck up of whatever you had in the house to make into a meal - or probably just something simple and unfussy.
Then I’d ask you if I could bring anything and you might explain your version of pot luck supper was what I’d call a plate buffet.

We would all have a sign up list though, rather than risk everyone bringing the same thing.

I’ve literally never heard that expression! Pot luck I’d think you were saying you can’t cook and so I’d have to take my chances with whatever you rustled up!

Absolutely no idea! I think the only time I've ever heard it is from the mum on Bridget Jones' Diary!