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?

To me a lot luck supper is everybody be I gs a dish. I think I've picked the phrase up through American TV though.

In our house, a throw it together with whatever you have in the cupboard dinner is called a doofer. As in "That'll do for doofer today"

I'd have known that you meant everyone brings a dish.

But I'd want us to agree as a group in advance who's bringing what (whereas I think a genuine pot luck supper means it's pot luck if you don't end up with 5 salads).

And I'd be a bit anxious if the weekend starts on Friday evening, and we're not planning to eat the food I bring until Saturday. Depending what it was!

It definitely means “bring a dish” but I’d be confused about the fact you’re all away from home for the weekend so how can you? How would you transport / refrigerate? We do it with family between Xmas and new year but people live nearby and cook that morning.

I'd know from american tv shows but never heard it used in this country. In this part of the word people would call it a fuddle but i'd never heard that term before I moved here either.

A Jacob's Join sounds most definitely saucy to me...

Laughing at the Safari Supper - that is so not my idea of an enjoyable dinner, all that traipsing.

I would not have known what it meant .

Also Scottish and would know what it meant. Can't remember ever not knowing so have no Idea how I knew it!

The churchy people I know do this regularly and call it ‘bring and share.’

We have lots of house parties locally where we do this, though. Less expense and stress for the host and therefore lots more parties/BBQs! Usually the host provides a huge chilli/paella or meat for BBQ and everyone brings a salad or dessert (and copious alcohol.) Love them.

I would definitely know it meant everyone bring a dish.

To me, a potluck means you eat what you’ve got in; guests have to take their chances and eat whatever you serve, however bizarre. You’re describing a fuddle. (East Midlands calling....)

I would have been confused but thought it meabt chuck some stuff from the fridge together.

I’m Yorkshire and have heard of a fuddle. Think it’s more in work environments when everyone brings in something for a nice spread!

I have never heard of this at all, I would probably think lucky dip on a bunch of take away menus or something .....shows how much I know lol ...love it though, learn something new every day 😄😄

I would ask you what you meant. If pushed I'd assume we'd eat whatever happened to be in the house at the time. The idea of everyone contributing a dish would never have entered my head.

I'd think it was everyone brings a dish but I've only heard of it since moving to Aus/NZ

I would know what you mean, but I I'm American. In the Southern US, it's also often called a covered dish supper. In other US regions, it is sometimes called bring a dish to pass.

And in certain parts of the Midwest, unless you assigned specific dishes to people, you would likely wind up with a surfeit of that regional delicacy known as tater tot hotdish.

I never thought it was an American term. Perhaps an older term, though. I knew it as a teenager.

Fuddle is also used in the Middle East.

I would have known what you meant, but would have still texted to clarify what you wanted me to bring. I think it's something my MIL would say and a bit old-fashioned. You also have to be clear what courses you want people to bring or you could end up with all crisps and salad.

I went on a 'safari supper' in the 80s with my parents. But It was called a 'Tramp Supper'. (East Midlands) Not a very politically correct term!

I remember the safari supper concept from the 80's as well (poor but lived in a posh village). Except knew it as the Gadabout Supper.....middle aged couples going from house to house for each course along narrow country lanes. Quite a risk if you rounded a corner suddenly in the car and came across a sea of puffed sleeve Laura Ashley party dresses......sheep in the road or possibly a peleton would be a similar hazard today. Never heard it called Progressive Dinner....though they did get progressively drunker and progressively louder as the night went on. Do these still happen?

ha, ha...peloton even!

Where I live, it means that it's a pretty much open door invitation and everyone brings something to share and puts it in the middle of the table. Generally involves quite a lot of people, because Sally invites Joe, then he sees Mary and says 'pot luck at Sally's house on Saturday night', and the island telegraph takes over from there, so there can be a lot of food. If it's a smaller gathering, usually the host provides the meat for the BBQ, and everyone else brings a salad or side dish. If it's down the beach then everyone brings their own meat for the BBQ and a plate to share. Only once you know the full spectrum of pot luck rules can you call yourself a local.

"regional delicacy known as tater tot hotdish"

Right. I was going to take my much acclaimed kleftiko- but now I have to take "tater tot hotdish". What is it?

Tater tots are frozen processed potato patties. Popular in America.

If you were being posh, you might call them rissoles.

Do they still have potato smiley faces? Like those ...