What does it mean when Americans say 'potluck dinner?'?

Question

I am from Australia. I have noticed a lot on here, people making reference to 'potluck dinners.' Could someone please explain to me what this means?

Thanks! :o)

Answer 1

All the guests bring a dish.  Sometimes they are requested to bring certain things and sometimes they just bring whatever they want to cook.  You will get lots of variety with these dinners, and they can be lots of fun.

Answer 2

The host/hostess, usually provides the meat and everyone else brings a side dish to share, usually, their best recipe.

Side dish examples: mac & cheese, potato salad, baked beans, green beans, spinach casserole, cole slaw, sweet potato casserole, pasta salad, garden salad, corn-on-the-cob.

Answer 3

A potluck dinner is when you have a party or get-together and everyone brings some food to share with everyone else (AKA: a dish to pass).

Answer 4

A potluck is just a party where everyone brings a dish.  The host can have a theme in which everyone brings something pertaining to it, or people can bring whatever they want.  That provides alot of dishes and leftovers so everyone gets to try something different and the host doesn't have to work so hard for the party.  It is FUN!

Answer 5

Potluck means that the host is too cheap and lazy to provide the food for their guests.  Next, it means that all the guests are forced to be polite and try gross dishes.

Outside of work, Potlucks are not classy.

Answer 6

Translated = "luck of the pot" and is the cheapest and laziest way to have people to your house as they bring most of the food and take home the empty, or semi-filled, plates/casserole to wash.  In 50 years of entertaining, I've asked one guest to bring a salad as she grows everything in her garden and asked my sister, once, to bring a dessert.   If I'm invited to someone's home for a social occasion, including dinner, it is with the expectation that I'll have a break from cooking -"going out", in my book, means to a restaurant or somewhere else that I'll be waited on.  Have been to one potluck, in my lifetime, and I'll never go to another - the work and indigestion aren't worth it.

Answer 7

potluck dinners r dinners when a hole lot of ppl come and u have 2 hope what ever they bring is not 2 disgusting that u barf.

Answer 8

A potluck dinner is when every who attends brings a dish of their choosing.There is nothing assigned,everyone just brings what they want and if you're lucky you like what they brought! Usually you get lots of variety and some strange combinations,but it's kind of fun to see what ends up on the table.

Answer 9

Michelle L. was right on the mark in the definition of what "pot-luck is. Another variation of this is fun. It's called Progressive Pot-Luck. Depending on how many people or couples there are.. One house serves appetizers, 1st course' next house, 2nd course. next house and I'll leave it up to the host and/or hostess how many courses want ending with a dessert. Each home will also provide beverages of the Non-Alcolholic/ Alcoholic kind @ each house (if alcolholic beverages are served, best to have a designated driver or all people live in walking distance) Just wanting to keep you all safe. Have a great time whatever you decide and may the food be FABULOUS!

Answer 10

Everyone that goes to a potluck dinner brings a dish to pass. There are always a lot of variety.