What time do most Americans eat Thanksgiving dinner?

I've always known it to be 'in the afternoon.' So I always shoot for 3pm, and then get in a mad rush, and finally sit and serve at 5pm. Happens every year. Good thing there is a lot of hot apple cider to sip! Why an early dinner? read more

In my families -- that is, the one I grew up in and the one I made with my wife -- we schedule Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for around 1:30-2:00 in the afternoon. read more

Growing up, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners were usually served around 2-3 in the afternoon in our family. Over the last years my sister and I have had annual disagreements regarding the 'best' time for Thanksgiving Dinner. I like the 2pm range - it is a big heavy meal and seems healthier mid-day. read more

Most people do not go to bed at 6, so it’s possible to eat at 7 or 8 and still have a few hours to digest before retiring at, say, the perfectly reasonable hour of 11. Plus, modern medicine tells us that such a random departure from our regular eating schedule confuses our bodies, making the inherent overindulgence of Thanksgiving that much worse. read more