Steak or chicken?
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381755)
Rockingham, Australia
March 9, 2026 7:54am CST
When Vince was working, we would sometimes get invited to a function which involved a sit-down meal. Often, after being served an entrée/starters, the main course would involve ‘alternating plates’.
So every second person would be given, say, a chicken dish, and the other guests might be offered steak. If you were lucky, you might be able to swap with a neighbour if you’d prefer their dinner to yours. I can’t remember how vegetarians coped.
Alternating plates in this way would save a certain amount of hassle for the wait staff. Rather than have people dithering about what they wanted, or changing their minds being ordering and getting their meal, you could just serve it up and move on. I’m wondering if you’ve come across alternating plates at any catered-for functions.
The photo shows Vince’s steak. It might look a small meal but the steak was very thick.
17 people like this
19 responses
@DaddyEvil (174208)
• United States
9 Mar
I've never been to a dinner like that. It sounds confusing, to say the least. Just serve the same thing to everybody and be done with it.
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (174208)
• United States
10 Mar
@JudyEv Most people would eat either one and be satisfied with it.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381755)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Mar
@DaddyEvil Yes, that's what happens.
1 person likes this
@Ineeddentures (33875)
•
9 Mar
Ah Judy
I don't even remember that Vegetarians were even considered at wedding meals and similar things in the 80,s and 90,s
It was just a case of." Don't eat the meat and eat the veg"
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381755)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Mar
@Ineeddentures There seems to be a lot of conditions that weren't recognised at the time. 
1 person likes this
@Ineeddentures (33875)
•
10 Mar
@JudyEv
Things were simple
And funnily enough I don't recall seeing kids with eating disorders
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77064)
• Philippines
10 Mar
We never had alternating plates at all.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77064)
• Philippines
10 Mar
@JudyEv I'm not sure I would since I'm very picky with the food I eat.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (54714)
• United States
9 Mar
I have never seen this done. I eat more chicken, but prefer beef.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (54714)
• United States
11 Mar
@JudyEv We eat much less beef these days at home. The cost has gone so high. Especially steak.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381755)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Mar
@Tampa_girl7 We only buy it when it's on special. Very special! 
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381755)
• Rockingham, Australia
12 Mar
@DianneN I'm sure if someone had complained there would have been alternatives in the kitchen. It might have been on the invitation to let them know if you were vegan/vegetarian/had intolerances. Because it doesn't affect us we might have glossed over that bit.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189793)
• Boise, Idaho
10 Mar
Interesting way to do dinner. I haven't had a steak in so long. We had a great chicken and rice meal the other night. It was 'Fajita Chicken'. Very tasty.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189793)
• Boise, Idaho
10 Mar
@JudyEv ........I can't eat it anymore and so we don't spend the money on it. I miss it and roast sometimes.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86572)
• United States
9 Mar
That’s interesting. The company I worked for when I retired had a Christmas party where they ordered in advance. Because of my food allergies I had to request chicken instead of the beef or seafood. And the chicken was delicious!
I suppose there are drawbacks to ordering in advance, and there’d be a problem in the “alternating plate” method if someone did have an allergy to beef (or poultry or seafood or whatever one of the options was).
And that’s not Vince’s steak, that’s “what’s left of Vince’s steak”!
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (97912)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
9 Mar
I used to enjoy having steak now I moastly make do with frozen chicken, pork sausage patties, and frozen meatballs for different meals,
1 person likes this
@Traceyjayne (11252)
• United Kingdom
9 Mar
It looks a delicious steak …..
I have never heard of alternating plates …..
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381755)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Mar
It's beginning to look like it's an Australian thing.
@LindaOHio (222222)
• United States
10 Mar
I would have liked the chicken! The last wedding I attended had a buffet.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (208746)
• United States
9 Mar
I would be hoping I w ould get steak, but would likely end up with chicken.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381755)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Mar
I would have preferred the steak but it wasn't a big deal.
@wolfgirl569 (135583)
• Marion, Ohio
9 Mar
I haven't. Most I have been too had a set menu
1 person likes this
@xFiacre (14782)
• Ireland
9 Mar
@judyev Some folk are better not being given a choice. Just eat it and be grateful. It beats me why some parents give their toddlers a choice. They give themselves so much work, heighten the kids’ expectations and cause endless squabbles. Nor can I understand being asked to chose from a menu in advance of the meal, especially if the meal is weeks or even months away. How does anyone know what they’ll feel like that far in advance? I understand the logistics of such a practice, knowing how much of everything to buy in etc, but I don’t like it.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (91013)
• United States
9 Mar
Any function I've been too if there was a choice I would pick the steak. I eat chicken all the time at home so steak is my "go to"
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381755)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Mar
I often choose steak if I'm out as it's usually tender. Vince cooks it nicely too but sometimes the meat isn't very tender to start with.
