American woman faces challenges at Indian dinner parties.

Eira Davis January 5, 2025 Offbeat

US Influencer’s Cultural Observation in India

US influencer Kristen Fischer, who has been residing in New Delhi with her family, recently highlighted a significant cultural difference she experienced in India: the approach to dinner parties. In an Instagram video, she shared that unlike in the US, where meals are typically served immediately upon guests’ arrival, Indian dinner parties often involve a more relaxed and social gathering before the meal is served.

The influencer in the now-viral video said that in India, the tradition is quite different. “Here, guests usually socialize first, and the meal is served later in the evening, typically when it’s time for everyone to leave,” she explained in the video.

Personal Experience Shared by the Influencer

Sharing the video, the influencer wrote, “I’m used to being served food right away when I visit someone’s home for dinner. Every time, I find myself sitting there hungry, wondering when the food will be served.”

“I have been at friend’s homes multiple times and left after 11 pm and they still have not served dinner. They are asking why I am leaving so early, dinner hasn’t even been served yet. And I am thinking to myself, it is late and I need to go to bed,” she said.

Social Media Response and Insights

The video quickly gained traction, prompting social media users to flood the comment section with their thoughts and personal experiences on the topic.

A user wrote, “That’s well explained. We Indians definitely don’t serve food as soon as guests arrive but mostly the food is served around 9 pm. It’s strange that you were served food after 11 pm, believe me some of us would also leave the host eating their food by themselves.”

Another user commented, “That’s really interesting…being an Indian i never got to notice this Indian behavior…and no2 while I am reflecting on this I am laughing…thanks for sharing this interesting information.”

The third user wrote, “Oh yeah, that’s so true! We always hang out first; the rest comes later. What you can do is prepare everything before the guests arrive. When it’s time to eat, just reheat it in the microwave and serve. That way, you can enjoy the evening with them without being stuck in the kitchen!”