A meat and three meal is one where the customer picks one meat and three side dishes as a fixed-price offering. Meats commonly include fried chicken, country ham, beef, country-fried steak, meatloaf, or pork chop; [1] [2] and sides span from vegetables such as potatoes, corn, and green beans, [3] to macaroni and cheese, hush puppies, and spaghetti. A dessert, such as gelatin, is often offered. [2] [4] Typical accompaniments include cornbread and sweet tea. [3] [4]
“Meat-and-three” is a regional term popular in the cuisine of the Southern United States for both the meal and restaurants offering such a menu. Variants of meat and three can be found throughout the United States, but its roots can be traced to Tennessee and its capital of Nashville. [2] [3] [4] [5] The term has been described as implying "glorious vittles served with utmost informality." [4] It is also associated with soul food. [3]
Similar concepts include the Hawaiian plate lunch, which features a variety of entrée choices with fixed side items of white rice and macaroni salad, [6] [7] and the southern Louisiana plate lunch, which features menu options that change daily. [8] It is somewhat similar to a blue-plate special but with a more fixed menu. [9] Boston Market and Cracker Barrel chains of restaurants offer a similar style of food selection. [10]