Speaking of Pot Luck...
- Ranger Alli
- Oct 4
- 2 min read
Potluck: Don’t be THAT Guy
Ah, potluck night. The smell of home-cooked goodness wafts through the lodge. The table groans under the weight of meatballs, salads, pies, and mysterious-but-delicious contributions. And then… the line forms.
Here’s the thing: the line starts at 6:15, not 6:00. Not 5:45. Not 5:30. Fifteen minutes early might not sound like a lot of time, but at a Twin Ponds potluck, it’s basically a lifetime. If you’re standing in line before the appointed hour, you are: - Cutting off first-timers, who we want at the front of the line every time. - Creating chaos. - Setting a terrible precedent for yourself and others.
Who Gets to Go First?
First-timers: Always. Everyone welcome deserves a taste without waiting behind the 50-person line that magically starts forming 45 minutes early.
Dishwashers, cooks, setup crew, and cleanup heroes: Next in line. You helped make the magic happen—you get priority after the newbies.
Everyone else: Back of the line. We love that you’re here, we want you to eat, but please let others go first if they contributed to the evening.
Plate Principles
We get it. The food looks amazing. But there’s a right way and a wrong way to load your plate:
Keep it fair: Whatever you heap onto your plate, imagine everyone else getting the same. Don’t be that person with a mountain of lasagna while others are left with a spoonful of potato salad. Once everyone has a fair share, seconds are always an option.
Clean up matters: Setup and cleanup are not optional. Starting in 2026, staff will no longer prioritize potluck setup or cleanup - meaning it won’t happen if our community doesn’t step up. If you love potlucks, you need to volunteer. Help with tables, chairs, dishes, or trash. It’s how the social club survives.
Don’t cook? No worries. Not into setup or cleanup? Donate! Plates, napkins, or a couple (or a lot of) dollars in the potluck donation bin. Every little bit helps keep the tradition alive.
Why This Matters
Every week, we see the same pattern: contributors wait in the back of the line while non-contributors grab mountains of food. It’s inconsiderate. It’s selfish. And it doesn’t reflect the values of the TPL Community. Potlucks are about gathering together, generosity, and shared joy, not racing to hoard mac and cheese before anyone else has had a bite.
Tl;dr
Line forms at 6:15. Not a second before.
First-timers get the front. Contributors get priority after that. Everyone else? Back of the line.
Plates: full, fair, repeat if needed.
Help with setup or cleanup, or donate.
