Family members and their guests ate their formal meals in the dining room. The main meal of the day usually started between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m.  This was a practical time for the meal for a number of reasons: it allowed the majority of the cooking to be completed before the worst heat of the day began; it allowed people to sit down and not be too active during the hottest portion of the day; and it allowed leftovers to be served at a light dinner later in the day (this was important, because there was no true form of refrigeration in the early and mid 19th century).

The table setting and meals were elaborate, with the popular service of the period being French Table Service.  In this service, symmetry was a key element.  All plates and serving pieces were supposed to be balanced by corresponding pieces.  Each meal featured two or three main courses with anywhere between 4 and 12 dishes in each course.  Between each course, guests remained seated as layers of tablecloths were removed. The last cloth would be taken away for the final dessert or fruit course, which was served on a bare table.