Love Actually Meets Meat Tray: Why G Flip's Royal Wedding Shows Australia's Quirkiest Tradition is Pure Gold

Just last week, Australian musician G Flip and American reality TV star Chrishell Stause said "I do" for the second time in a medieval-themed ceremony complete with knights, swords, and fairy-tale romance in Los Angeles. But behind this international love story lies a delightfully Aussie cultural puzzle that perfectly captures why our meat tray raffles remain one of the world's most charmingly bonkers traditions.

When G Flip tried to explain to their American wife that "you can go to the pub and buy raffle tickets to win a meat tray," Chrishell's reaction was typical: "What the f--?" Yet despite joking about "meat sweats and likely food poisoning," Chrishell admitted, "I still want to win one."

And who can blame her? There's something irresistibly magical about the meat tray raffle that transcends logic and speaks straight to the heart of Australian community spirit.

The Ritual That Brings Communities Together

For those unfamiliar with this beloved tradition, here's how it works: you buy a raffle ticket to support local sporting teams or community groups, then everyone gathers as the winner is drawn in front of the crowd - it's a huge spectacle as everyone waits with bated breath to see who's struck gold.

The trays usually contain a barbecue-style mix of steaks, lamb chops, and sausages, with proceeds helping fund local sporting teams' end-of-season trips. But the real magic isn't in the meat - it's in the moment. As one commenter perfectly captured: "If you win the meat tray you act like you've won 3 million dollars."

From Wartime Necessity to Weekend Tradition

The tradition traces back to Britain during World War II, when meat trays were originally a way to "beef up rations," raffled off to boost morale and supplement a lucky family's food stores.

During WWII, Britain imported 20 million tonnes of food per year, including 50% of its meat. When German submarines targeted supply ships, severe food rationing followed. Families would pool their small meat rations, allowing one winner to take home enough to feed their entire household.

Today, Australia has taken the concept and run with it. The meat tray is as quintessentially Aussie as a hand waving away flies under the brim of an Akubra, and it might be a long way from its wartime origins, but the meat tray raffle is still a wholesome way to bring the community together.

The Friday Night Phenomenon

The regular Friday night chook raffle became a tradition at Aussie pubs and clubs from the 1950s. These weren't just random events - they were carefully orchestrated community rituals with their own unwritten rules and social codes.

The etiquette is well-established: it's apparently "compulsory to say to winners, 'Barbie at yours tomorrow!' Whether you know them or not!" This captures the essence of Australian pub culture - the assumption that good fortune should be shared and celebrated collectively.

Modern Twists on an Old Favourite

The tradition hasn't stood still. Modern meat tray raffles now include more than just snags and steaks, with some venues offering "Mushie Meat Trays" featuring "butcher-quality cuts of Portobellos, Buttons, Flats and Cups" alongside traditional sausages and rissoles.

Research from Australian Mushrooms found that 43% of Australians want more variety in their RSL meat trays, with a third preferring a "flexitarian" option combining both meat and mushrooms. Even the most carnivorous traditions are adapting to changing tastes.

The variety now includes "breakfast trays" (bacon, eggs, sausages) and "seafood trays" (prawns, oysters, mussels), ensuring there's something for everyone.

Legendary Wins and Epic Fails

The meat tray raffle has produced some legendary Australian stories. One lucky group claimed: "Mate, once we won like seven meat trays between nine of us! We still talk about it to this day!!! Better than the lottery!"

But perhaps the most Australian meat tray story of all comes from the Jannali Inn. After winning a meat tray raffle with 15 schooners under his belt, Ross Lucock was refused more beers for not wearing shoes - so he strapped pork chops to his feet. When his mate slipped on the greasy floor and broke his arm, the District Court ordered the pub to pay $61,515 in damages.

Despite the court case ending his 15-year friendship, Lucock remained undeterred by meat raffles, declaring: "In future I'll just cook it, I won't wear it."

A Global Phenomenon?

While G Flip's American friends might be baffled, the tradition isn't entirely unique to Australia. Americans chimed in: "We do this in Wisconsin too!" Canadians noted: "This happens here at our Legions and some pubs where you buy raffle tickets for cheap in hopes to win steaks, roasts, chicken etc. - in these times why wouldn't you?!"

In the UK, a typical meat raffle involves 25-30 tickets sold at £1 each, while Canada's Sudbury area enjoys "Porketta Bingo," where traditional Italian porchetta is the prize in card games fundraising for local minor hockey leagues.

Surviving and Thriving

The tradition has weathered challenges, including COVID-19 disruptions. The famous Casino Beef Week event noted 2023 was "the first normal year back since 2020, we skipped 2020 and 2021 was pared back."

But meat tray raffles have bounced back stronger than ever. Modern venues like The Royal Leichhardt emphasise the community benefit: "Not only will you have a blast, but you'll also be supporting a great cause. All proceeds from the event go to a local charity, making every win a win for the community."

The Secret Ingredient

What makes meat tray raffles so enduringly popular isn't really about the meat at all. As one vegetarian commenter perfectly captured the spirit: "I'm a vegetarian, but I'm buying a ticket every time."

It's because the meat tray raffle is still a wholesome way to bring the community together, with donations from small businesses used to raise funds for grassroots initiatives - it's an all-hands-on-deck operation that folk go mad for.

In an age of online shopping and digital entertainment, there's something beautifully analog about gathering at your local pub, buying a ticket for a few dollars, and sharing in the collective excitement of the draw. It's community building disguised as a lottery, charity fundraising wrapped in entertainment, and quintessentially Australian hospitality served with a side of friendly competition.

Perhaps that's why G Flip's TikTok explaining this tradition to Americans struck such a chord. While some Aussies admitted "I never realised this was weird," the response shows how deeply embedded this practice is in our culture. It's one of those beautiful quirks that makes Australia uniquely Australian - practical, community-minded, slightly mad, and absolutely worth preserving.