Ah, the late mates. We all have friends like this. Of course, sometimes people can genuinely get “caught in traffic” or have a ”baby sitter turn up late”. But what about entertaining for mates who are constantly late?

You can’t change time

You could try telling them to come at 6pm when you know they’ll arrive at 7.30pm, because the obligatory start time signals when they believe it is acceptable for them to be getting in the shower… But friends like this usually cotton on and quickly adapt to the new rules. Now, when you tell them six, they know you’ll be thinking 7.30pm and adjust accordingly, which makes them even later.

Face it and embrace it

They’re never going to change. The trick is to get your menu right and stop worrying about the time. Skip entrees and starters, just grab your favourite cheese and crackers (for yourself!) so you don’t starve by the time they get there. Truth be told, I quite like these kinds of people because their tardiness means I can get organised and sit down with a couple of glasses of something without feeling the pressure.

Never do a roast

It’ll overcook or worse, you’ll have to take it out so it doesn’t go dry (and then of course, it’ll go cold). These also aren’t the kind people to test a new recipe on, either. Instead, do something that develops flavor with time, like a beautiful Massaman curry, slow-cooked lamb shoulder where the meat falls off the bone, or a Moroccan tagine. The flavours in these types of dishes are AMAZING. Even a classic BBQ is good – season and marinade your meats while you’re waiting for the elusive time when your guests arrive and the flavor just develops.

Definitely eat in

Remember, these mates are best brought over for dinner rather than making a dinner a reservation with. It’s far easier to sit at home and relax than it is for a waiter to constantly be asking if you’d like to order now or are you still waiting for the other party to arrive?

See it as an opportunity

So before you start cursing them too much, grab a drink and relax, jump on Instagram and snatch five minutes of ‘me-time’. Come to think about it, these kinds of friends are actually doing you a favour – thank god for our late mates!