Seven-Course Meal (includes six pack of beer)

The six-pack of beer became popular in the 1960s, along with the “seven-course dinner/meal” joke—a six pack and one other food item. The “Irish gourmet dinner” or “Irish seven-course dinner” is one of the first and still most popular of the jokes. “Sean Connery slipped me his favorite menu for a seven-course Irish gourmet dinner: ‘Boiled potatoes and a six-pack of beer’” was cited in 1966.
 
“Six-pack and a kolache” was also cited in 1966. “A pound of boudin (sausage) and a six-pack” was cited in Louisiana in 1968. “The famous Texas seven-course meal—a hamburger and a six-pack” was cited in 1968. “A possum and a six-pack”— seven-course dinner in the South—was cited in 1971. “A six-pack of beer and a hotdog” was cited in 1972.
 
There is The Cannonical List of Seven Course Dinner Jokes (sic) and another seven course dinner joke list.
       
   
Wikipedia: Six pack rings
Six pack rings or six pack yokes are a set of connected plastic rings that are used in multi-packs of beverage, particularly six packs of beverage cans.
 
History
The six pack rings in most common use today are the descendants of an original design by ITW Hi-Cone, which first introduced them in St. Louis, Missouri in the summer of 1960. Within 10 years, plastic rings had completely replaced the paper and metal based holders then common in the market.
   
3 June 1966, Independent (Pasadena, CA), “Notes from Hollywood” by Mike Connolly, pg. A-5, col. 3:
Sean Connery slipped me his favorite menu for a seven-course Irish gourmet dinner: “Boiled potatoes and a six-pack of beer.”
 
28 June 1966, Hobbs (NM) News-Sun, “Jim’s Jottings” by Jim Ellison, pg. 6, col. 7:
A seven-course meal al the Domeskeller is a hamburger and a six-pack.
 
7 August 1966, Sunday World-Herald (Omaha, NE), Magazine, pg. 27, col. 5:
Seven-Course
Frank Gardner in the Crete (Neb.) News: Our East Crete observer says the hot weather changed the diet of many citizens. Seven-course meals are now in vogue—a six-pack and a kolache.
 
Old Fulton NY Post Cards
20 August 1966, The Advocate (Irish-American Weekly Newspaper) (New York, NY), “Letters,” pg. 3, col. 3:
As everyone can imagine, Irish people in New York have been deeply hurt by a July 14th New York Post article written by Larry Merchant. In the article he refers to Irish seven-course dinner as ‘6-packs and boiled potatoes.’ He quotes a statement which notes that ‘the Irish is educated now,’ makes several other derogatory remarks, and closed with a vicious comment on Irish funerals by stating: ‘But as any Irishman will tell you, the difference between and Irish wake and an Irish wedding is that there is one less drunk at the wake.’
 
Google Books
Encyclopedia of Humor
By Joey Adams
New York, NY: Bonanza Books
1968
Pg. 278:
“What’s an Irish seven-course dinner?” “A boiled potato and a six-pack of beer!”
 
19 March 1968, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, LA), “Remoulade” by Howard Jacobs, sec. 1, pg. 9, col. 1:
A SEVEN-COURSE MEAL in the Teche country, avers Lafayette Advertiser editor Vincent Marino, is a pound of boudin (sausage) and a six-pack.
 
16 June 1968, Lubbock (TX) Avalanche-Journal, “Dear Turnow Tunkel” by O. C. McBride, pg. F-10, col. 5:
What did she mean by “Texas cooking?” Beats me, unless she was referring to the famous Texas seven-course meal—a hamburger and a six-pack.
 
15 January 1971, The News (Van Nuys, CA), “Cafe Ramblings” with Larry Lipson, pg. 16-A, col. 7:
... (”...his idea of a seven-course dinner is a bologna sandwich and a six-pack of beer”) ...
 
17 March 1971, Atchison (KS) Daily Globe, pg. 7, col. 1:
Heard across the bridge table: “His idea of a seven-course dinner is a ham sandwich and a six-pack.”
 
2 May 1971, San Antonio (TX) Express-News, “Nashville Sound” by Red O’Donnell, Sunday One, pg. 39, col. 1:
Tennessee Ernie Ford stopped by to chat with some of his old Music Row cronies and got laughs with the daffynition of a seven-course West Virginia dinner: “A ‘possum and a six-pack.”
 
Google News Archive
29 November 1971, The Daily Item (Sumter, SC), “Tigers Add Eighth Course To Menu” by Mac McLeod, pg. 3B, col. 1:
COLUMBIA—A seven course meal for a Clemson man may consist of a six pack and a possum, but Saturday the Tigers added an eighth course to the menu: fried chicken.
 
Google News Archive
12 February 1972, Schenectady (NY) Gazette, pg. 19, col. 3:
Some fellow’s idea of a seven-course menu is a bag of pretzels and a six-pack.
 
26 March 1972, Springfield (MA) Republican, “Ice Fishermen Come Up Empty” by Frank Sousa, pg. 44, col. 3:
Al said, “Never fear. For this group a seven-course meal—for each one—will do…a six-pack of beer and a hotdog.”
 
20 April 1972, Amarillo (TX) Globe-Times, “Notebook,” pg. 1, col. 1:
An Okie’s description: “A Texas seven-course dinner ... a hamburger and a six-pack.” Always jealous of Texas innovations.—BETTE THOMPSON
 
22 June 1973, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, LA), sec. 4, pg. 19, col. 5 classified ad:
Overheard in restaurant: “His idea of a seven-course meal is a hamburger and a six-pack.”
 
Google News Archive
22 May 1975, Reading (PA) Eagle, “Potatoes come back to American menus” by Nick Moser, pg. 21, cols. 3-4:
I think what has helped the potato industry is that noted seven-course meal: A boiled potato and a six-pack.
 
Google News Archive
15 September 1975, Florence Times - Tri-Cities Daily (Florence, AL),  “Barbs,” pg. 4, col. 4:
Our tipsy neighbor has a seven-course dinner almost every night—a six-pack and a hard-cooked egg.
 
Google News Archive
15 June 1976, Rome (GA) News-Tribune, “Barbs” by Phil Pastoret, pg. 11, col. 3:
They have seven-course dinners at the ball park—a six-pack plus a hot dog.
 
Google News Archive
9 September 1977, The Citizen (Ottawa, ON), “Justice officials examine cultures” by Gary Bouey, pg. 2, col. 4:
‘What’s a seven-course Ukrainian dinner?”
 
“A six pack and a kolbasa sausage.”
 
Google News Archive
16 August 1978, Milwaukee (WI) Journal, “Dispelling Unfair Myths About Cities,” pt. 2, pg. 6, col. 5:
Myth about Milwaukee: In Milwaukee, a seven course dinner means a bratwurst and a six pack.
Fact: Very few people have just one bratwurst at a meal.
 
Google News Archive
14 September 1978, Nevada (MO) Daily Mail, “Barbs” by Phil Pastoret, pg. 6, col. 8:
Our neighbor’s somewhat befuddled idea of a seven-course dinner is a six-pack and a pickled egg from the bar.
 
Google News Archive
21 December 1978, Daily News (Bowling Green, KY), “Barbs,” pg. 4-B, col. 1:
Our neighbor’s idea of a seven-course dinner is a six-pack and a pretzel.
 
Google News Archive
9 May 1979, Pittsburgh (PA) Post-Gazette, “Southern Haute Cuisine: The 6-Pack’s the Easy Part” by Wayne King (New York Times News Service), pg. 35, col. 2:
DURHAM, N.C.—Even in the best parts of the south, those where a seven-course dinner is still a possum and a six-pack, a good critter is hard to find.
 
Google News Archive
26 September 1979, St. Petersburg (FL) Independent, “Your Husband’s Cookbook: 13-Course Irish Banquet Includes 6-Pack” by Mike McGrady, pg. 16-D, col. 1:
The question: “What’s a seven-course banquet in Ireland?” The answer: “A boiled potato and a six-pack.”
 
Google News Archive
14 December 1987, The Evening News (Newburgh-Beacon, NY), “Household hints from Al: Heloise, eat your heart out” by Al Starkweather, pg. 6A, col. 1:
Naturally, one should try for a balanced diet, which does not mean a seven-course barbecue, er, a hot dog and a six-pack.
 
Urban Dictionary
Irish seven-course dinner
a six pack and a potato, also known as an Irish seven-course meal or an Irishman’s gourmet delight
(...)
by adam_before_eve September 10, 2005
 
Urban Dictionary
seven course meal
What an Irishman calls a 6 pack of beer and a boiled potato.
(...)
by frainslug April 03, 2007
 
Urban Dictionary
Irish Seven Course Dinner
A six pack of beer and a sandwich
Hey Mick, give me an Irish seven course dinner and leave out the sandwich.
by alfinn September 08, 2008