“You know what time it is”: Ground beef o’clock takes over social media
The “ground beef o’clock” meme has become the spiritual successor to “boy slop”—the viral term for men’s one-pan, high-protein meals where you “add whatever you’ve got to a pound of ground beef.”
"Boy kibble" sharpens the image conjured by the boy slop meme, which refers to a single-pan, “add whatever you’ve got to a pound of ground beef,” high protein meal eaten by men cooking for themselves.
Clips popping up on social media show that if you start looking for evidence of "ground beef o'clock" you're sure to find it.
For some, “ground beef o’clock” is a badge of honor—a celebration of independence and practicality. Self-proclaimed “beef guys” debate the best seasoning ratios, defend their meal of choice, and even argue it says something about their character.
For others, it’s pure comedy. TikTokers have turned the meme into a playful caricature of single-man living—complete with bare apartments, harsh overhead lighting, and utilitarian bedding. The recurring punchline: men will truly eat anything as long as it starts with a pound of beef.
“It’s ground beef o’clock.”
One viral TikTok, captioned “It’s ground beef o’clock,” shows a man caught on camera through his apartment window as he calmly pan-fries beef for dinner. The clip has racked up more than 7.7 million views.
@cpla20 Boyhood ❤️
♬ original sound - NickiMVerses - ???????????? ????????????????????????????™
Another video titled “Running home for ground beef o’clock” shows a man gripping a pack of beef while striding down Fifth Avenue in New York City at dinner time. The post pulled in nearly 500,000 views and hundreds of comments celebrating “finance bro domesticity.”
@daniellafernandareyes he saw that 93/7 on sale #fypシ゚viral #fyp #newyork #nyc #financebro ♬ оригінальний звук - ????????????????????????????????
In one of the meme’s more cinematic takes, a TikTok creator paired Mozart’s Requiem with a clip of two people sharing bowls of plain ground beef for dinner. The caption reads, “You know what time it is.”
It’s part of a larger online trend acknowledging the absurd, tender side of “boy dinner”—where humor and hunger meet somewhere between minimal effort and emotional expression. As one commenter wrote, “Times are tough. Sometimes you just have to surrender to ground beef o’clock.”
@miaj0hnson you know what time it is #groundbeef #carnivore #fy ♬ Mozart/Requiem "Lacrimosa"(1394506) - Mint
Social media reacts
Comments from people reacting to the posts ranged from expressions of recognition and admiration to a bit of light female-gaze-oriented sexual harassment. Here's a selection:
“And with the big lights on lol.”
“Navy sheets, flat pillow, no real comforter.”
“The NPCs are NPC-ing.”
“BOY KIBBLE O'CLOCK HAS ME SCREAMING. MEME OF 2025.”
“He probably thought no one would care that he was carrying ground beef in his hand and now he's on TikTok.”
“He’s 100% about to throw in some bag rice, egg, maybe a lil bit of onion.”
“I respect a man who can put the hamburger helper on the table in this economy.”
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