The term bean-feast originated in the early nineteenth century as the name of an annual dinner given by employers to their employees, a name perhaps inspired by the mounds of baked beans that the boss generously ladled out at these festive events (perhaps, however, the boss’s seeming generosity was a diabolical, white-collar prank: the day after the feast, the bean-stuffed labourers would have to work cheek to cheek in close quarters). Alternatively, the term bean-feast may have originated from bene feast, the word bene being an old name for a prayer spoken at the beginning or end of a meal. If this is indeed the origin of the term bean-feast, then the practice of serving beans at these events must have arisen later on, as people forgot the real origin of the feast’s name. In the late nineteenth century the word beano arose as an abbreviation for bean-feast and came to mean any festive event that ended in curses being exchanged, chairs being thrown, and general rowdyism. Recently, Beano has also become a brand-name for a food additive that diminishes flatulence.
In the past, during the Twelfth-night celebration, a cake was baked that contained a bean. The person who discovered the bean in their slice was deemed the “Bean King.” Nowadays, this term is frequently used to refer to the feast served during any significant gathering.