[visualops]

so we're technically not supposed to eat meat on Fridays, period?

Correct.
I remember "fish on Friday" being a common phrase when I was growing up. All the restaurants I worked at in NYC ran fish & seafood specials on Fridays. When I was in the Greek Orthodox church Fridays were a day of abstinence, and during Lent it was Wednesdays and Fridays if I recall correctly.

[NYer]

All the restaurants I worked at in NYC ran fish & seafood specials on Fridays.

Are you a native NYer?

Those specials still run during Lent up here in Albany (and I would imagine in many other cities where they want to 'cash in' on an 'event'). What bothers me most is that throughout the year, my KofC Council insists on serving up meat at their Friday dinners. I tried to approach them on this topic but they scoffed at me. (I attribute that more to the local bishop than to them. They are just as ignorant as was I for 40 years).