"The food was very good."

Translation: Yemekler çok iyiydi.

[Masseman]

Is there a specific difference in meaning between "yemek" and "yemekler"? More than one dish being served?

[AlexinNotTurkey]

You got it. :)

[deactivated user]

Why couldn't "yemeği" be used here?

[Renardo_11]

Maybe for the same reason that "food" and "meal" are not synonymous in English. In this case the meaning might be very similar as "was very good" implies that the food has been eaten, so a "meal" has taken place.

[eileengarton]

Why can't you say 'Yemekler cok iyiydiler?

[alibektas34]

This is also correct. Report it please.

[Sotirakis1]

I made the same mistake using 'yemeği'. 'The food' is a non-specific statement. It is like a buffet, lots of food but nothing specific. 'Yemekler' refers to this generalisation.

[WaleedIbra9]

Can we say "Yemekler çok iyi oldu"?

[Sotirakis1]

'Olmak yoksa olmamak', 'To be or not to be'. 'Oldu', 'It was'. 'iyiydi', 'it was good'.
Oldu refers to the demise of existence, whereas iyiydi refers to your personal opinion, the tastiness, of the meal, and not its existence.

[EvaSopkova1]

and what about "yiyecek çok iyiydi"? can i use this word?

[Sotirakis1]

You have a contradiction. Ecek/acak agglutinate to a verb what will be. Therefore yiyecek= he/she/it will eat. Yiyeceğim=I will eat. However, iyiydi, is the past. ‘He will eat was very good’. The thing you have to be careful for are words like gelecek=it will come=the future. Sometimes the agglutination create new words, which is a standard in Turkish.

[EvaSopkova1]

but doesnt yiyecek mean food as a noun?

[maria.bk]

I would have never guessed yemekler

Maybe should have used "meal"