diff --git a/glances/config.py b/glances/config.py
index 811dd5b3..7c79958d 100644
--- a/glances/config.py
+++ b/glances/config.py
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ class Config(object):
         # Re patern for optimize research of `foo`
         self.re_pattern = re.compile(r'(\`.+?\`)')
 
-        self.parser = ConfigParser()
+        self.parser = ConfigParser(interpolation=None)
         self.read()
 
     def config_file_paths(self):
@@ -153,6 +153,16 @@ class Config(object):
                 self._loaded_config_file = config_file
                 break
 
+        # Globals
+        if not self.parser.has_section('global'):
+            self.parser.add_section('global')
+        self.set_default('global', 'strftime_format', '')
+
+        # check_update
+        if not self.parser.has_section('global'):
+            self.parser.add_section('global')
+        self.set_default('global', 'check_update', 'false')
+
         # Quicklook
         if not self.parser.has_section('quicklook'):
             self.parser.add_section('quicklook')
diff --git a/glances/main.py b/glances/main.py
index 3004aa66..75587823 100644
--- a/glances/main.py
+++ b/glances/main.py
@@ -254,6 +254,9 @@ Examples of use:
         # Globals options
         parser.add_argument('--disable-check-update', action='store_true', default=False,
                             dest='disable_check_update', help='disable online Glances version ckeck')
+        parser.add_argument('--strftime', dest='strftime_format', default='',
+                            help='strftime format string for displaying current date in standalone mode')
+
         return parser
 
     def parse_args(self):
diff --git a/glances/plugins/glances_now.py b/glances/plugins/glances_now.py
index 254d71b8..d3edb839 100644
--- a/glances/plugins/glances_now.py
+++ b/glances/plugins/glances_now.py
@@ -41,6 +41,12 @@ class Plugin(GlancesPlugin):
         # Set the message position
         self.align = 'bottom'
 
+        if args.strftime_format:
+            self.strftime = args.strftime_format
+        elif config is not None:
+            if 'global' in config.as_dict():
+                self.strftime = config.as_dict()['global']['strftime_format']
+
     def reset(self):
         """Reset/init the stats."""
         self.stats = ''
@@ -49,10 +55,14 @@ class Plugin(GlancesPlugin):
         """Update current date/time."""
         # Had to convert it to string because datetime is not JSON serializable
         # Add the time zone (issue #1249 / #1337 / #1598)
-        if (len(tzname[1]) > 6):
-            self.stats = strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %z')
+
+        if self.strftime:
+            self.stats = strftime(self.strftime)
         else:
-            self.stats = strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %Z')
+            if (len(tzname[1]) > 6):
+                self.stats = strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %z')
+            else:
+                self.stats = strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %Z')
 
         return self.stats