If you are not going to have food for the parents…

[Anonymous]

Re birthday parties for kids that are under 5:
Could you at least make sure to have enough for the kids?

In the last month I have attended two different parties that didn’t have enough food for the amount of kids they invited.

I get it-kid parties are expensive. But come on.

Personally I believe you should also have food for the adults when it’s not a drop off party but I know that’s a debate that’s been discussed numerous times. But at least have enough food for the kids!

Most recently I attended one that had 25 Kids in attendance and 3 pizzas. About 90% of the kids asked for seconds. And there wasn’t even enough for the first round as they had to cut a piece in half to have enough. Ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

I agree. However i think party places often require only in house food be served and they provide the pizza. They provide a certain amount and maybe it isn’t enough but some parents probably aren’t thinking about it since the party place is supposed to handle it.
I think it’s very cheap of a party place to supply only 3 pizzas for 25 kids. They double cut it so they are small pieces. This places charge quite a bit and could throw in an additional pizza.

[Anonymous]

People around here are mystifyingly cheap and bad hosts. I never experienced anything like it until I moved here. Where I come from and the circles I was in, running out of food for your guests no matter their age would be considered mortifying. Even coming close to running out so that your guests have noticed and are taking less food to be polite is considered bad hosting! Not serving food to all guests at whatever time of day just isn’t an option.

No one has ever been able to explain to me why this area in particular is like this.

[Anonymous]

Agree. I abhor parties where everybody starves except for the kids who get 1 slice of soggy nasty 7-11 pizza. I understand some venues don't allow outside food. Then you order additional food items. Onion rings, whatever you can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree. However i think party places often require only in house food be served and they provide the pizza. They provide a certain amount and maybe it isn’t enough but some parents probably aren’t thinking about it since the party place is supposed to handle it.
I think it’s very cheap of a party place to supply only 3 pizzas for 25 kids. They double cut it so they are small pieces. This places charge quite a bit and could throw in an additional pizza.

I’m on my third kid and have had parties at most of the places in the general dmv area. You choose to add more food yourself and pay extra. The amount that comes with the “package” is the minimum and then you would have to pay extra if you wanted more. No party place “throws in” extra food. You pay for it every time. But yeah-as a host you have to pay for extra food sometimes. That’s just how it goes. Maybe if it was 25 one year olds you could get away with 3 pizzas but not any older than that. And as a host it’s always better to have too much than not enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People around here are mystifyingly cheap and bad hosts. I never experienced anything like it until I moved here. Where I come from and the circles I was in, running out of food for your guests no matter their age would be considered mortifying. Even coming close to running out so that your guests have noticed and are taking less food to be polite is considered bad hosting! Not serving food to all guests at whatever time of day just isn’t an option.

No one has ever been able to explain to me why this area in particular is like this.

It’s so true. I would be absolutely mortified. But it would never happen as I always make sure to have more than enough and then worst case we take it home with us. I never want to be the parent who didn’t have enough food at the party. There is no in between in this area-it’s always 1. People like me who make sure to have more than enough for everyone. 2. Clear cases of the hosts cheaping out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree. However i think party places often require only in house food be served and they provide the pizza. They provide a certain amount and maybe it isn’t enough but some parents probably aren’t thinking about it since the party place is supposed to handle it.
I think it’s very cheap of a party place to supply only 3 pizzas for 25 kids. They double cut it so they are small pieces. This places charge quite a bit and could throw in an additional pizza.

You have to pay for the extra pizzas. Do the back of the envelope math. 3 pizzas is about 24 slices (give or take) and if you have 35 people coming you need more pizza and make an allowance for at least 2 pieces per guest. Then you add on the extra pizzas you need to accommodate everyone. It's not like you're limited to the minimum and these places ask if you need more and double check with you before your party.

[Anonymous]

I have never been to a party where this happened. I have two kids and tons of bdays from daycare days onward. We have always had a ton of pizza juice etc leftover after our parties.

[Anonymous]

Oh who cares! So what if a kid can't have a second piece of pizza. Kids barely go two hours without eating these days. They'll live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People around here are mystifyingly cheap and bad hosts. I never experienced anything like it until I moved here. Where I come from and the circles I was in, running out of food for your guests no matter their age would be considered mortifying. Even coming close to running out so that your guests have noticed and are taking less food to be polite is considered bad hosting! Not serving food to all guests at whatever time of day just isn’t an option.

No one has ever been able to explain to me why this area in particular is like this.

Oh, I thought it as just the American custom? Glad to know that it is just my misfortune to meet horrible people in this neck of the woods.

I am an immigrant and I come from a culture here hospitality is taken seriously. e are taught to be inclusive and food is always abundant. I am horrified how uncivilized and uncouth people are here. They do not have even basic manners or etiquettes of hosting. The funny part is that everyone boasts about how rich they are but in reality they are poor and miserly people. Utterly disgusting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh who cares! So what if a kid can't have a second piece of pizza. Kids barely go two hours without eating these days. They'll live.

Hah. I guess we know what kind of host you are 🙂.

[Anonymous]

I would assume the hosts made a mistake with ordering/planning and feel sorry for them. Organizing big parties for little kids is so stressful especially on top of all the other logistical Tetris associated with having little kids. I’ve been lucky so far that all the pairs we’ve gone to have had plenty of food for the kids and food (and coffee!) for the parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would assume the hosts made a mistake with ordering/planning and feel sorry for them. Organizing big parties for little kids is so stressful especially on top of all the other logistical Tetris associated with having little kids. I’ve been lucky so far that all the pairs we’ve gone to have had plenty of food for the kids and food (and coffee!) for the parents.

If I made this kind of mistake I would very verbally apologize to my guests. Regardless, these party places always call a couple days before the party to go over everything and for last minute changes. We all have kids when we attend these parties-we know how stressful it is because we all do it.

Next party I’m making sure to have coffee for the parents-I love that!

[Anonymous]

It depends on the time of day. 12:00 party? Yes, you need enough food for an actual lunch for everyone, including parents. 3:00 party? Half slice of pizza is plenty to wind the kids down from their activity and transition to cake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh who cares! So what if a kid can't have a second piece of pizza. Kids barely go two hours without eating these days. They'll live.

NP. It's basic hospitality.