What should I serve parents at my kid’s birthday party?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think at a venue you need anything for the parents. I had always done it previously and it’s only like 1-2 that eat anything.

Yeah, where will the parents even be? Waiting in some dirty kid place lobby while the kids are packed in the party room? They already ate breakfast anyhow. Just have some coffee and water available.

Agree. I would just have some beverages for the adults. I’m also confused as to where the parents would even eat if this is at a venue and they can’t fit in the room.

+1

Normally, for a 10 am party, I'd have coffee and fruit out for parents to have while the kids are playing. For lunch, I'd just order an extra pizza or two. But I don't understand where the parents will be eating -- if you expect them to stay, there will be like 20-25 adults hanging out outside the party room?

[Anonymous]

Adults aren't going to want pizza or food-food at a 10am kid party. Have coffee (if you have a place outside the party room to set it up), bottled water, and extra cupcakes.

[Anonymous]

Just leave out a coffee box or two from starbucks or panera (whatever is most convenient) - that is enough for a 10am kid party. If there's a grandparent/aunt/uncle/close friend that is also coming to the party, you can ask them to pick it up on their way over.

[Anonymous]

If the party is at 10 and ends around noon, I have seen parents eat. I like to have fruit (can just be easy to grab things like bananas and clementines) and a veggie tray with hummus along with extra double cut pizza, especially if it's from somewhere good. Coffee is often appreciated.

If it's like say a bounce place where you have the room the whole time, you could set out coffee boxes and bagels, fruit, veg, at the start and encourage parents to go in and mingle the first hour and then do pizza and cake in the last half hour.

[Anonymous]

Bagels and coffee are great.

[Anonymous]

What's up with the venue? Seems very weird. I get that the room might only hold 25, but where are the parents supposed to be? In the playing area?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where are they eating these snacks if they can't fit in the party room? But typically these type of parties are drop offs.

+1

[Anonymous]

Chocolate croissants and coffee.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn’t expect anything and would be happy with any of these options.

[Anonymous]

Coffee and water really are fine at that time. If you want to do some food, I'd do the bagels/pastries. But, truly, don't get too much because you will see...very few parents will eat at that time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Coffee and water really are fine at that time. If you want to do some food, I'd do the bagels/pastries. But, truly, don't get too much because you will see...very few parents will eat at that time.

My answer is nothing.
2023 post Covid, no parent will blame you. And you get no extra points for spending the extra money/time to do it. Anyway, you cannot win. Most parents would say they don't eat bread or whatever you have will not be right. Bagels and no toaster? Plain Cream Cheese and not light. Cream cheese!? Someone would prefer butter.

I would always offer the parents a slice of cake, if there was any left. Usually less than half took me up on the offer, and even some of them would decline first before accepting or tasting a bit of their kids. Same with the Pizza. Maybe 1-2 parents would take a slice but most are not expecting to eat and are too "good" to eat at a kids party anyway.

If it was at your home, I *Might* have a different opinion, but in a public place, I say Nothing. as a parent would not be expecting anything. I would have already eaten something by 10am so would roll up with my Starbucks cup and plan to get something @12 on the way home.

[Anonymous]

Coffee if there is a place for it. Maybe a box of donut holes if its convenient. I agree most will not eat.

[Anonymous]

Surprised at all the suggestions for bagels/pastries. The moms in my circle won’t touch those because OMG carbs OMG fat and very few dads attend.

[Anonymous]

Bloody Marys and Mimosas

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Coffee and pastries are fine. Most will stay since it’s kindergarten.

I found it totally depends on birth order. Parents of oldest or online stay because they are trying to meet other parents from the school. Parents of third or more kids drop because they have to get the older kids to sports games/practices/parties and they are maxed out on meeting new parents of school kids. Parents of a second kid can go either way.
I was sorely surprised one year when I had a party and everyone dropped off so they could take older siblings to soccer games and ballet and whatever. It was a lot of 5 year olds with no extra parents!