When you're at a dinner party and there's only wine, no other drinks

[Anonymous]

Recently I was at a lovely dinner party where the host went to great lengths to provide lots of lovely food and wine.

But it's a huge pet peeve of mine when the host just has wine on the table and does not offer any other beverage for dinner (not even water). There were both wine and water glasses out but no water or other drink was ever offered.

I don't drink alcohol and had to ask the host for some water. But I wish there had been iced tea, lemonade or something other than boring water offered. I don't enjoy eating food when I have to wash it down with boring water. I do drink plenty of water but with meals I like something with some taste like iced tea. If I was eating dinner at a restaurant I would order iced tea or soda.

Everyone else just drank wine with no other beverage but even if you do drink alcohol I don't see how you can eat an entire meal and not have your thirst quenched. I need lots of liquid to wash down my food, water at least.

Anyone else have this same pet peeve? This happens nearly every time I'm invited to a dinner party. There is plenty of wine but non alcoholic beverages are always an afterthought and rarely, if ever, offered.

When I host a dinner party I provide wine but always have lemonade, cranberry juice, iced tea, water and sodas out as well on a separate table.

[Anonymous]

I'm an alcoholic in recovery and it is ridiculous when this happens. It is so strange to me, even when I was drinking full time I knew enough to offer other drinks.
I usually just ask the host discreetly if I may have a glass of water.

[Anonymous]

Just say- “oh I’m just going to get some water” and use the sink. Why is this a big deal?

[Anonymous]

Or just ask for it. I usually do have a pitcher of water with lemon, but people will still ask. What's the big deal?

[Anonymous]

I think it's fine to have just water, but I do think your host should have offered it. But maybe they really just forgot.

[Anonymous]

Now that soda is pretty unpopular, I don’t stock it unless we’re having some kind of BBQ. For a dinner party, I’d certainly offer people water, beer, wine, or coffee/tea, but it’s unlikely that I’ll have something like lemonade on hand unless there are children.

[Anonymous]

Just do the host a favor and decline the invite next time.

[Anonymous]

Why don’t you pick up a water glass, walk to the sink and fill it?

I usually have a pitcher of water and iced tea out and some LaCroixs, but I make sure to tell people to get whatever they want. Hostesses get busy and distracted, and while I try to keep people in appropriate drinks I really appreciate when people grab what they need instead of waiting for me to notice. I am usually trying to finish the meal, make sure the kids are properly entertained and being kind, making chitchat and otherwise pulled in a dozen directions.

Self help seems like the thing to do.

[Anonymous]

We have beer, wine, tap water, soda stream water or iced tea for dinner parties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For a dinner party, I’d certainly offer people water, beer, wine, or coffee/tea, but it’s unlikely that I’ll have something like lemonade on hand unless there are children.

Why not have other drinks? Many people don't drink beer/wine, coffee/tea and would like something more tasty than water.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Now that soda is pretty unpopular, I don’t stock it unless we’re having some kind of BBQ. For a dinner party, I’d certainly offer people water, beer, wine, or coffee/tea, but it’s unlikely that I’ll have something like lemonade on hand unless there are children.

We always offer flat and sparkling water, but I don’t consider soda and lemonade adult dinner drinks.

[Anonymous]

That's really weird. We host dinner parties a lot and all of our friends drink. But we always have various non alcoholic/water options available.

[Anonymous]

Maybe the host forgot? Just ask for water. It's nbd.

[Anonymous]

Geez, ask for water. Open your mouth and ask for water. With the million things she was doing and providing, she probably just forgot.

You are a total PITA. Really.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a dinner party, I’d certainly offer people water, beer, wine, or coffee/tea, but it’s unlikely that I’ll have something like lemonade on hand unless there are children.

Why not have other drinks? Many people don't drink beer/wine, coffee/tea and would like something more tasty than water.

I mean, if I’m going through the trouble off throwing a nice dinner party with beautiful food, I’m not expecting to have to serve people Code Red Mountain Dew, but there’s probably a 7 Eleven you could stop at on the way home