Anonymous wrote:I'm confused about why you thought there would be food for the parents? I never expect food.

Not OP, but OP said it was clear that it was not a drop off party and that parents were expected to stay on a work night. The parent for each child is then a guest at the party. I have gone to those kinds of places where there aren’t even enough chairs for me to sit down. If you are making a parent stay, then as a host you should make sure they they have a bottle of water, some chips, and offer a slice of cake. And don’t cry poverty, because those places are stupid expensive so if money was an object, you wouldn’t be using one of those awful places.

OP, it was rude and the hosts were cheap.

How old were the kids? Should you have just dropped off? Evening parties are usually for older kids and you can drop off. My 12 year old had an evening party and I told parents to drop off or stay. For those who stayed, I did have some appetizers (mainly because my family was there) and adult beverages. However, I would never expect that at a kid’s party.

Anonymous wrote:The worst thing about this scenario is having a kid birthday party on a weekday afternoon/evening. WHO DOES THAT?

+1

Places like that usually have a snack bar. Why didn't you just go buy yourself a snack? Because you're cheap and entitled, OP, that's why.

I'm confused about why you thought there would be food for the parents? I never expect food.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. It wasn’t a drop off party. That was made clear. Maybe I’m weird but we usually eat between 530 and 6 because we have kid activities most evenings. I’m also Italian and am always used to having way more food than necessary. I was quite hungry since I hadn’t eaten since lunch at 1130. I just know that any birthday party I’ve ever hosted has had more than enough food for all attendees, even parents who may be dropping off. I wasn’t trying to gorge on pizza, I was just surprised that there wasn’t so much as a veggie platter for adults.

Do you even hear yourself? Why would they have a veggie platter for adults when it’s a freaking kids’ party? You didn’t eat anything before going and had only had lunch at 11:30? That’s on you. That is not the host’s fault or problem if you are hungry. If I eat lunch that early, I have to have an afternoon snack or my blood sugar drops. If I knew I had a kids party to attend, you bet your bottom I’d have had a snack just in case I don’t like the food or none is offered to adults at the party.

I would never expect to be fed at a kids’ party. However, often at parties we’ve attended, all the kids are fed, there’s lots of food left, & the host offers some to adults. It’s nice, but not necessary.
When I host, I always make sure there is plenty of food for everyone— kids, siblings, adults.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. It wasn’t a drop off party. That was made clear. Maybe I’m weird but we usually eat between 530 and 6 because we have kid activities most evenings. I’m also Italian and am always used to having way more food than necessary. I was quite hungry since I hadn’t eaten since lunch at 1130. I just know that any birthday party I’ve ever hosted has had more than enough food for all attendees, even parents who may be dropping off. I wasn’t trying to gorge on pizza, I was just surprised that there wasn’t so much as a veggie platter for adults.

Now you know. If you have kids you'll be going to lots of parties. Some have lots of food, some very little and everything in between. You don't always know what you're going to get so stash something in your purse or eat before you go if you think you might get hungry. The point is the kids have fun, that's really it.

OP here. It wasn’t a drop off party. That was made clear. Maybe I’m weird but we usually eat between 530 and 6 because we have kid activities most evenings. I’m also Italian and am always used to having way more food than necessary. I was quite hungry since I hadn’t eaten since lunch at 1130. I just know that any birthday party I’ve ever hosted has had more than enough food for all attendees, even parents who may be dropping off. I wasn’t trying to gorge on pizza, I was just surprised that there wasn’t so much as a veggie platter for adults.

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Cheap hosts.

Cheap adults! buy yourself a dinner!

Anonymous wrote:We have had this debate before. It's a cultural thing. WASPy people think you should skimp on food out of some bizarre sense of moral superiority of austerity, people from non-WASP cultures are horrified at lettings guests (and yes parents are gueats) be hungry.

No, we just know the difference between kids who are guests of a party, and who should be well fed if the party is at meal time, and the parents who are dropping off and picking up.

You would be seeing different answers here if this were a toddler or preschool party.

Funny thar everyone is saying that the hosts were cheap. If anyone has had a party at a venue and people just randomly bring siblings, the guest list can change from 10 to 20 easily! I find it rude that people bring siblings to a pay per head place.

i don't know what is with the DCUM crowd expecting to bring extra kids and be fed at kids birthday parties.

y'all be cray!

We have had this debate before. It's a cultural thing. WASPy people think you should skimp on food out of some bizarre sense of moral superiority of austerity, people from non-WASP cultures are horrified at lettings guests (and yes parents are gueats) be hungry.

Classic DCUM.

We travel so much, donate to our private schools, don't live in sh*t shacks, play travel sports, only apply to SLACs, etc.

What, you want us to order a little extra in case some parents want a slide of pizza or a piece of cake???

No and here are all the excuses.