Should I buy food at a friend's party?

jonnybadback

Outrageous. I agree with another replier, take a bag of chips and decline the signature dish.
Just sounds like a profit maker at seven quid a pop, from a friend [ strange request from a friend?]

happyinflorida

Don't go - end of

Don't invite this person to any of your events either!

Pollycat

I know £7 per person is not a lot of money in the scheme of things but if I were to pay £7 for food it would be food that I wanted to eat, not some 'signature dish' that a friend wants to cook and clearly thinks his/her friends should subsidise.

I would make a point of declining the invitation - even if I'd originally accepted - and make it clear why I wasn't going and wouldn't be going to any other event organised on the same basis.

It's not about the money. If I were invited to dinner I'd take a decent bottle of wine that might easily cost that much, it's the assumption that friends will pay for a home cooked meal that may not be well cooked or to their individual taste.

If this is a made-up dilemma, it's a poorly thought out one.

2dachs

I think that the host should go back to the drawing board and ask for any one who is invited to bring something along with them and to make a list of who is bringing what and to update other people by email or text so that items are not duplicated such as (remember this is just a list of names at random),


Lisa sausage rolls,
Andrew cheese sandwiches
Craig egg mayonnaise and cress sandwiches
Steve ham sandwiches
Claire quiche
Sophie cocktail sausage and pineapple sticks
Sam double chocolate gateaux


That is just my opinion and suggestion that is all. Also if the host wants to make their signature dish whatever that may be then let them but at their own cost , it could be the famous sherry trifle for any one knows (no good for me as I dislike custard).


Plus that is another thing not everyone may like the signature dish as you can not please everyone all of the time.

Alikay

I think a bring-and-share supper (or fuddle as we call them round here...) is totally fine, as is divvying up the cost of a take-away for a poker night or similar. Paying for the host to act as chef is odd though.

BarryBlue

happyinflorida wrote: »

Don't go - end of

Don't invite this person to any of your events either!

Incredible that it took 54 posts to get to the obvious answer.:rotfl:

I would probably counter the person's cheek by accepting the invitation and crying off on the day with some imaginary illness. Having said that, I don't believe the OP either. We have seen lots of these spurious thread-starters from MSE Towers lately in what appears to be an attempt to generate trite discussion as opposed to anything controversial.

onlyroz

In principle an event where everybody brings something along is fine, as long as it's made clear at the start. If it's a case of "let's have a BBQ, Dave's garden is the biggest so we'll do it there, you can all bring along whatever meat you like to eat", then that's fine. But it's not on to spring costs on people after they've agreed to come.

We had a BBQ about a month ago. We prepared enough food and bought enough drink to feed about 500 people, and most people (without being asked) brought something along with them - in fact I think we ended up with more than we started with.

jaylee3

I wouldn't go. Simples.

I remember our old neighbour inviting us to their bonfire night BBQ, and saying just bring some sausages and burgers, and some fireworks!

It was the afternoon of the 5th of November, so the only fireworks left were the really expensive ones (minimum £20 spend!) and we were talking about a fiver for the food - minimum...

We went, but we got a 4 pack of beer and a pack of sausages and said we couldn't find any fireworks LOL. As if we were going to fork out £25 to £30 to go to some neighbour's BBQ who asked us at the last minute anyway! (We spent £6 in the end!)

I would not go to any party or dinner or 'do' where I was asked to pay for anything. Same with a wedding; if people asked me to travel to a wedding aboard, and pay for my own flight, and pay for my own hotel room etc, or give them money instead of a present etc; I simply would not go.

As has been highlighted, it's different if you have got together with some friends and decided it beforehand, that you would all 'chip in.'

susan1

Reminds me of the time my son was invited to Christmas dinner at a friends. They had a 3 course meal which was very good. On the way out, leaving for home he was asked to contribute £20 towards the meal. (not mentioned at all previously!!)

moomoomama27

My mil used to do this! Invite everyone for a BBQ then last minute charge everyone per head for coming! No mention beforehand, would buy extra agent good no one would eat!

We stopped accepting the invites after a while, her come round for lunch meant we'd have to take lunch boxes for us all!