To pay or not to pay for everyone’s dinner if I invite them out for my 50th?

I wouldn't expect the birthday person to pay.

Agree with this. It’ll cost a fortune !

If it's your birthday, you should be getting treated!
Rather than pay for all of them, why not treat yourself to something … like a spa pamper or weekend away ?

I would never expect my friends to pay for my meal. In fact if we go out for friend’s birthdays we would always pay for her. Really surprised by first few responses.

No, I would not expect the birthday girl to pay for her own celebration. I would actually insist on her not! I certainly wouldn't like her to pay for 15 of her friends. Ouch. All birthday celebrations I ever had and ever went to, we paid our own way and chipped in to cover the person who's b'day it was.

But.. I also wouldn't not chose a stupidly expensive venue to celebrate in because I'd not want to inflict a huge bill on each of my friends.

Absolutely not a right or wrong way. I have very wealthy friends who pick ridiculously expensive venues where not reasonable to expect people to pay ie BIL hired the Royal Yacht 😳for big birthday.Fabulous evening .
I had Big birthday and we went to local pub .Absolutely no rules necessary.
Edited to say that my lovely Mum book grand Hotel for her 80th and insisted that she paid .Its all about the budget.

I wouldn't pay for everyone. No way!
They pay their own way.

If you can afford to it would be nice to pay, but if you can’t I would just invite and say sorry I can’t afford to pay for everyone but would love it if you could join me for a meal

I think if the birthday person chooses the date and venue, plus it’s very close family and friends, they should at least offer to pay for everyone. Otherwise, people are paying to eat at a place that they might not ordinarily choose / afford. If it’s a more extended invitation or there’s more input from other guests, I’d probably expect them to split it equally and cover the birthday person’s share. Not sure there’s a black and white rule for it, so I’d be clear about what’s expected.

Perfect manners, to me, are manners that make other people feel comfortable. So to me it is important that people know where they stand when they are invited out for a meal. And to me there are three alternatives, one of which hasn't been suggested yet.

1. You pay for everyone
2. Everyone pays for themself
3. You say something like 'I've invited 15 people, and will pay the first £30/£40/whatever of everyone's dinner bill'

I don’t think it matters as long as you are clear
DF and DM hosted an 80th party and picked up the bill for everyone
I’m in the 60th birthday group at moment and some friends each pay their own, others we split the bill and cover the person whose birthday it is!
I couldn’t afford to pay for 15+ people anyway and for my 60th DC took me on a surprise destination holiday ❤️

I've been to birthday meals with different groups of friends. Either we each pay for our own food and drinks or we split the bill equally.

Honestly a meal for 15 people would be so expensive,.you may as well just taken yourself on a holiday instead

The norm is that if you invite, you pick up the tab yourself. Can't believe you're even asking that.
If you don't have a lot of money to spend, choose a cheap place that doesn't serve alcohol.

Different friendship groups have different norms. No right or wrong as long as you are upfront.

I'm in my 50s and whenever I go out for a meal with friends, we split the bill. If it's someone's birthday, then the rest of us cover their meal.

Or mine, certainly not in a restaurant.

Absolutely none of my peers would be able to afford to pay for 15 people. We'd all rather go out and celebrate the birthday person and pay for ourselves than not go out at all.
What circles is everyone else mixing in!? 🙈 I've only had this happen with wealthy, older family members back when I was growing up. No idea how anyone could afford that now.

This has never been my experience, ever, and I've been out for many, many birthday dinners. The bill has always been split.

Every single meal I've been asked to join for a birthday, ive paid for my own meal.

When my DH had a big birthday recently he made it clear he was paying for a meal he'd invited 14 people to. However, his lovely relatives paid for all the booze.

At my 40th we invited ppl and we paid for dinner and a nominal amount for drinks, the rest they paid. I’m about to do similar for my 50th. I’m inviting everyone for the dinner and will cover that and have wine on the table, anything else they can pay for.

If you can afford to, it would be a lovely gesture.

The people who say you invite, you pay… so every time you suggest a meal out you have to pay for it? Or just if it’s a birthday meal. Genuinely curious. How the other half live ey… 15 people at least £30 a head nowadays. I would not expect my friends to pay that, I would be happy to come and celebrate and pay for my own meal.

I always thought if you invited folk then you pay. These days it seems to be acceptable to expect folk to pay their own. I wouldn't do this.

I would expect to pay for myself.

We pay for ourselves and split the birthday person’s bill is the normal in my family/friend group.