Please or to access all these features

Mumsnet classics

Relive the funniest, most unforgettable threads. For a daily dose of Mumsnet’s best bits, sign up for Mumsnet's daily newsletter.

Tell me about the worst dinner party you've ever been to

213 replies

IwishIwishIwish · 27/07/2013 11:57

We had friends to dinner last night and despite feeling ill I did my best to do a good meal because my mum brought me up to always treat guests well however hard things may be otherwise.

It set me thinking about meals I've been invited to and then I remembered the horribly embarrassing meal we were invited to at a work colleagues of DP last year. I didn't really know them but we went along. On arrival we were served with a glass of ribena. Unusual I think to myself but I quite like ribena (dp hates it). We stood about politely drinking ribena then were told dinner was ready. In each place was a plate with a piece of toast (most of it cold) and in the middle a packet of tesco value pate not even opened and one knife. The 12 of us carefully shared it out. Hostess then produced an apple each cut into quarters with a slither of cheese followed up by a cup of tea or coffee and that was dinner (served with more ribena).

Maybe I'm just a horrible person but it has to be the worst dinner party I've ever been to! Socialising with friends was lovely but surely a dinner party is as much about the food as the socialising?

DP and I had brought a bottle of wine as had all the other invited couples but all of those were squirreled away by host and not seen again. I don't think they were short on money by the way though you can't always tell by looking so they may have been trying to make the best of a bad situation

OP posts:
susiedaisy · 27/07/2013 12:16
Grin
BaronessTeapot · 27/07/2013 12:15

Imperial Grin

IwishIwishIwish · 27/07/2013 12:15

Suzie nobody said anything to them. We just graciously thanked her for a lovely evening then most of us went to the pub for a meal and discussed their cooking skills

OP posts:
susiedaisy · 27/07/2013 12:15

Even if she can't cook she could of got some fresh bread and more pâté from the supermarket with some nice ice creams and cheese and biscuits!!

ImperialBlether · 27/07/2013 12:15

I wonder whether they found a huge lasagne in the oven the next morning and thought "Shit, we forgot to give them their dinner!"

SpiderCharlotte · 27/07/2013 12:14

When our hosts cooked our meal when we were there by browning some mince and mixing in a tin of macaroni cheese. Then they had an almighty row and she threw a cup at him and marched upstairs while DH and I turned inside out with embarrassment.

ImperialBlether · 27/07/2013 12:14

I wonder what would have happened if one of the guests asked whether they could crack open the bottle of wine they'd brought?

"Just doing your best" could mean buying in takeaway food or ready meals or anything - but cheese and apple for dinner seems strange!

susiedaisy · 27/07/2013 12:13

Wow op that's the worst dinner party I've heard of in a long while and I haven't got anything of my own to add to this thread, what did the other guests say??

BaronessTeapot · 27/07/2013 12:12

If they couldn't be bothered cooking - why not just pop open the pringles?

IwishIwishIwish · 27/07/2013 12:12

It was exactly like that. Hostess kept saying she wasn't a very good cook so she'd just done her best - she said it so many times it became embarrassing. Oh forgot to add welcome glass of ribena was issued with a choice of a packet of cheese wotsits or prawn cocktail crisps.

Not a pom bear in sight Shock

OP posts:
ImperialBlether · 27/07/2013 12:11

Wouldn't you love to hear the conversation the couple had before presenting you with that meal?

"What shall we cook?"

"Cook? Why cook when there's an apple in the fruit bowl?"

BaronessTeapot · 27/07/2013 12:04

I've just read it again. It is even more bizarre second time around!

It is like a "pretend" tea party that children will have with their teddies.

BaronessTeapot · 27/07/2013 12:03

So you got the starter and the cheese course but they just forgot about the main & dessert Grin

How bizarre!