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Original poster

Drinks for parents at soft play party?

94 replies

BluetheBear · 02/04/2023 15:59

Child will be 2. Soft play party included food and drinks for the children but nothing for adults. They would need to buy their own coffees / cake. The party is not going to be at a mealtime.

Would you be happy paying for your own drink or do you think these should be paid for? The venue told me most people don't pay for drinks for the parents but to me this feels a bit tight. Then again I wouldn't want people ordering multiple coffees at £4 each but I don't think the venue could police this unless we arranged some kind of drinks token??

OP posts:
MaryDerry · 02/04/2023 16:33

We always bought drinks for the parents at soft play. No one took the rip.
Most of the time I think it was DP's role to take the order and buy them which stops piss takers as there's no tab. I think once DP generously offered to buy bacon butties as it was an early one...
Not everyone had one and it was always less costly than I thought.

drpet49 · 02/04/2023 16:33

blackpinkinyourarea · 02/04/2023 16:02

You dont need to pay for refreshments for the adults

This.

Fridaysgirl17 · 02/04/2023 16:33

The last soft play party we were at,the parents offered tea/coffee,it wasn't expected but it was nice to be offered 😀

Original poster
BluetheBear · 02/04/2023 16:33

Party length is 1.5 hours.

OP posts:
Shadycurtain · 02/04/2023 16:34

Most will only have 1 parent, and the vast majority will only have 1 drink, some will say thanks but mo
thanks to a drink.

nice gesture but not necessary if the additional
cost would be a stress it’s ok to skip this.

Original poster
BluetheBear · 02/04/2023 16:35

All the ones I’ve been to have had booze and nibbles. At the very least tea, coffee and water surely?!

This is surprising given what others have said and even the venue said it isn't the norm. Is it always the same group of parents you are with who do this?

OP posts:
TheTurn0fTheScrew · 02/04/2023 16:36

When we did soft play parties I bought a round of drinks for the parents at the start, and then it was every man for himself. The places never seemed to mind me chucking a couple of tubs of Celebrations on the table for parents to pick at as well. But when attending I'd always expect to buy my own brews.

AliceTheeCamel · 02/04/2023 16:38

I went to one soft play party once where the parents had started a tab in the cafe for parents. But it's definitely not the norm!

KittyAlfred · 02/04/2023 16:38

FlounderingFruitcake · 02/04/2023 16:30

Not hard booze obviously but fizz and beer! Helps massively with the fact you to spend the afternoon in a soft play 🤣

Alcohol for a 1.5 hour daytime soft play party, for parents who are going to drive home? That’s bizarre.

FlounderingFruitcake · 02/04/2023 16:45

BluetheBear · 02/04/2023 16:35

All the ones I’ve been to have had booze and nibbles. At the very least tea, coffee and water surely?!

This is surprising given what others have said and even the venue said it isn't the norm. Is it always the same group of parents you are with who do this?

Sort of the same group, it’s my 5YO and my 2YO’s classmates and they’re at the same school but 2YO in the nursery class though obviously. And not just the soft play parties, every single party they’ve been to has had drinks/nibbles for adults. Maybe it’s area dependent? If your soft play reckons it isn’t the norm then you’re probably fine not to do it, they’ll know best of all!

Roselilly36 · 02/04/2023 16:46

Adults can survive without f&b for 1.5hrs. But your call OP, if you want to pay for it, but I don’t think parents will be expecting you too.

FlounderingFruitcake · 02/04/2023 16:46

KittyAlfred · 02/04/2023 16:38

Alcohol for a 1.5 hour daytime soft play party, for parents who are going to drive home? That’s bizarre.

Show quote history

Hardly anyone drives, we live in London. And it’s offering a beer or glass of fizz, hardly a piss up.

mamaduckbone · 02/04/2023 16:47

Would never have expected drinks to be paid for when mine were at the hellish age of soft play parties.

JenniferBarkley · 02/04/2023 16:47

One soft play near us includes tea and coffee for the parents in the party package which is nice. The other has the option of a platter of sandwiches etc for parents which I only found out about when we booked DD's party, never seen anyone order it.

Definitely not expected, and certainly not booze at soft play Grin😋

If you're bringing in outside food like celebrations, check the policy - lots of soft plays are nut free so you'd need to be careful of Snickers etc.

TenoringBehind · 02/04/2023 16:48

No need to pay for drinks for the adults.

piedbeauty · 02/04/2023 16:48

Switchwitch · 02/04/2023 16:19

Vodka luge in the middle of the ball pit?

😂😂

KittyAlfred · 02/04/2023 16:48

FlounderingFruitcake · 02/04/2023 16:46

Hardly anyone drives, we live in London. And it’s offering a beer or glass of fizz, hardly a piss up.

Show quote history

Not really a need for alcohol though surely? Kids party?

WonderingWanda · 02/04/2023 16:50

No one will bat an eyelid at buying their own coffee at a soft play party. I've done tea coffee and biscuits when I've hired a hall or it's been at home but not in the softplay I don't think. Don't ever think it.

Comii9 · 02/04/2023 16:51

I've done 2 parties at a jump arena for DS. I have never paid for the drinks for the parents.

It adds up. I do always have a fancy cake made which isn't cheap and cut extra for the children and parents to take home. It all adds up I wouldn't expect someone to buy me a coffee after forking out for the party costs OP!

wordler · 02/04/2023 16:53

KittyAlfred · 02/04/2023 16:48

Not really a need for alcohol though surely? Kids party?

Show quote history

I would say that’s when you need alcohol the most - kids parties are so boring.

Not in the UK but where I live most did parties at home and there was always wine and beer for the adults!

Teapleasemilknosugar · 02/04/2023 16:56

We did a softplay party for DC last month though where we did pay for drinks - I think it added around £150 onto the bill for 35-ish parents, so I thought that was pretty reasonable.

You have a very different definition of reasonable to me 😂 A softplay party for a 2yo in itself to me seems unnecessary and OTT, let alone adding another £150 on top for adults!

SomethingNastyInTheBallPool · 02/04/2023 16:58

We did a couple of soft play parties when DD was little, and we paid
for (soft/hot) drinks and a platter of sandwiches for the parents. No one took the piss and it seemed to go down well.

Verite1 · 02/04/2023 16:59

I have been to parties where nothing was provided for adults to those where everything was provided for adults (including champagne- not even Prosecco)! We would normally have a small tray of sandwiches for adults, some beers and 2/3 bottles of Prosecco. Maybe half the parents will have a glass. But generally only one. as others have said it is probably area dependent. We are also London - hardly anyone will be driving.

Verite1 · 02/04/2023 17:00

This is older than 2 though. More 4/5/6 year olds. Not sure if that makes any difference!

HazyDragon · 02/04/2023 17:01

I think it's a nice gesture if you can afford, but definitely no 'should' about it.

I wouldn't expect it and would be happy to buy my own.