15yr old birthday outing, is this over generous?

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DS is turning 15 next week and I suggested to him that he goes to the cinema with his friends. He hasn't done anything with friends for his birthday since primary school, so I was excited for him when he came back and said, yes he'd love that and he wants to do it! I was always going to pay for the cinema tickets anyway, but in my excitement I said why don't you all grab some food too and I'll pay for it!! He relayed that to his friends (5 boys) and a couple of his friends had said they'd pay for themselves as it's too much (how decent!), and now I'm feeling like I've embarressed DS/me. He's never gone out with secondary school friends for birthdays, and I didn't know what the etiquette is and when I talked to DH about it he says, yeah, perhaps at that age, it's probably normal to pay your own way.

Have I made a faux pas here? I can't take it back now that I'd said we'd pay, it'll look silly. I guess I'm used to birthday parties when they were little and the host pays for everything, not used to teenage birthday outings!
If I'd taken time to think it through, it might have been better to have paid for the cinema tickets but not for the food. It's not going to cost a lot as I got a good deal for the cinema tickets through groupon £4 each and food it just a food court style, perhaps £7-8 pp.
Or am I really overthinking this?!

I think it’s kind of you to offer to pay. Maybe there’s been other outings where people have paid for themselves though, particularly if no parent present, so you paying might come across as unusual. It doesn’t matter though , you’ve done a kind thing , it’s not a huge amount so you’re not much out of pocket and different families do things differently. Hope ds and mates have a great time

I think what you've done is absolutely fine. It's probably simply that they want to have the treats they want to have, and either no one wants to feel like they need to limit themselves (which they would, if you were paying), or someone's parent has stepped in and said, that's so much money, no you need to pay for yourself.

It's totally fine. Buy the tickets and then just drop them off. They can sort out their own snacks and you don't even need to be there.

You're overthinking yeah. 15 year olds don't really give a shit about etiquette and faux Pas.

I'd say it's more normal for them to pay their way at that age, even for a birthday but my son went to a couple where the parents paid.

None of us gasped in horror because it wasn't 'the done thing'. We just thanked them and moved on.

Really lovely offer. Perhaps give ds money for a bag of popcorn each instead at the cinema. He can choose to offer to pay for that or not depending on how he feels on the day.

I'd stick to my guns and say "no it's fine, I got the cinema tickets really cheap so we're good to pay for food afterwards". Make it clear that you weren't paying full price for the cinema tickets so it's not actually an overgenerous treat.

Paying for half a dozen friends isn't too much and it ensures everyone he wants to come can join in.

15 year olds don't really give a shit about etiquette and faux Pas

haha! that did make me laugh

thanks everyone, it's good to get some views on this. I have a 13yr old DD too and it's still usual for parents to pay for everybody so I'm wasn't sure what's the norm was, but I guess DS is that little bit older that the etiquette is a bit blurry around that age.

I'd just give him £100 and let him pay for what food / snacks they want

It's not too much I would probably do the same.As you say it's like a birthday party I think you are just overthinking. It was a lovely gesture, your son said no thank you, no harm has been done.