Pub birthday party

[pubbup]

Looking for some advice, please. I was invited to a Pub Birthday party by a work colleague I don't know that well.
I was wondering what is the expectation/ etiquette for that.
I imagine I'll be buying my own drink (and food if any)? I know they invited a lot of people. Am I expected to take a present and what would be a good idea? In a smaller group could buy the birthday person a drink but they wouldn't want drinks off 50+ people...
Is it just a normal pub visit where you go and wish someone happy birthday and hover around them and their closer friends for a bit?

If you don’t know them well I wouldn’t bother with a present.

@DustyLee123 thanks!
They are inviting a lot of people and I have never been to a big pub gathering/ before.
I don't want to say no but not sure what I will be saying yes to.

I think there will be a buffet on. You'll buy your own drinks. Take a bottle of wine in a gift bag and sellotape a card to it so they know who it's from.

Wish them happy birthday and then mingle with people you know better.

I think it varies. The birthday person might have a buffet and money behind the bar, in which case I would take a small gift. Or it might just be a buy all your own drinks with no outlay by birthday person in which case if I didn't know them well I wouldn't take a gift.

Well, the text message doesn't say if it's buffet or anything.

Just time and place.

It's likely I won't know anybody there.

I'm a bit confused. How come you won't know anyone? Surely if you're not a close colleague then she'll have invited pretty much everyone else you work with?

If you book a pub for a party then you'd usually have a buffet or similar. Just have a sandwich before you go then it doesn't matter either way 🤷🏽‍♀️

"Or it might just be a buy all your own drinks with no outlay by birthday person in which case if I didn't know them well I wouldn't take a gift."

Do people really turn up to a birthday celebration empty handed?! A £5 bottle of Prosecco will do but seriously, nothing??

Yes. If it's just a general come to pub drinks for an acquaintance (invited by text in this case), possibly not, but I'd offer a drink. I would always take a present to a more organised party, eg one in a hired venue/room/hall or with food, DJ, etc or someone I knew well. Casual pub birthday drinks most wouldn't expect a gift I'm sure. I wouldn't.

I once had a birthday in a pub and certainly didn’t expect anyone to bring anything - but it was quite a wide invitation rather than a small
group of close friends. I had a tab behind the bar but once that ran out people had to buy their own drinks, hence no gifts - them being there was present enough!

"them being there was present enough!"

😣

Same, I did too, and hired a set room and put on food/DJ but only my closest friends brought presents and I'd have been surprised if anyone else had.