Catering for adults at kids parties

[Notmycircusnotmyotter]

What's normal in your area?

Today's party was in a hall. For adults, there was assorted soft drinks, crisps, chocolate brownies and takeaway pizzas.

Last weekend there was crisps, cake, soft drinks and a lot of canned cocktails / cava / beers. This is the usual (kid in reception so we've had around 15 parties).

Tomorrow is a soft play party so the host - if same as others - will put a card behind the cafe for adults to order whatever hot or cold drinks they want.

Im planning my child's party. What goes down well for adults in your area? I'll definitely provide alcohol - would be an outlier to not do so at an afternoon party round here.

It’s mixed and it doesn’t really matter. I do charcuterie and Prosecco or beer for adults along with soft drinks and tea coffee followed by being offered some birthday cake at the end. I’ve been to parties that are just tea or coffee for adults, one where it was bottles of water for adults and a couple in soft plays where you buy your own snacks and drinks. All parties have been brilliant as my child had a wonderful time.

It’s been a while here but drop and go became a thing from about year 1, before that it was standard in a hall party to provide tea and coffee and maybe some biscuits, garlic bread or something for the adults (an at home family party would be fully catered but if it’s a children's party with parents staying due to age probably just help yourself to tea, coffee and biscuits as the hosts are busy entertaining the DCs). Soft play etc if the adults wanted something they’d order and pay for it themselves. No alcohol in houses or halls because it was normal for virtually everyone to be driving.

I’m Surrey and I don’t remember a party with alcohol. Certainly not the whole class parties that we had in Reception and year 1. Parents mostly did not come in pairs either ( why would you FGS ). I can only think of one or two families where both parents came. Often there would be an adult table with a variety of foods depending on the time of day. I remember a morning one had pastries etc. Only catered parties at venues like trampolining or farms had nothing provided at all for adults ( although you could obviously buy your own. )