to not feed parents at party?

[FusionChefGeoff]

Soft play for DS (4) so his first 'proper' party. Package for kids but not allowed to bring in food apart from cake. I feel a bit bad that parents will be there over lunchtime but I'm not providing any food / drinks. If I did, I guess I'd need to allow £8 pp which is an extra £100!!!!

Any way round this or is it ok not to feed the parents???

It's normal , I've never been to a kids party where parents do get fed.

It's fine. The DC won't finish their food and the parents will just hoover up the leftovers and feed themselves elsewhere.

It's not the norm to feed parents. A drink is often provided but not food.

Definitely OK. I would normally buy myself a coffee and a snack if I was hungry.

I must be odd as i put on a full meal for the parents. It ensures that they stay rather than dump their kids and run. Plus i actually get to talk to the parents

Soft play normally has a cafe where you buy your own. And then hoover up the leftover egg butties.

I feed parents too, but mostly cos I like it to be a party for everyone

Let the adults finish the kids leftovers or buy their own. £100 extra is ridiculous.

...how about taking a few boxes of mixed biscuits along and putting on the side by the cake for adults to snack on?

I've never been to a kids party where adults are fed although it's common for the host to tell adults to help themselves once the kids have had a plateful if it's a buffet.

What I do know is that I now really really want a sausage roll and

Op, MN is not the place to ask about stuff like this. You'll have a parade of posters along soon telling you that if 'you can't afford it, don't do it'. Bollocks of course, but that's how it is here.

I'd just get a big cake and offer it to the parents when cut.

If you really want to get a few pizzas to put out for any parents who want a slice. Should cost about £15.

I think it would be a bit rude tbh to not cater at least something. A few platters of sandwiches and cold snacks?

OP states she's not allowed to bring in food, other than the cake. Having pizzas delivered would be a bit bloody cheeky.

Soft play parties I've been to usually just have coffee and biscuits or buns for parents.

I've never fed parents, only put out a couple of bowls of crisps/nuts and a drink. As other posters have said, if they want anything they finish off kids food. Never had a party when kids have finished the food. You can also offer a slice of cake too.

I meant from the cafe there Hirples That's what I've done when I've fed parents which hasn't been every time

Does the centre sell food? If so, YANBU. If there's nothing there then, I don't know, I suppose maybe a bit. But they can always eat leftovers and cake. And it's only a couple of hours anyway, they won't starve.

I wouldn't feed parents at a soft play party and I've done loads. The venue may not be happy with anything other than a cake. If I've stayed, I've sat in the cafe and eaten.

It's really not expected at a soft play party although offering a nice slice of cake (either get a big one or get two, a chocolate one for parents) always goes down well.

I've been to dozens of kids parties in all sorts of setttings - I'm usually grateful if there's a cup of coffee (not even a vending machine at the last one ) but there's no expectation that you feed the parents.
It is nice when you offer something though, I fondly remember the dad who brought sharing bowls of chips over to the staying parents at a soft play party, and we got birthday cake but that is rare.

I've done lots of kids parties (and we also run a party hire business). Generally we don't cater for the adults, maybe a drink if included but when there's soft play there's usually a cafe..parents can buy themselves. Offer some cake though

I keep visualising your mum and dad looking at party food and not being allowed to eat. Sorry, no you don't need to feed parents.

Take an extra cake, or maybe a box or two of assorted muffins?

Party in your house, you provide food for the adults too. Party in a pay per head venue, adults might get a slice of cake if the cake is big enough, which it might not be.