AIBU to not provide food at a birthday party?!

[WobbleYourHead]

DS is going to be 9 next birthday. He wants a skate party at our local roller rink. The party will be 6:15pm until 7:45pm on a Sunday night (they're fixed times for parties and this is the slot available on the date we want).
We have a limited budget and without food he could invite his whole class, friends from cubs, football etc. If we cater the party then it'd drastically limit numbers.
We plan to provide drinks for the kids and there's a cafe on site that will be open if parents want to stay.
WIBU to allow him to invite all the friends he wants and skip the catering?!

Mine have been to a few parties at various activities, without food. On the invite it was made clear of this. A few have said on the invite to bring cash to buy something. Something like being a fiver for the kids meal which consists of .....

No it doesn't have to. It's not a law or anything. As long as you know that for a lot of people, its not a skating party if there aren't even any snacks. It's just skating.
Which is fine if that is what you want. Just let people know. I wouldn't give my kids dinner before a party as I would expect them to eat there. If you tell me, I will adjust.

And lol at the 9 year olds not wanting party bags cos their not 6. Should see the faces of the teens who I give them to. They love
Coming to the youngest ones birthday cos of the bags. Sad thing they said about leaving primary, no more bags unless spares at a younger siblings party

Could you take them somewhere beforehand like McDonalds and buy cheeseburgers I think they are 99p so not too expensive?? Maybe let the McDonalds know you are coming?

IWNBU

The party is only an hour and a half. They're not toddlers. I think a group of kids can go without food for a couple of hours as long as they're well fed beforehand.

If parents know this, I don't see an issue at all. There wouldn't be time anyway.

And not to be flippant, but who cares what the parents think. The party isn't for them. If the kids have a good time - success.

Sounds great fun. Hope all goes well

Children's parties are about showing them the ropes ....

Wow! Parties are the few occasions these days when DCs can let their hair down and break a few rules like dinner time, bed time, gorging on stuff we ever let them have. Do you really want one if the goals of your DC party to be 'instruct on life skills that we teach them on an ongoing basis'?

Just wow - genuinely flabbergasted

What MistressMerryWeather said

Generally I would say parties need food /snacks. ESP if toddlers lol

But this Party is 1.5hrs and set times

You don't want kids losing their okay time to eat

It's late timing (not for 9yrs) so say on invite as time is sparse you won't be doing food so parents please make are they have eaten

I'd cater with nibbly finger foods & crisps regardless but then I wouldn't have invited 50 so that DC could ask just about everyone they know.

Have you considered how you are going to supervise that many without additional help?

Thank you to the people who've RTFT Or even bothered to read the op properly and offered helpful & interesting advice & opinions on both sides!!

To the others thanks for suggesting I, at the very least, provide drinks! I'll remember to cancel the cheque make sure there are ample jugs of juice & water.

My DS came home with an invitation to a roller disco. Wondering if your changed some details for this thread?!
It says nothing about food either way. Dilemma, which would never have occurred to me before this thread, do I ask the parents or just feed him beforehand and hope he isn't sick?!

My sil did a scooter party for my nephew, it was awesome!! She just had crisps, snack size choc bars and tip tops! Kids happy and all parents seemed happy. The kids were zooming round most of the time, but did stop regularly for a drink and snacks, so the party bag idea with the crisps inside is an awesome plan! Please make sure you enjoy yourself too, it's your sons birthday so just make it clear, keep it simple and all will be fine :)