Is this tight or ok?

[Thirtyrock39]

Not sure if this is reasonable :-
Dd in year 7 group of four pals
Want to organise her to see friends at half term
Thought would take them to cinema and I'll go round town while they watch a film - I'll take them there and back, buy tickets etc.... can I ask them to bring money for popcorn etc or sneak in some treats rather than me having to buy food and drink from the cinema (which could end up being a £50 trip ) when I was this age I would've just met friends there but they seem a bit young
Don't know if I'll appear really tight ?
Just to be clear it's not a birthday or anything like that just a meet up

When I take DC and their friends I always pay for all of it. We pay a fiver and go to the pound shop for sweets, so I definitely limit costs. If we invite, we pay, is my attitude. Having said that, I’d always send mine with money if invited out.

Yes it will be cheaper if you purchase snacks outside.
You can get a pot of choose your own sweets in Poundland.
You can say though to bring money for snacks.
That’s reasonable.

I think that’s perfectly reasonable and I’d be sending my DC with money for that. Maybe text parents to say you’re paying for tickets but could they bring money for cinema snacks please

For what it's worth I went last week and there was no loose popcorn, just those posh bags. Also no pick and mix. So it was only bags of sweets you can get at the local shop anyway, if that helps?

It’s fine, although you know the kids snack tray things are only £2.75? It’s a much cheaper way of doing it. That’s drink, popcorn and sweets. That’s at Vue and there is similar at Odeon.
Having said that, haribo and a can or nothing at all is totally fine!

You can bring your own snacks so long as it's not hot food or alcohol. I waltzed in with a Morrison's sandwich meal deal yesterday!

I wouldn't even expect you to pay for the ticket so I'd definitely send my DC with snacks/money to buy some.

[quote Babbly]I've read from multiple sources that you're allowed to take your own snacks into the cinema and always have been. Apparently it was all just a rumour that got out of hand.
help.odeon.co.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/360010231760-Can-I-take-my-own-snacks-and-drinks-into-the-cinema-#:~:text=We%20have%20a%20fantastic%20range,their%20own%20snacks%20and%20drinks.&text=If%20you're%20unsure%2C%20please,be%20happy%20to%20advise%20you.
www.heart.co.uk/lifestyle/can-you-take-food-into-cinema-screen/
www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/film-news/odeon-cineworld-empire-vue-tyneside-16174731[/quote]
I've never bought drinks etc in a cinema, horrendously expensive though I would never dream of having popcorn or nachos, feeling sick even at the thought!

I'd also assume the DC would organise it themselves, and my sole role would be as taxi driver. If you're paying for the tickets, that's more than generous. A slight caveat - will this make other parents embarassed if they can't/don't want to return the favour? I certainly wouldn't expect to pay for a secondary school age cinema outing that wasn't a birthday. Or is this the norm in the group she mixes with?

I always take my own snacks to the cinema

Sounds fine, as others have said just be completely upfront about what you're paying for and what you expect them to pay for.

[quote Babbly]I've read from multiple sources that you're allowed to take your own snacks into the cinema and always have been. Apparently it was all just a rumour that got out of hand.
help.odeon.co.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/360010231760-Can-I-take-my-own-snacks-and-drinks-into-the-cinema-#:~:text=We%20have%20a%20fantastic%20range,their%20own%20snacks%20and%20drinks.&text=If%20you're%20unsure%2C%20please,be%20happy%20to%20advise%20you.
www.heart.co.uk/lifestyle/can-you-take-food-into-cinema-screen/
www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/film-news/odeon-cineworld-empire-vue-tyneside-16174731[/quote]
When I was a child there was a cinema in north London that would search our bags to make sure we didn't have any food on us!!!!

Definitely do. Cinema snacks are a total rip off.

Great idea ... but you don’t need to sneak treats in. They can take their sweets and drinks openly in view ... no need to hide.

I once took DS’ friend to the cinema . He came with £10 . I told him I was getting g the tickets so he spent the whole £10 on himself and never even offered DS a sweet . Years later, when they were grown up , I told his mum and she was mortified as she had told him it was to buy snacks for them both !

Would i buy cinema tickets, snacks and a bottle of water for all 4 of the group?

Probably not.

They're 11 or 12 years old? If i'd wanted to organise this get together for the four of them i'd have texted the parents and said i'd stump up for the tickets but can they please send their kid with a fiver for snacks and a drink OR give it to bring with them.

I think 11/12 is on the cusp of organising these things themselves under normal circs..

We've just had a year of kids not being able to go out and be independent so i think our young teen generation is going to a wee bit behind this sumer. Bless 'em.

I think if you're inviting the children (not adults) and buying the tickets + staying with your daughter as a gardian of the group then it is a party the basics are your job to cover, Poundland do huge bags of popcorn hardly bank breaking.

Its different if your DD and her friends decided to go by themselves or if you mentioned to another mam 'hey we are going to see 'insert film' and DD said yous where considering it too maybe we could meet up at the same showing' but an invite from an adult to a child is different and would expect you planned to treat the children equally just like any other invitation as an adult to a child.

What will you do if one doesnt have money just let them go hungry and thirsty?

I don't see any problem with telling them to bring their own snacks.
Also, just to say, Tesco clubcard is great for paying for cinema tickets (obviously have to organise it before you go).