Is it cheap not to cater?

[Itrtttyy]

it’s a significant birthday and a function room is being hired out 4-6pm for around 40 guests then afterwards carrying on in nearby (nice) pubs. The function room place serves food as do a few nearby pubs.

Does the event need catered (a buffet)?

Yes - YABU
No - YANBU

No, I have nothing.

It’s either a party or it isn’t. If it is, there should be food offered. If not, why go to the bother of hiring a room? Just meet everyone in a pub and go on a pub crawl.

As long as you make it very clear on the invites that it is uncatered then no-one can complain.

But it does beg the question - Why are you hiring a function room prior to going on a pub crawl if it's not have food together?

Inviting guests and not feeding them is beyond odd in my book.

Yes, what is the purpose of the function room? I would just say we’re doing a relaxed pub crawl, pop in if you’re free.

If you’re not catering you need to specifically state that on invitations as the event will be over a normal meal time, so guests need to decide what they want to do to eat.
I say do a buffet.

4pm to 6pm I would just expect a couple of drinks and a (massive) piece of birthday cake.

What happens after 6pm? Does everyone ‘carry on’ to the pub? For how long, is it a night out?

What are you hiring the room for? I would find it very odd not to be offered food. Probably wouldn’t come, I’d eat before hand and then meet you at the pub.

When are you expecting people to eat, if you’re not feeding them or making bookings for people they will have to go off and get food.

4 to 6 seem like an odd time for an adult party.

Of course you need to provide food. What's the point in hiring a room otherwise? What are guests supposed to do? I'd find it very strange if there was no food at a birthday celebration

You need to cater for people at parties yes otherwise it isn't a party is it? Alcohol should never be served without food.

Adult parties usually start at 7 not 4. 4pm party is, well odd too.

I wouldn't consider it a party without food.

You need to provide something! It’s not a party otherwise is it?
Some drinks and snacks at the very least.
Very cheap and very odd to not provide anything for an event you’ve invited people to.

I think it’s just so enough tables etc are reserved to start the night plus decorations can be put up.

If its in a function room, I'd expect to ge fed. If we were meeting in the bar as a starting point for a pub crawl then no i wouldn't.

As pp said why have a function room if its not a party. Most people going to a function room for a big birthday will expect to be there all evening

A pub crawl sounds shambolic for that many folk. 40 of you wanting into various pubs? Good luck with that. The bouncers will never let you past the door. You'll all end up getting split into small groups and the whole birthday element will disappear

Whoevers bright idea this is - ask them to rethink it

Yes, a night out until whenever people drift off home. Late late, I should imagine.

What will you be providing your guests? Nothing is rude.

At a minimum there should be drinks and nibbles.

It’s expected that they’d eat before or order their own food from the bar.

What is the purpose of hiring the room at all? What exactly are you planning on doing in those 2hrs? Playing chess, twister, pass-the-parcel??? 😕

Make it VERY clear on the invites, that ALL food and drinks need to be purchased by the 'guests' and that NO gifts are expected.

IMO- If you can't afford the event, then cut numbers so you are at least providing a 1st round/cake/nibbles or something.

Yes it would be very cheap to gather people in a function room for a celebration and not feed them on the basis they should eat before they come. You're taking their time over what would be dinner time.

If you can't cater then ditch the function room and just have a pub crawl.

I think it’s expected that some will only call into the function room part and numbers will continue to thin until it’s very late and there’s a hardcore group left. I think the idea after the function room is ‘the Cross next’ and that’ll be another couple of hours. But yes, eventually there is an inevitability that people will get split up.

Eat before 4pm??

C'mon it's cheap af not to provide any food. Nibbles/buffet at least!

Also. As a guest it sounds shit.

Who is organising this event? You don't sound too sure what is happening