Is it ok just to offer wine, beer and soft drinks when having guests round for a meal?

[snauralaura]

Just that really. We're not big drinkers so we don't have a stock of spirits or "after dinner" type drinks. Would you think we were poor hosts if that was all we offered?

That’s absolutely 100% fine.

Ill have to large white please!

I wouldn't even care about the beer, as long as the wine was decent!

Absolutely fine, I like a drink but don’t drink spirits!

Absolutely fine.

Absolutely fine!

No, unless you drank their home bar dry on your last visit in their house.

Wine is all I tend to offer, sometimes port if having cheese. I wouldn’t expect people to buy spirits on the off chance someone wants a gin.

I'd be happy, I'm not a big drinker either but I do like a glass of wine.

100% fine. That’s all I’d expect at a dinner party. I wouldn’t actually expect beer and of course I’d always bring a bottle of wine anyway.

I have one friend who’s very into cocktails and I always look forward to one round his but they’re very much his ‘thing’ and I’d never expect anything beyond wine anywhere else.

I would usually offer a fizz for the pre dinner drink, doesn’t need to be a fancy champagne- prosecco or cremant is fine. But otherwise fine and very normal to not have spirits.

Personally I think it's absolutely fine, but maybe it depends how much of a "night" you want it to be. If it's literally dinner and then carriages, then fine. If you want it to be dinner and then karaoke in the lounge until the early hours, maybe a bottle of vodka would be wise 🤣

Totally fine. The idea that everyone should keep a fully stocked spirits cupboard - unless they host regularly or it is part of their job role - is mad frankly. Just gathers dust doesn't it? Maybe some bubbles to start, but other than that, totally fine.

Depends what is the norm for you and them. At mine you would only get tea, coffee or soft drinks but then all my friends know I don’t drink.

This!

Also depends on your friends but I assume you already know what they would typically choose to drink to know whether these drinks are okay? For example if it was DH’s “from school” friends, they wouldn’t drink wine or beer, they’d drink cider or whiskey/rum, but we know that so would cater for that. If it was my friends then nobody would drink a beer but wine/prosecco is an easy winner, or cocktails, and again I know that so would cater accordingly.

I think it’s fine. We do have a fully stocked plentiful booze cupboard at home and when we have people round it gets used and enjoyed. I avoid beer and wine and really only drink a vodka and soda (I do like beer and wine but I’ve mostly cut them out now unless I’m on holiday!), I’d have a glass of wine to be polite as a dinner guest.
And I always offer gin/vodka as a standard as they’re pretty commonly drunk spirits but anyone coming round is welcome to what they want provided we have it - and we mostly do.

I'd only get something extra in if I knew someone only drank XYZ, and Irish whisky for my nan.

Absolutely fine.
Please can some of the soft drinks not be fizzy? Otherwise i'll be on tap water. Cheers.

Of course!

As long as soft drinks are offered as standard anything else is a bonus. Guests will probably arrive with wine anyway and you can serve that.

I'd expect that guests would bring a bottle with them - though they will often bring flowers or chocolates which is equally welcome. But then I was brought up to always take something with me when invited to someone's house for a meal & I notice that this isn't such a 'thing' these days. I would always take a bottle of wine to a meal as well as some flowers from my garden when I have some (not so many at present, but I still have a few dahlias in flower).

I agree with PP, no need for spirits, wine, beer & soft drinks totally acceptable.

A glass (not a pint) of cold lager on arrival is right for me (and many men). Thereafter wine please.
Spirits these days is only for close or special friends.

Absolutely fine, my sister is allergic to wine so I have gin in for her, but this is very specific to someone I’m very close to

This. Or don't keep telling me to have something other than water, when you don't have anything!!!!

It very much depends on the kind of evening you’re planning. If it’s a proper dinner party with courses then i might be tempted to get a bottle of port if there’s cheese. And I would always have something like a Baileys or a Scotch but if it wont get used then it’s pointless (although Christmas isn’t far away and they will last a good while). I would tell people in advance tho so they can bring their own if they want a spirit to round the evening off.

Are these people you socialise with often? What happens when you go to their house? Like I say it depends on the event and the norm

Fair point!