Do I pay for all their coffees and drinks?

[Argentinasnargentina]

Dd’s birthday party this weekend. It’s at a soft play/activity type place. It’s three hours long and will include lunch provided by the establishment-pizzas, cheeseburgers, sweets, fruit platter, water and juices, cupcakes etc.
There are ten children coming with parents, the place has a cafe/coffee bar selling drinks & snacks.
As we’re hosting, what do I do? I feel
a bit uncomfortable with parents coming and having to buy their own coffee and cold drinks but the other option to have it open and we pay the bill at the end scares me a bit!
The party with all food included and an entertainer coming has cost a lot and the lunch will be plentiful

Not sure what to do?

I had an open tab at a similar type of party for my son.

People really didn’t have much. Most were chasing their kids around and too busy to drink.

This is also my experience, and when we have hosted kids parties we have had an open tab for tea and coffee for the parents where that has been an option. But equally I would have no issue at all with buying my own tea / coffee. I think it depends on the venue - exclusive hire of a small soft play = feels more natural to have a fab; large soft play with a separate cafe and a ton of different people milling around = no tab.

Defo no need to buy parents coffees at the soft play venue, far too pricey and not expected at all. They sort themselves out. The only parties you get a free hot drink as an adult are the village hall parties where the host brings tea bags and milk and various relatives to help make the drinks.

Usually pay for everyone’s first one - well I always ask not all say yes - those that do we buy. Then that’s it - everyone sorts themselves out after. I usually find not everyone stays. And yes it does add up!

Not quite the same thing but we did a tab at the pub for FIL's wake and we paid for food, soft drinks and a tea/coffee set up. We were very shocked how little people ordered and how low the drinks tab was, considering it was a free bar. I think with all the food you're laying out, I wouldn't imagine the adults will go mad if you did do a tab.

I’ve been to several of this type of party and parents have always bought their own drinks.

Parties round here, the party parents open a tab and sometimes buy some snacks for the other parents too, however everyone is really reasonable, not everyone uses it and those that do have one coffee or tea, no-one goes mad like at a free bar with alcohol, so tab is relatively small

I've been to both types and I'm fine to buy my own. It's less than a fiver but a lot of fivers added together is a big bill for the host so I always feel guilty accepting and think that while it's kind, it's really really not necessary.

The party is for the kids - you've had a huge expense in booking, organising, etc, it's an expensive month and tbh, all those fivers added together, I'd rather you just get your kid an extra present or have fun with the cake or party bags. The money is better spent on your kid/the kids than a coffee for me.

It’s normal for parents to pay for their own coffees in this situation

Been to tons. You definitely don’t need to buy the parents anything.

I have four children, I’ve been to literally hundreds of kids parties. Not once has any party host ever paid for hot drinks for parents in a soft play type place. Village hall type parties yes there will be tea and coffee. Occasionally cans of pop. Definitely no hot drinks in expensive venues

This, it’s quite normal in our circle and I’ve seen many open tabs but also some places give you tokens you can hand to parents and you just pay for those used. Also seen big jugs of tea and coffee for parents which is also fine. You don’t have to provide drinks but for a mid morning party it would be nice.

That's what used to happen when the kids were that age. The hosts bought one drink for people as they arrived.

So DC was 20 this week, so a while ago! If I stayed, I would not expect you to pay for any refreshment. You are hosting the children, not parents!

Def no need to pay for parents’ drinks - I’ve been to dozens of parties like this and have never once been bought a drink by the host, nor would I expect to!

3 hour party is hell

2 hours max

All the parties i go to tea coffee and often alcohol is laid on and food

I have been to many of these types of parties and hosted too. I would never expect my drinks to be paid for. As long as the kids are catered for, adults should buy their own. The only exception is when I've hosted a party in a village hall and done all the food. We usually buy tea/coffee and cold drinks and offer to the adults.

I've been to lots of parties like this and we always just buy our own. If I'm honest I'd rather buy my own so I can have what I like without worrying it'll be too expensive or it looking like I'm taking the piss

I voted yabu to think of paying for parents, they should definitely get their own.
At our local soft play they provide jugs of squash from start to end of party.

I’ve been to lots of these kind of parties. On some occasions the hosts got a coffee/drink for parents when they arrived, other times I bought myself. I always went expecting to get my own as I know how expensive these parties are x

I used to have my son's party at a farm which was a bit in the middle of nowhere but great for kids. I did pay for a tea or coffee for the parents because most of them stayed rather than going there and back and the farm didn't rip you Off price wise. However a normal soft play where it's relatively easy for people to just drop off and return, parents who did stay bought their own drinks. even a small coffee at these places aren't that inexpensive and having a tab will quickly boost your bill.

You are feeding and entertaining their kid for 2 hours… what kind of freeloader would need a coffee paid for too?!

I've been to zillions of soft play parties like this over the years with both my kids, and I'd never have assumed that drinks for me were paid for.
I mean, obviously it's nice if they are but it's never expected! It's always been parents get their own drinks in my experience.
It's a party for the kids, not the parents. As long as they're catered for, that's the main thing 🙂

I don't think they would expect you to.
It's a while since my kids were that age but we always bought our own drinks at parties.