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 definitely wouldn’t expect free drinks. I’d possibly ask for some tap water to be available due to current weather though I’d expect lots of people would bring their own water bottles. If they want coffees etc they should get them themselves.

If there’s 10 parents and they all have one £3 coffee every hour that’s going to add up! No one would expect it.

I have been to a few parties with a similar scenario and this is what the parents did:

• One party, they had an open tab for drinks
• Another, the parents were asking if you wanted anything to drink and they would get it for you
• Another one, we just got our drinks
• Another, they had just coffee and tea for the parents available for free
• In my DD's party, we had a tea & coffee package and pre-order some drinks (around 15-20 cans) and also had jugs of water

No don’t have a tab! Parents can bring a flask easily or buy their own. That’s normal!

If I went to an 18th/21st/30th/40th birthday party in a ‘hall’ of some description, there would usually be a buffet but you’d buy your own drinks at the bar. I see this as the same thing. No need to buy individual coffees.

I've been to so many of these and aways bought my own drink. I would 100% expect this. I would be shocked (and graflteful) if I was offered a drink.

I'm really surprised the venue suggested this was normal unless they're trying to bump up the takings (which is far enough they're a business).

The only time I've been offered one from the host is when its been at a community center or similar and they have access to a kettle, and even then its not always offered, though again completely not expected.

Maybe take a box of biscuits/box of celebrations for parent snack on and they can grab their own drinks if you really want to offer something.

I've been to quite a few soft play parties. I've always paid for my own coffee at the bar and never thought anything negative about doing that. It's a party for the kids not for the grown ups.

You pay for the children and the parents pay for themselves

Never seen a tab in 10 years of parties

I've been to alot of soft play style parties over the last 6 years...I think only once or twice (and recently, never before this last year) has my tea/coffee been purchased for me. I always assume I have to get my own. Kids have always been given water or squash though.

If you can afford it and want to do it then do it.

I've never done it.

I've never had drinks paid for me.

You are over thinking this. The party is for the children and not parents.

I used to offer to buy as people arrived then left it at that.

You absolutely do not need to buy the drinks for the parents. That would be utterly rediculous. Yes provide squash and water, but that’s it.

Its very normal for parents to buy their own at these type of parties, that’s if they stay. They might drop and run for 3 hours peace!

I can't even begin to count how many kids parties I have been to over the years. Never would I expect adults to be provided with drinks in a place where drinks are for sale.
In a hired hall, yes, but never at soft play.

Nothing wrong with people buying their own but at our school the hosting parents have provided 9 out of 10 times

It’s common for people to sort themselves. However 3 hours is a verrrrry long party!! Maybe give them one drinks token each and that’s that.

Interesting thread as every soft play party I have been to has included a tab for the parents to get drinks.

ETA - I don’t expect a drink, but just saying that every party has included a drink but also a platter of some sort for the parents too (usually pastries).

There's one soft play centre near us where the party package includes a hot drink token - one per child attendee. Every other time I've been to one parents pay for their own drinks, and for their kids if they want something other than the squash or water the venue put out.

What is often welcomed though, is if a couple of extra pizzas or whatever are put out for parents.

For my son’s birthday I paid the first round of coffees and then I let them buy whatever they wanted!

I’ve been to both when party parents have open tab and one where it was pay for your own drinks. The pay for your own drinks felt more normal and the open tab one felt like a luxury I didn’t wanna take the piss with. I had one drink and that was it. I felt more comfortable at the pay for you own one. Parents can drink the free squash if they really want to but I think as a norm most people won’t expect you to pay for adult drinks for them

When we hosted our kids' parties, we would always do a coffee run for parents and pay for their first drink. In the early years we went overboard at venues and ordered platters of sandwiches/buffet food for parents, but found there was no need as parents really just wanted tea/coffee and a chat.

its commune either for the host to offer to buy parents a coffee or the parents buy their own. I wouldn’t think about it either way. However, if you are expecting the parents to stay and supervise their kids you need to make that clear in the invitation OP, otherwise depending on the age of the children, the parents may just drop the kids off.

You really don’t have to pay, most parties the adults get their own (different if it’s a church hall type situation with drinks from the supermarket). I have been to a few where each adult got a voucher for a drink (including a small independent cinema hire where the voucher covered wine!) but it’s not been the norm.

Always buy parents the first drink, then they can buy whatever they wish.

Been to many of these parties over the years never have I been to one where parents were provided hot drinks. We’ve always bought our own and wouldn’t expect to have them bought. It’s a children’s party for the children - it’s a very kind thought but save your money and sleep easy it’s honestly not required