If you travelled 3 hours to visit relatives ...

[Xmasgingerperson]

would you expect a biscuit with your cup of tea? I ask because we did this recently and thankfully we had taken something along as well as loads of presents.

I’d expect biscuits (plural) with a cup of tea if I’d travelled 10 minutes, never mind 3 hours!

Did they know you were coming?

Had you talked to them about wanting food?

What time of the day was the visit and how long was it scheduled to be?

It depends on the overall context of the visit and whether the relatives were biscuit people - not everyone has them. I always get biscuits in for guests. Did they serve any other types of snacks? Did they give you gifts also? Were they putting you up overnight?

Yes, I'd expect some decent refreshments if they knew how long it had taken to get there and they were expecting us.

Did you then have to drive 3 hours home after?

I’d expect a meal and to stay the night

If I was the receiving relative I would have baked a cake and have the food necessary for a meal so that I could offer. Or I would suggest ordering a takeaway if things were very busy. What ever happened to hospitality in this country.

Probably. But equally I wouldn't make a post about it if I didn't get one.

After l moved 100 miles from my home town, my mother was very frosty about it. I gave her my new address and phone number, and she said "Well it doesn't matter, l won't be phoning you" and nor did she.
I was working full time, but l drove 'home' every week on my day off. Two hour drive each way, and when l got there l was offered nothing besides a cup of coffee, which l had to make myself.
After that l used to buy a sandwich at Asda on the way to my mothers, and eat it with my coffee.
My cousin was there one day and she couldn't believe l wasn't offered anything to eat after that drive (and bearing in mind l had the same journey back again).
She actually told her sister about it, and they both thought it was totally unreasonable, bearing in mind that out of one week out of two it was my only day off, and it cost me quite a bit in petrol.
It never changed. The most l was ever offered to eat was a chocolate biscuit, otherwise.
That was my mother's way of making it very plain that she was not happy about me moving away and not being at her her beck and call.
Conversely, when l stayed with my cousin (about another 20 minutes drive from 'home') l was given coffee and biscuits as soon as l arrived, then a meal and snacks before bed!
I can't imagine not offering someone at least tea or coffee and biscuits after a half hour drive, never mind three hours!

Yes, I offer everyone who comes through my door a drink and a biscuit
After a 3 hour drive I would offer them a meal too

As others have said. Depends on context.

On the surface, no, I wouldn't expect biscuits, as I would be expecting a meal not long after arriving, and wouldn't want to fill up on biscuits.

I wouldn't travel 3 hours to see anyone who then wasn't supplying me with a meal (unless there were exceptional circumstances we'd discussed previously).

If I'd known you were coming I'd have baked a cake.

My mother has never knowingly had a biscuit in her house!

Surely you would still offer something! It really is very basic manners.
If they knew you were coming there's no excuse really although I'm sure someone will think of one...😁

In my family you would be offered a meal when you got there and sandwiches for the journey home if you travelled for more than about 15 minutes.....

I think more context is needed. Are you staying with these relatives overnight and they are providing a meal later? Were you just stopping in to drop gifts off and heading straight back home? Were you just calling by to drop off before going to visit other friends/family?

I don't think I'd expect a biscuit, though it would gratefully received though.

They should have fed you.

I’d expect a meal

It was an arranged visit. It was for just after 1pm. We were not expecting lunch. We were not staying but driving back home the same day. We were there for approx 4 hours. They weren't giving us gifts. Gifts were for a child. They are family.

Arriving at 1 having had lunch and leaving at 5pm I wouldn't be doing a meal if those were the timings.

I don't keep biscuits in the house so I wouldn't have a biscuit if you called in, but if I knew you were coming I'd have gone to the shop and had some in.

Not enough info! Were you driving 6 hours in a day, or staying? Specifically to see them? Invited for a meal?

what were the gifts for?

If you were invited to visit and did a 6 hour round trip solely to see them, it was poor refreshment.

Posters on here will go out of their way to come up with excuses such as

They don't know how long you've travelled

it's entitled to expect a biscuit

maybe the hosts have ADHD/autism/depression/anxiety

See above about the posters who've said 'depends on context' and 'did you discuss food beforehand' and 'I wouldn't want to fill up on biscuits' (the host should offer, guests can refuse if they don't want to 'fill up on biscuits')
etc etc

Only on MN, honestly

No other snacks except what we took - festive treats.

I don't keep snacks in the house, I live alone and I end up throwing out stuff (in the last week I've redd out the wrapped biscuits tin and chucked club, kitkats and penguins) - I wouldn't expect to eat before 5pm if the OP was leaving at 5 and if they had eaten lunch I would expect them not to need anything substantial.

I'd probably suggest leaving a little later, and eating an early (for me) tea around 6pm, but the op might not find that suitable.

Who are these rude hosts? I bet they dont have many friends. I wouldn't be going back in a hurry

My family live 3 hours away. If people come to visit I’d make sure I had a cake or something for around 3pm, even if they weren’t joining us for a meal.