I want to pay for appetizers and drinks but do not want to pay for dinner. how can I say this. There would be 20 people and I cannot pay for 20 people. How should I handle it and say to guests that appetizers and dessert will be paid but not dinner. I have never organized a party at a restaurant before and do nto know how should I do it?
2007-10-01 04:46:12 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
I think if you write on the invitation appetizers and dessert will be paid for that will be a good enough indication that they will be on their own for dinner. Also, to avoid any possible issues ask the waiter for separate checks. Let him/her know before you are seated what you will be paying for so you're not stuck with a huge bill.
2007-10-01 04:52:19 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I would ditch the idea of paying for apps, dessert and drinks. This would be very cumbersome to track for all involved. Also, if you time everything accordingly, you do not need to have appetizers. I held a similar party - 30 guests at a restaurant. We paid for salad, dinner and a dessert. We set this up in advance with the restaurant, so we were offered a set menu with similarily priced options. The guests could then order off this special menu. Additionally, we hosted beer and wine. Guests were responsible for other drinks. The difference between what we would have spent on other drinks would probably end up to be close to what you might spend paying for the dinners. If this is a celebration, you could ask the restaurant if you could bring in a cake instead of paying for individual desserts from the restaurant menu.
2007-10-01 05:15:31 · answer #2 · answered by Parkie21 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are only providing coffee and desserts, then you invite people for coffee and desserts. There is nothing wrong with also serving appetizers, even tho you didn't mention that on the invitation. But you can't include anything that you aren't sponsoring (paying for); you can't instruct your guests to buy themselves dinner.
In my opinion, what you are planning is going to be very difficult to implement without misunderstandings and possible ill will. If you can't entertain at home, then find a restaurant that will set aside a room for you and your guests to enjoy a BUFFET of desserts and soft drinks (coffee, soda, lemonade, water) rather than having the sort of table service associated with a party of six or eight. If there are servers hovering about, asking "Would you like anything else?" and someone orders a shrimp cocktail and double martini, it is YOU who will be expected to pay.
Perhaps you'll consider some alternative to entertaining at a restaurant, such as a "bring your own steak" grill out at a picnic pavilion. You provide the pavillion, the charcoal, the condiments, salad and rolls, ice and soft drinks but guests bring and grill their own steaks. Or a wine and cheese party at a bakery/coffee shop. The minimum requirements are two varieties of wine, two varieties of bread or cracker, two varieties of cheese, plus softened butter.
2007-10-01 05:22:11 · answer #3 · answered by kill_yr_television 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Then just have the appetizers and a cake.The time of the party will predict if they are going to be hungry.Call the restaurant and ask them if they serve a meal at a discount.Thats what Sorority does when we get together,but we pay for our own.Really not sure about a party.Just use a room for cake at like 2 or 7 p.m.Good luck with it.
2007-10-01 08:24:41 · answer #4 · answered by Maw-Maw 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What you're trying to do would be difficult and cumbsersome both for your guests and the wait staff, all trying to figure out who ate what and who pays for what.
Instead I would suggest a cocktail party, held outside of the dinner hour, in which you pay for it all. This would also eliminate the requirement that it be held in a restaurant. You can have it catered just for appetizers and also hire a bartender and provide the beverages. Some restaurants will allow you to rent a party room. You can also look for other party halls for rent or simply host it at your home.
2007-10-01 04:55:24 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Call it a cocktail party & write the invitation similar to the one below.
A friend of mine threw one for her father-in-law for his retirement and it was very nicely done!
If ur paying for drinks and appetizers I hope I get an invitation :)
2007-10-01 04:52:58 · answer #6 · answered by Lulu 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you should reconsider your approach.... Covering their drink will run up your bill quite high. In restaurants, most drinks are 5 to 10 dollars each and people can drink quite a bit when they are provided free. That's where most of the cost will go in parties. Also, providing apetizer and desert but not dinner will be very strange as well.
Some of my suggestion would be:
1) not provide drink
2) do it in buffet style
3) do it with pre-fix menu with few choices
4) pick a restaurant that is less costly
I can't think of a good way to communicate this as what you are thinking of doing is very unorthodox.
2007-10-01 04:53:43 · answer #7 · answered by tkquestion 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
If you want to be a host be one all the way, if not, forget it. Instead invite them to your home for a potluck dinner.
2007-10-01 05:03:38 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
hi send them all a invitation letting them know all about it , chill and have a good night.xx
2007-10-01 04:53:47 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋