Would you expect pizza at a 4pm birthday party?

[npace19147]

DD1's birthday party is the end of the month. We're having it at a local arts center from 4 - 5:30pm. I had thought that it was an inbetween enough time that we could just have cake. The woman who owns the studio assumed that we would be serving pizza for dinner at 5pm, and then cake.

So if your kids were going to a party at that time, would you expect pizza or some other dinner to be provided?

[Lovingliv]

I would expect dinner at that time...by the time you get the kids home...it will likely be way past dinner time.

[MarisaSF]

I would hope you had pizza, yes. My kids usually eat dinner at 5 anyway. If they got cake only at that time, they wouldn't be hungry for dinner and by the time we got home by, say, 6, they'd be wired on sugar and hardly have time for dinner and bath before bedtime. On behalf of the parents of your guests, I say, pleeeease serve dinner. :)

[proudsahmof3]

Since it's over at 5:30, I wouldn't expect anything besides cake; if you also have pizza, all you will be doing is eating!

[brittone2]

I voted for Pizza.

However, if that is really not something you can or want to do, I'd just try to be clear on the invite in advance. For example, saying something like "Please join us for cake and snacks as we celebrate DC's birthday". At least that way, people can feed their kids a little extra in advance or plan for dinner out afterward.

But I think pizza would be nice at that time if you can swing it.

[mom2one]

I would think a party at that time would include dinner. We went to one recently and just the kids were served. If my kid just ate cake at that time, he would most likely come home and not want any dinner.

[citymama]

I would not *expect* anything but I would certainly appreciate pizza! ;) We usually try and have heavy snacks or pizza at kiddie parties, mainly coz the parents seem to love it!

[Octobermommy]

That is a tricky time slot. Would I be expect pizza? No, but my kids don't eat until 6 usually so that would be fine with us. Other families might have an issue with it messing up their kids dinner time.

[lisams]

If I were invited, I wouldn't be sure so I'd error on the safe side and make plans for dinner after the party.

If I were having the party, I'd probably serve dinner (we usually eat at 5 anyways).

I think if you plan on just having cake, it might be nice to note on the invite "cake will be served" or something along those lines so people won't come expecting dinner.

[egoldber]

My kids also eat at 5/5:30, so I would hope there would be some sort of light meal or at least something more than light snacks.

[shoxie]

If it were me, I'd also serve dinner and then something sweet as it's so close to dinner time...if my DD ate cake around 5 or so, there's no way she'd eat dinner at 6...

I think you've gotten good suggestions that if you don't want to do the dinner, just make it clear on invites so parents know what to expect.

Healthy snacks would be ok in my book, too. We just recently went to a bday party, and there was nothing for the kids to eat aside from brownies and cupcakes - party was at 4pm also. Not even drinks! There were little plates of snacks but definitely geared towards the adults not the little ones. There were a bunch of kids, too - I was a bit taken aback by the lack of food/beverage options for the kids.

[boltfam]

I think that since it goes over the dinner hour, people might expect that their kids will have been fed. I wouldn't, but there could be some confusion...

[npace19147]

Thanks for the replies! In our house dinner isn't until more like 6:30, which is why it didn't even occur to me. I didn't realize that so many people did dinner at 5 - 5:30. I probably will have pizza then, or some other food. That way I won't have to deal with dinner after the party either!

[Wife_and_mommy]

I wouldn't *expect* it but IMO after 4pm you're getting into dinner time for parties so I'd like to know if I needed to feed DC before or have a meal plan for after.

We're going to a 4-6p party tomorrow. Pizza and cake will be served but I'll eat before we go in case there's only enough for the kids.