BYO Nuts?

[hughb]

I am hosting a dinner party for a friend at a restaurant. There will be about 15 people attending. Is it wrong to bring little decorative bowls of cashews to put on the table for people to nibble on during pre-dinner cocktails? The restaurant doesn't offer anything of the sort.

[OCAnn]

So, what happened?

[JK Grence the Cosmic Jester]

The restaurant serves food, don't they? Bringing nuts would be incredibly tacky. Call them and ask if there's any sort of hors d'oeuvres that can be served as people arrive.

[Cathy]

A restaurant that doesn't offer appetizers?

[PeterL]

Esp. a restaurant that serves cocktails?

[mojoeater]

In addition to the concerns over outside food (generally due to health codes), I would hesitate to use nuts as the primary snack. Too many folks have severe allergies. And do people really need to snack before dinner?

[fourunder]

FWIW,

I think it would be appropriate to ask the restaurant itself and not the advice of this board. What seems as simple and harmless to some may be offending to others points of view. If the restaurant does not mind, then you have your answer.

Without having more information supplied as to the restaurant itself, it's name and location or the type of place it is....it's hard to give you a proper answer. I think the restaurant would prefer to offer and make you an appetizing tray of crudite or cheese for your guests rather than provide you something free of charge.....however, if you are spending a considerable amount money for a preset menu or not, I believe it would not be an unreasonable request for you to expect this restaurant to provide the nuts for your cocktail hour as appreciation for your business and decision to have your dinner party there, without you having to provide the nuts yourself at an additional expense.....either through the restaurant or brought in by yourself.

Personally, I would insist the restaurant provide the nuts free of charge....knowing full well somehow the cost of the nuts will be padded onto the bill in the end.

[Whosyerkitty]

hmmm... there may be some kind of liability issue and they may object. If you eat something in their restaurant and it's bad, they can still be liable.

Ask them to order some.

[cstr]

Right on Whos..., most est. will not allow food from the outside.

[Ted in Central NJ]

I concur. Other than something like a birthday cake, it would be very unusual for a restaurant to allow you to bring in "outside food". A phone call to the restaurant manager is in order prior to the occasion in order to prevent an embarrassing situation on the day of the party.

[jeanmarieok]

I agree that you probably shouldn't. However, I've been with groups on several occasions where they put out little dishes of mints, chocolates, whatever, for us to enjoy. None of the restaurants have ever complained. And we often use solid chocolate confections to hold up place cards, etc. at luncheons.

[Chew on That]

I agree, ask the restaurant - not us!