When it comes to hosting/being a guest at a dinner party, there are several written and unwritten rules of etiquette. Some of them are painfully obvious, while others remain more ambiguous.
For instance, should you be expecting to cover your costs when you've been invited over to a friend or family member's house for dinner? The answer, as Twitter user @AmberSmelson came to learn, may surprise you.
The late great chef Anthony Bourdain used to say that "You learn a lot about someone when you share a meal together." Sometimes it's for the better, and other times — not so much.
Before the night began, Amber was looking forward to a night filled with lively conversation, having plenty to drink, and enjoying tasty food in the company of kith and kin.
Amber quickly learned that there's no such thing as a "free lunch." "Got invited to someone’s place for dinner and they charged me for it," she tweeted out. "This is weird, right?"
Some people, including Oscar-winning actress Patricia Arquette, seemed to think that asking dinner guests to pay for their plates was not only presumptuous but also rude.
"Did they cook?" she continued on. "Did they bring in a chef? Was it some kind of special cannabis dinner or specialty event? Seems very strange."
Twitter user @moonlightlark made the point of asking whether or not Amber's host was American, and pointed out that in Europe — it's quite common for the guests and host to divide the cost.
Depending on your culture, geographic location, personal preference, and a litany of other factors, it is considered both appropriate and inappropriate to ask guests to pay for their food.
First and foremost, you have to communicate with your guests ahead of time. Asking for your friends and family members' Venmo numbers after the fact will always come off as tacky.
However, that isn't to say that you should ever show up to anyone's house empty-handed — regardless of whether or not you've been asked to chip in.
Oftentimes, a nice bottle of wine (or two) will more than suffice. You could even go ahead and bring something for dessert, so long as the host hasn't prepared anything ahead of time.
Everybody knows that the worst aspect of hosting is having to clean up. If you've just been treated to a delicious free meal, then show your appreciation by allowing your host the courtesy to sit and relax.
