I'm just full of complaints today. A poll.

[hi725]

When you have house guests, do you generally have a plan to make sure they eat, or do you expect them to fend for themselves?

We are on the way to my sisters. Her brother in law and his girlfriend will also be there. I just texted her to say we are 20 minutes out and asked what the dinner plan is so I know if I need to pick something up for the boys. Her response: no plan. None. No takeout no cooking, nada. She does this all the time when we visit but it never stops baffling me that she can have house guests and just not bother to plan shit out. There are also rarely basic staples like milk and bread in her kitchen so I usually grocery shop on my way there. I can't imagine having guests and just not caring about food. Or cleaning the house (but that's a separate complaint).

[lucky513]

I always plan food for guest

[lime]

I always have food/beverages for guests.

[Gato]

Yes, I plan. We have a friend staying over Thanksgiving weekend and I will cook a meal for him 2 out of 4 nights. Thanksgiving will be with my family and we'll go out to dinner the 4th evening.

Breakfast and lunch are a little more loose. But it's not like he'll go out looking for something to eat on his own.

[hi725]

Nov 22, 2014 17:21:54 GMT -5 lime said:

I always have food/beverages for guests.

Don't get me started on beverages. 30 bottles of wine in the cupboard and she won't open any of them because "they are special occasion" bottles. Bitch, please. I brought three of them with me the last time I came over!

[hopecounts]

Um, yes if you are having houseguests you plan it out.
NOw that might be a dutch dinner out, or take out but you plan what the meals are going to be.

[lime]

Yeah, I'd definitely open up one of the ones I brought.

[hi725]

Nov 22, 2014 17:25:00 GMT -5 hopecounts said:

Um, yes if you are having houseguests you plan it out.
NOw that might be a dutch dinner out, or take out but you plan what the meals are going to be.

I have no problem paying for takeout or dinner out. But when I drive 3 hours after working all day, I kind of expect there to be some idea o what we are doing. This makes me ragey every time.

[HiC]

I always make meals and or have food in the house for my guests. Can you stay in a hotel?

[Booze Raccoon]

I always ask ahead what things people want me to stock up on.  I also make sure I have condiments (we don't really use any so we never have them on hand).

To put it nicely, your sister sounds breezy.  

[G22]

Yes. I make sure I've some meals planned in/out and food/beverage they like in the house. I'd never leave them to fend for themselves the whole time, not even family.

[hi725]

Nov 22, 2014 17:56:59 GMT -5 Booze Raccoon said:

I always ask ahead what things people want me to stock up on.  I also make sure I have condiments (we don't really use any so we never have them on hand).

To put it nicely, your sister sounds breezy.  

She's a flake and it will never stop surprising me or annoying me. I honestly have no idea how she navigates life.

[jenna]

We stock up on basic items, and ask about favorite drinks, coffee flavors, breakfast items, lunch meat/cheese, snacks.

If they are staying awhile, we do a grocery shop with them.

[RoxMonster]

We don't have house guests often, but when we do, we ALWAYS have a food plan. It rarely involves me cooking, lol, but I will let the guest(s) know ahead of time, "Hey, we were thinking of going to X for dinner. That cool?" Or order takeout. I wouldn't just be "Nope. Fend for yourself."

And pretty much any food or beverage in my cabinet is fair game to my guests. If I had a super special bottle of wine we were saving for something, I'd put it down in our wine fridge out of sight and not even mention it. And that may be one or two bottles, not my whole wine stash.

[Nicole]

Wait, you're staying there? I would absolutely either make dinner or take you out! I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't!

[hi725]

Nov 22, 2014 18:18:12 GMT -5 Nicole said:

Wait, you're staying there? I would absolutely either make dinner or take you out! I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't!

Yeah, we stay overnight every time we come down because it's 3 hours each way and my kids would bug if we tried to do a day trip. I seriously have to do a grocery shop every time I come. I'm very tempted to pack it up and take it home with me, but I feel like that would be as rude as not providing for guests. But, it might drive the point home. Or probably not.

[nadasteph]

One of the only reasons we go to my sister's is because she plans awesome food.
I'd be opening a bottle of her special occasion wine while she's in the bathroom.

[FastHands]

I've been bad about this since DS was born with so many visitors. They get here and I'm like "uhm, would you like some... water?" Heh. I think I get a pass though. Heh.

I DO plan for overnight/oot guests even now.

[thinkofthesoldiers]

The food is one of my favorite parts of having guests!

[Whitecaps]

Nov 22, 2014 18:20:59 GMT -5 hi725 said:

Nov 22, 2014 18:18:12 GMT -5 Nicole said:

Wait, you're staying there? I would absolutely either make dinner or take you out! I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't!

Yeah, we stay overnight every time we come down because it's 3 hours each way and my kids would bug if we tried to do a day trip. I seriously have to do a grocery shop every time I come. I'm very tempted to pack it up and take it home with me, but I feel like that would be as rude as not providing for guests. But, it might drive the point home. Or probably not.

You need to do this.

[speckledfrog]

Sounds like they don't like having guests.

[isabel]

Nov 22, 2014 18:20:59 GMT -5 hi725 said:

Nov 22, 2014 18:18:12 GMT -5 Nicole said:

Wait, you're staying there? I would absolutely either make dinner or take you out! I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't!

Yeah, we stay overnight every time we come down because it's 3 hours each way and my kids would bug if we tried to do a day trip. I seriously have to do a grocery shop every time I come. I'm very tempted to pack it up and take it home with me, but I feel like that would be as rude as not providing for guests. But, it might drive the point home. Or probably not.

Screw that. If she can't be courteous to plan for some basics when she's having guests over, I would have no problem taking the things I purchased home. 

"What are you doing?"
"Oh, just grabbing the groceries I brought. Thanks for having us over! *brightly*"

[Nicole]

Nov 22, 2014 18:20:59 GMT -5 hi725 said:

Nov 22, 2014 18:18:12 GMT -5 Nicole said:

Wait, you're staying there? I would absolutely either make dinner or take you out! I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't!

Yeah, we stay overnight every time we come down because it's 3 hours each way and my kids would bug if we tried to do a day trip. I seriously have to do a grocery shop every time I come. I'm very tempted to pack it up and take it home with me, but I feel like that would be as rude as not providing for guests. But, it might drive the point home. Or probably not.

Since she provided no food I would have no qualms about taking what I brought with me! Do eet!

[eb777888]

I'm a big planner when I have house guests. I like to be stocked with all of their favorite foods, drinks, find out what they like so we can take them out to restaurants I think they would enjoy. My sister is the opposite when we visit, lol. We buy what we want the day we get there and she's very laid back about dinner usually. It's okay, we genuinely love being with them and everything is always great no matter what. Our approach is just very different. I think I'm just more of a planner and she's more laid back.

[agnes]

My H always plans the food. But yes, we plan for H to cook or to go out to breakfast/lunch/dinner.

[marylennox]

We don't have guests often but when we do of course we have food for them. If one of us doesn't cook then we'll order something. I am paranoid about being a good host so I would err on the side of over serving lol.

We were friends with a couple that would invite us over but not serve anything. Nbd, but then they would get snacks for themselves and eat and not offer us anything. I thought that was a little strange. Maybe they expected us to help ourselves, idk.

[spellingbea]

I stock snacks and drinks, but don't always have a dinner plan when my sister visits. Mostly, because my sister is somewhat picky and it seems like what she'll eat is always changing. Or she'll say she's not hungry or already ate three crackers on layover and couldn't possibly eat another bite. So now I wait until she shows up and do the hour long "what are you in the mood to eat?" dance.

[livinitup]

Visiting me is better than booking a B&B. I have lucky friends.

That said, I think you should stop expecting your sister to be something she has never ever excelled to be. You get a bed (maybe). That's it.

[Deleted]

We take care of dinner regardless of day and also lunch on weekends, but weekday lunches are on the guest because we work.

And, if bread and milk are staples, then I never have staples because I don't drink milk and rarely eat bread at home.

[macchiatto]

Wow.
I always have a plan. 
If it's an extended visit and we're going to be out for, say, a day/over meal time I might not fend for them but I'd at least have stuff in the house for them to heat up/make sandwiches/whatever.