Dinner party invitation wording for every table
Dinner party invitations have less room for vagueness than almost any other. You're counting chairs, shopping for exact portions and working around allergies, so you need clear answers and firm arrival times. A restaurant dinner adds another question entirely: who pays, and how do you say so without sounding stingy?
The 40 examples below cover supper clubs, formal seated dinners, potlucks, Friendsgiving and other holiday meals, themed nights, and restaurant birthdays where each guest covers their own meal. Copy one, fill in the brackets, and use the RSVP and tricky-situation lines for dietary questions, wine, late arrivals and splitting the bill.
40 examples · 7 styles · copy any line in one tap
Supper club
For recurring dinners with friends, rotating hosts or a cookbook to cook from.
We're starting a supper club: one dinner a month, a different host each time. The first one is at our place. [Date], [Time] [Address] On the menu: [Cuisine] RSVP by [RSVP date]
Supper club, month four: a Lebanese spread, with mezze first and plenty of it. [Date], [Time] Hosted by Nadia and Omar [Address] Please mention any allergies when you reply by [RSVP date].
Everyone cooks one recipe from [Cookbook title]. Sign up for a dish so we don't end up with four desserts. [Date], [Time] [Address] Reply by [RSVP date]
Your turn to eat, our turn to cook. Supper club at [Address]. [Date], [Time] Bring a bottle if you'd like; dinner is on us. RSVP by [RSVP date]
A friend who cooks professionally is making a five-course tasting menu at our place, and there are [Number] seats. [Date], [Time] [Address] Suggested contribution toward ingredients: $[Amount] RSVP by [RSVP date]
Supper club. [Date], [Time]. [Address]. Seats for [Number]. Reply by [RSVP date].
Formal seated dinner
For multi-course dinners, honoring someone, or a private room with a set menu.
[Host names] request the pleasure of your company at dinner [Day], [Date] at [Time] [Address] Kindly reply by [RSVP date]
A dinner in honor of [Name], on the occasion of their [Milestone]. Cocktails at [Time], dinner at [Time] [Venue] Business attire Please reply by [RSVP date]
A seated dinner of four courses, served at [Time]. [Date] [Address] Please share any dietary needs with your reply by [RSVP date] so the menu works for everyone.
Dinner with wine pairings from the cellar we've been ignoring. Arrive at [Time]; first course at [Time]. [Date], [Address] Jacket suggested RSVP by [RSVP date]
It took us a year to invite you properly. Please come to dinner. [Date], [Time] [Address] Cocktail attire, though no one will check. Kindly reply by [RSVP date]
An evening of dinner and conversation with [Name], [Title], in the private room at [Venue]. [Date], [Time] Seating is limited to [Number]. Kindly confirm by [RSVP date]
Casual dinner at home
For weeknight pasta, Sunday roasts and small tables where every chair is counted.
Nothing fancy: a big pot of chili and a Tuesday with friends. [Date], [Time] [Address] Let me know by [RSVP date] if you're in.
Pasta night. I'm making the sauce from scratch and at least two shapes of noodles. [Date], [Time] [Address] Bring a bottle if you like. RSVP by [RSVP date]
Dinner for six, around a table that fits exactly six. Reply soon and the chair is yours. [Date], [Time] [Address] RSVP by [RSVP date]
Sunday dinner, the long, slow kind. Roast in the oven by noon, table at [Time]. [Date] [Address] Kids welcome.
Steaks and vegetables on the grill, eaten outside if the weather behaves. [Date], [Time] [Address] Tell us about any dietary needs when you reply by [RSVP date].
First dinner in the new place. The table arrived yesterday. [Date], [Time] [Address] RSVP by [RSVP date]
Potluck dinner
When guests bring the food and you need to steer who brings what.
Potluck dinner: bring a dish that serves [Number]. We'll have plates, drinks and a main. [Date], [Time] [Address] Claim your dish at [Phone or link] by [RSVP date]
Bring a dish with a story, like a family recipe or the first thing you learned to cook on your own. We'll go around the table and hear them. [Date], [Time] [Address] RSVP by [RSVP date]
Potluck around the world: pick a country, bring a dish from it, and label the ingredients. [Date], [Time] [Address] Sign up by [RSVP date] so we cover more than one continent.
Community potluck in the [Venue] hall. Bring a main or dessert; the committee provides drinks and tableware. [Date], [Time] [Address] Everyone is welcome.
Potluck supper. Please bring a card with your dish's name and its main allergens, such as nuts, dairy or gluten. [Date], [Time] [Address] RSVP by [RSVP date]
Soup night: we make two big pots, you bring bread, salad or dessert. [Date], [Time] [Address] Reply by [RSVP date] with what you're bringing.
Friendsgiving and holiday dinners
For Thanksgiving with friends and other seasonal or cultural feasts.
Friendsgiving. The bird is our job. Sides, pies and drinks are yours; sign up so we have more than one stuffing. [Date], [Time] [Address] RSVP by [RSVP date]
Not flying home this year? Neither are we. Thanksgiving dinner for anyone staying in town. [Date], [Time] [Address] Bring a dish if you'd like, or just come hungry. Reply by [RSVP date].
A fully vegetarian Friendsgiving, with plenty of mushrooms and no imitation turkey. [Date], [Time] [Address] RSVP by [RSVP date]
Holiday dinner for friends before everyone leaves for their families. Candles, a long table and a gift swap under $[Amount]. [Date], [Time] [Address] Reply by [RSVP date]
Lunar New Year dinner, with dumplings we'll fold together. Wear red if you have it. [Date], [Time] [Address] RSVP by [RSVP date]
Break the fast with us at sunset. Iftar dinner at [Time], and all friends are welcome, fasting or not. [Date] [Address] RSVP by [RSVP date]
Birthday dinner at a restaurant, guests pay their own
When you're organizing, not treating, and the bill needs to be clear up front.
Dinner for my birthday at [Venue]. Everyone covers their own meal, and I promise I picked a place with reasonable prices. [Date], [Time] [Address] RSVP by [RSVP date] so I can book the table.
Birthday dinner for [Name] at [Venue]. We'll each pay for our own meal and split [Name]'s between us. [Date], [Time] Reply by [RSVP date]; the reservation is for [Number].
[Name]'s 30th birthday dinner. The restaurant's set menu is $[Amount] per person, including tax and tip, paid on the night. [Date], [Time] [Venue], [Address] RSVP by [RSVP date]
Restaurant dinner for [Name]'s birthday. We've asked [Venue] for separate checks, so order whatever you like. [Date], [Time] RSVP by [RSVP date]
[Venue] needs a deposit for our private room. If you're in, please send $[Amount] to [Phone or link] by [RSVP date]; it comes off your share of the bill. [Name]'s birthday dinner, [Date], [Time]
Themed dinner nights
For a dinner built around one idea, from fondue to a no-phones table.
Build-your-own tacos with three salsas, one of them very spicy. Mild options for everyone else. [Date], [Time] [Address] RSVP by [RSVP date]
Dinner with one rule: phones stay in a basket by the door. Good food and long conversations. [Date], [Time] [Address] Reply by [RSVP date]
Candlelit dinner, no overhead lights, and a playlist from the year we all met. [Date], [Time] [Address] RSVP by [RSVP date]
Nearly everything on the table came from farms nearby, including the wine. Late-summer harvest dinner. [Date], [Time] [Address] RSVP by [RSVP date]
Fondue night. One pot of cheese, one pot of chocolate, and a strict no-double-dipping policy. [Date], [Time] [Address] Seats for [Number]; reply by [RSVP date]
Ways to ask for RSVPs
- Please reply by [RSVP date] so we can shop for the right number of guests.
- RSVP by [RSVP date] and let us know about any allergies or dietary needs.
- Kindly confirm by [RSVP date]; the restaurant needs a final count.
- Seats are limited to [Number], so please reply by [RSVP date].
- Let us know by [RSVP date] if you're coming and what you'll bring.
- The favor of a reply is requested by [RSVP date].
- A firm yes or no by [RSVP date] helps, since every chair counts.
- Reply to [Phone or link] by [RSVP date]; if something comes up later, please tell us so we can offer your seat to someone else.
- Please RSVP by [RSVP date], including the name of anyone joining you.
Short versions for a text or group chat
- Dinner at ours [Date], [Time]. Just six of us. Can you make it? Let me know by [RSVP date].
- Friendsgiving is on: [Date], [Time]. Pick a side or pie to bring here: [Phone or link]
- Birthday dinner for [Name], [Date], [Time] at [Venue]. We each pay our own. RSVP by [RSVP date].
- Potluck [Date], [Time], [Address]. Claim a dish here: [Phone or link]
- Supper club is on for [Date], [Time]. Any allergies? Reply by [RSVP date] so I can shop.
- You're invited to a seated dinner for [Name], [Date] at [Time]. Details and RSVP: [Phone or link]
Wording for tricky situations
Each guest covers their own meal; we've asked the restaurant for separate checks.
We'll each cover our own dinner and split [Name]'s between us.
Please share any allergies or dietary needs by [RSVP date] so the menu works for you.
Dinner is served at [Time], so please arrive by [Time].
Bring a bottle of whatever you like to drink; we'll supply glasses and a corkscrew.
Everything is taken care of, so just bring yourself.
The table seats exactly [Number], so this invitation is just for you.
This is a grown-ups dinner, so please make it a night off.
Common wording mistakes
- ✓Hiding the cost. If guests pay for their own meal, a set menu or a deposit, say so in the invitation, not after they've accepted.
- ✓Giving one time without saying when food is served. "7 PM" can mean arrive at 7 or eat at 7. Write both: "arrive at 7, dinner at 7:30."
- ✓Asking about dietary needs after you've shopped. Put the question in the invitation or on the RSVP so answers arrive before you plan the menu.
- ✓Leaving potluck assignments open. Without a sign-up or categories, you may end up with five desserts and no mains. Assign categories or ask guests to claim a dish.
- ✓Being unclear about plus-ones at a small table. When seats are fixed, address the invitation by name and add a line about the seating limit.
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Dinner Party invitation wording FAQ
How do you word a dinner invitation where guests pay for themselves?
Say it in the invitation itself, kindly and without apology, for example "Each guest covers their own meal." If the restaurant has a set menu or requires a deposit, give the amount. When friends are treating a birthday honoree, mention that the honoree's meal will be split among the group so nobody is surprised by the bill.
How far in advance should you send dinner party invitations?
One to three weeks is common for a dinner at home. Give three to four weeks for holiday dinners like Friendsgiving, weekend dates in busy seasons, or restaurants that need a firm headcount. Ask for replies about three to five days ahead for a home dinner, or by the restaurant's deadline for a reservation.
What should a potluck dinner invitation include?
Along with the date, time and address, say what you're providing, such as the main dish, drinks or plates, and what guests should bring. A sign-up list or category assignments help avoid duplicates. It's also helpful to ask guests to label dishes with main allergens and to mention roughly how many people each dish should serve.
Is it rude to ask guests to bring wine to a dinner party?
Not if you ask plainly. "Bring a bottle if you like" keeps it optional, while "BYOB" sets a clear expectation. Many guests bring wine as a host gift anyway, and customs vary by region and friend group. If you'd rather not receive bottles, a simple "everything's taken care of" does the job.
How do you ask about dietary restrictions on a dinner invitation?
Add one short line near the RSVP, such as "Please let us know about allergies or dietary needs when you reply." Keep it matter-of-fact rather than apologetic. For a set menu or a restaurant that needs notice, give guests a real deadline for dietary notes so there's time to plan substitutions.
Wording for other occasions
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