Who brings food? The GM or the Players?

[Hurske]

I DM and host the games at my house. Early on when we formed, the players all pitch in together for what lunch is being bought or cooked.

They never tell me to pay, as it's at my house, I am the one with the most responsibility in having a clean place for them, as well as prepping for the game, but I always buy a case of soda for the group on game day.

 

[pogre]

Everyone has snacks to share. I (host & DM) provide drinks.

 

[S'mon]

I've seen it run both ways, with GMs sometimes taking on hosting duties ("Thank you so much for coming to my home! Have some pulled pork.") and other times expecting snacks to be heaped upon their GM throne ("If you're going to come to my house, you're going to contribute to the snack fund.") Those are two very different attitudes, and it can lead to etiquette confusion when you move between groups.

My question to the board: How does your group play it? And more importantly, how do you convey that information to the rest of the group? Do you make a formal point of it in Session Zero, or just assume that everyone will pick up on subtext?

Comic related.

If I am GM and also hosting, I will tell the players if I am providing food. I don't feel obligated to do so. They are welcome to bring me food, but are not obligated to do so. There is a takeaway and a supermarket across the street if they're hungry.

In practice, I mostly GM at a pub these days. If I GM at a friend's house they normally provide food. If I offer to host at home I normally do so with food because I want to BBQ etc.

If I am a player at someone else's house I'll (hopefully) bring something along. I don't really like it when GMs expect me to give them money for their food budget though. I'd rather they left me to bring my own food than pay for the food they cook.

If I am a player & hosting I'll certainly provide food.

If I am a GM at someone else's house, I am hauling a rucksack of game stuff across London, I certainly deserve to be fed.

 

[S'mon]

As GM-host I have a personal rule that no player is obliged to bring food/drink to share. If they do it's great, but some can't afford to and I don't want to make an issue of it.

 

[Mallus]

In our current configuration, the hosts provide food -- because they really like to play host -- even if we order out for the main meal. Guests bring booze. Usually wine. Sometimes beer. Bourbon or rye on the nights the gaming session goes all to hell!

The DM/GM is usually a guest. But that's subject to change.

 

[dragoner]

The waitress; on my way to game night at the pub right now.

 

[S'mon]

The waitress; on my way to game night at the pub right now.

I popped in to my local this evening for a pint & toastie.
Took my pint out to the garden.
The toastie took ages to arrive.
Turned out I play (GM) D&D there so often, the barman had just naturally taken my toastie upstairs to the function room, where it was gently cooling!

 

[dragoner]

I popped in to my local this evening for a pint & toastie.
Took my pint out to the garden.
The toastie took ages to arrive.
Turned out I play (GM) D&D there so often, the barman had just naturally taken my toastie upstairs to the function room, where it was gently cooling!

I missed game night last week, and then popped in for a pint or two on a Sunday, and the bartender said she missed me. My little joke about it is: "My drinking group has a gaming problem." The upside is that they will give us complimentary drinks, or even a pizza, occasionally.

 

[ccs]

In both the groups I play with its generally everyman for himself.
The 5e game runs at the local shop. Soda, chips etc if you buy your stuff there. But all you have to do is walk outside & you've got nearly 15 options within walking distance. About triple that with a 5 min. drive.
And a good # deliver.
Now & then we'll all chip in on an order.
Our Sunday PF game is hosted at a buddies.
He lives about 3 miles from the shop, so once again, no shortage of food.

 

[StormbringerAUS]

Players 'nuff said