Dinner party politics: How much do you spend to impress your house guests?

New research reveals how much Brits are spending on dinner parties…you may want to think about upping your game!

dinner party with table and drink glass
(Image credit: TBC)

Millennial dinning isn't about a simple pot of tea and a home baked biscuit anymore.

New research carried out by Home Sense has revealed that we Brits really aim to please when it comes to having dinner guests - spending over £100 each time we play host.

Apparently inviting friends over last minute to enjoy a one-pot chilli con carne and fall asleep in front of Saturday night TV just won't cut it anymore!

In fact, the average Brit spends £134 every time they have dinner guests over - we had better up our game...

dinner party with plates and table

(Image credit: TBC)

Almost 10% of those polled for the dinner party politics survey confessed to exceeding this average and spending a whopping £500 on their house guests - whilst others would even buy a new TV for the occasion!

The best hosts live in Bath, spending on average £358 every time they have guests, followed by Gloucester and Chester.

However people of Salisbury, Carlisle and St. Albans will spend as little as £12 when they've got guests over for dinner. Beans on toast, anyone?

It seems we splash the most cash when we're expecting family members over for dinner (got to impress the mother-in-law after all!) followed by friends and even love interests. A whopping 43% of men said they would update their home to impress a new partner.

These upgrades include flowers, candles and even a few new cushions to cosy down with later.

So, how much do you spend when you have guests over for dinner?

Contributor

Tamara was Ideal Home's Digital Editor before joining the Woman & Home team in 2022. She has spent the last 15 years working with the style teams at Country Homes & Interiors and Ideal Home, both now at Future PLC. It’s with these award wining interiors teams that she's honed her skills and passion for shopping, styling and writing. Tamara is always ahead of the curve when it comes to interiors trends – and is great at seeking out designer dupes on the high street.