A dinner party invitation is doing quiet expectation-setting. Guests want to know three things you might not think to say: when the food actually appears, how dressed up to be, and whether to eat beforehand.
“Drinks at 7, eating at 8” saves more awkwardness than any other line.
What to include
- Arrival time and eating time — the single most useful thing on the card
- The address — and any access details if it is your home
- What kind of meal — a sit-down three courses, or a spread on the kitchen table
- A dietary question — see below; this is the one people forget
- Dress, if it matters at all
- Whether to bring anything — say it plainly either way
Formal wording
[HOST NAME]
requests the pleasure of your company
at dinner
[DAY], [DATE] at [TIME]
[VENUE]
[ADDRESS]
Kindly reply by [RSVP DATE]
Warm wording
We’re cooking, and we’d love you at the table.
Dinner at ours
[DAY], [DATE] at [TIME]
[ADDRESS]
Let us know about any dietary needs when you reply by [RSVP DATE].
Casual wording
Dinner at ours! 🍽️
[DAY], [DATE] · [TIME]
[ADDRESS]
Bring a bottle if you like. Tell us if you don’t eat something.
RSVP by [RSVP DATE].
Variations
A proper sit-down dinner
Dinner, properly.
Four courses, one long table, and the good plates.
[DAY], [DATE]
Drinks from 7, seated at 8
[ADDRESS]
Smart-ish. Please reply by [RSVP DATE] — the table seats [NUMBER].
Supper club or rotating dinner
Supper club, [MONTH] edition.
This month it’s [HOST]’s turn, and the theme is [THEME].
[DAY], [DATE] · [TIME] · [ADDRESS]
Bring your usual — [DISH TYPE] this time. Reply in the group by [RSVP DATE].
Birthday dinner at a restaurant
Restaurant dinners need a firm RSVP date, because the booking depends on it. Say why.
[NAME] is turning [AGE], and we’re marking it with dinner.
[RESTAURANT], [ADDRESS]
[DAY], [DATE] at [TIME]
Please reply by [RSVP DATE] — I need to confirm numbers with the restaurant.
Everyone pays their own way; drinks are on [NAME].
Say who is paying. It is the most-wondered, least-asked question about any restaurant invitation, and a single clear line prevents an uncomfortable moment at the end of the night.
Potluck or shared table
Dinner, but everyone cooks.
[DAY], [DATE] · [TIME] · [ADDRESS]
We’ll do mains. Reply with what you’re bringing so we don’t end up with five puddings and no salad.
How to ask about dietary requirements
Ask on the invitation, not by text three days before. People with restrictions are used to raising it themselves and often decide not to bother — and then quietly eat around the meal.
Phrasings that get real answers:
- “Tell us anything you don’t eat when you reply.”
- “Allergies, intolerances, strong dislikes — all equally welcome information.”
- “There will be a vegetarian main regardless. Let us know if you need anything else.”
That third one is the most useful thing you can write. Announcing the vegetarian option up front means nobody has to ask, and it tells vegetarian guests they were thought about rather than accommodated.
Setting the dress expectation without a dress code
Most dinner parties do not want a formal dress code but do want people to know the register. A descriptive phrase beats a category:
- “Come as you are.”
- “Smart-ish — we’re using the good plates.”
- “It’s a jeans kind of dinner.”
When to send
Two to three weeks for a dinner at home; three to four if it is a restaurant with a booking to confirm, or if guests are travelling. For an informal weeknight supper, a week is fine — but set the RSVP date early enough to shop.
Ready-made designs
Our dinner party invitation templates run from candlelit-formal to relaxed, each with a palette for the tablescape.
Related: housewarming wording and holiday party wording.