Dinner party guests cost us dearly
Proving that there is no such thing as a cheap night in, competitive hosts are forking out an average of £920.60 each on food and drink per year for dinner party dining – the equivalent to 15 dinners at premium eating establishment The Ivy[2]. And that’s before the guests have even arrived.
According to new research commissioned by Sheilas’ Wheels home insurance, more than three quarters (77 per cent) of people surveyed have caused dinner party damage. Broken glasses and red wine spillages are named as two of the most common dinner party disasters with 44 per cent and 41 per cent of respondents owning up to these faux pas respectively. Furthermore, almost one in ten guests (9 per cent) questioned admitted to damaging or staining larger pieces of furniture, such as sofas, and a further 4 per cent have unintentionally knocked over precious possessions or family heirlooms whilst in the party spirit.
To make matters worse, a third (33 per cent) of those polled would rather lie to their host than own up to a dinner party mishap and 42 per cent of guests confessed to concealing or covering up the damage that they had caused to avoid being found out. A further 28 per cent have even blamed a partner for their dinner party calamity.
The nation's top ten dinner party disasters:
- Dropping food onto the floor or carpet (51 per cent)
- Breaking a glass (44 per cent)
- Spilling red wine (41 per cent)
- Walking dirt into the house (35 per cent)
- Dropping or breaking crockery (24 per cent)
- Leaving water marks on wooden furniture (11 per cent)
- Damaging or staining large pieces of furniture such as a sofa (9 per cent)
- Making a burn mark whilst smoking (8 per cent)
- Blocking the toilet (6 per cent)
- Breaking a precious possession or heirloom (4 per cent)
Jacky Brown at Sheilas’ Wheels Home Insurance commented: “Programmes such as Come Dine With Me and MasterChef have reignited Britons’ passion for home cooking and dinner party dining - with everyone wanting to create their own restaurant-quality culinary feasts within their own homes.
Whilst this should certainly be celebrated, hosts need to be aware that home entertaining can put a heavy strain on their wallets - especially when accident-prone guests are involved. It’s crucial to plan ahead by clearing precious possessions out of harm’s way and having accidental damage cover as a second line of defence because some mishaps are unavoidable when a dinner party is in full swing.”
Top tips to avoid dinner party damage:
- Avoid serving red wine if possible by opting for dishes that are complimented by white wine or rose. If this is unavoidable, have carpet shampoo on standby to deal with any spillages
- Always supply guests with coasters for their drinks
- Serve up in the kitchen rather than at the table and avoid dishes where guests ‘help themselves’
- Have kitchen towels at the ready to act fast on spillages
- Keep expensive breakables out of arms’ reach or in another room whilst entertaining guests
- Think twice before suggesting an after-dinner game – such as a tennis tournament on the Wii – to reduce the risk of damage to lights, ornaments and electricals
-ends-
For further information please contact the Sheilas’ Wheels press office at Mischief on 020 7100 9999 or email sheilaswheels@mischiefpr.com
Visit the official fansite for Sheilas’ Wheels: www.ilovesheilas.com
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Notes to Editors:
[1] £5,929,335,940: average cost spent on dinner party food and drink plus average cost of dinner party damages (e.g. replacing broken appliances, crockery, rugs, etc.). Calculation: £3,650,427,780 + £2,278,908,160. Sheilas’ Wheels used the independent online research company Fly Research who surveyed 1,042 men and women from across the UK, aged 18 and over, between the 11th and 15th November 2009. The average dinner party in the UK costs: £59.46.
[2] Based on the average cost of a three-course meal and half a bottle of wine, per person: £61.00.
About Sheilas’ Wheels:
Sheilas’ Wheels was launched in October 2005 to offer women drivers cheaper car insurance and female targeted product enhancements. In February 2008, the brand moved beyond car insurance to also offer home insurance with product enhancements including alternative accommodation (buildings and contents cover) in the event of loss of utilities in the home (terms and conditions apply), new for old cover on clothes (contents cover) and family legal protection cover which also includes assistance in finding emergency registered childminders while the insured person is attending jury service, and legal representation for a customer’s child if they do not gain entry to the school of their choice (terms and conditions apply).
