Birthday Games For A Restaurant Or Pub Table: 14 That Stay Seated

A birthday meal has one design flaw: the people at the far end of the table never speak to the people at your end, and there's a twenty minute wait between courses.

These games are quiet enough for a restaurant, need nothing but what's on the table, and don't involve standing up.

Between courses

• Two truths and a lie, one person per course.
• The film game - actor to film to actor, round the table.
• Twenty questions with the birthday person choosing the subject.
• Guess the bill: everyone writes a number, closest doesn't pay their share of the tip.
• Table quiz on a beer mat - five questions about the birthday person, written by whoever knows them best.

Games that need one small prop

• Post-it foreheads - stick a name on each person as they sit down, yes-or-no questions between courses.
• A printed 'how well do you know them' sheet at each place setting.
• Table topics: fold ten questions into the napkins, read one per course.
• A disposable camera or a shared photo album QR code as the centrepiece.
• The compliment round - everyone writes one line about the birthday person on a card, collected at the end.

Long tables and children's meals

• Swap seats between courses - it's the only thing that fixes a long table.
• Pass the question: one question travels down the table, everyone answers in turn.
• For children, a paper placemat with hangman, boxes and a word search drawn on before you go.
• I spy, the alphabet game and would you rather while the food's coming.
• A small activity bag per child - stickers, a colouring sheet, a pack of cards. Better than a phone and cheaper than a tantrum.

Shop birthday cards

How to write it so it lands

• Print the quiz sheets at home. Nothing gets organised once the drinks arrive.
• Swap seats between courses and the whole table mixes.
• Sort the bill split before the food comes, not after.

Where to shop next

• Birthdays hub
• Adult birthday party games
• Milestone birthday party games
• Teen and tween birthday party games
• Toddler party games (2-4s)
• Games for a party with 4-6 guests
• Games for a small house or flat
• Games for a hall or garden hire
• No prep, no equipment party games
• Games for a party where parents stay
• Kids' party games by age
• Charades word lists
• Board games hub
• Birthday party ideas
• Free feel good tools
• Shop birthday cards
• Birthday badges & party pins
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Party bag ideas for adults
• How much helium do you need for balloons?
• Birthday cards for kids
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What games can you play at a restaurant table?

Quiet, seated ones: two truths and a lie, the film game, twenty questions, post-it foreheads, a table quiz on a beer mat and table topics folded into napkins. Nothing that needs standing up or shouting across the room.

How do you stop a long birthday table splitting into groups?

Swap seats between courses - announce it once at the start so it isn't a surprise. A question passed down the table also works, since everyone has to listen to the far end at least once.

What can children do at a birthday meal out?

Draw hangman, boxes and a word search on a paper placemat before you leave the house, and bring a small bag with stickers, a colouring sheet and a pack of cards. Ten minutes of preparation buys an hour of peace.

Is it rude to play games in a restaurant?

Not if they're quiet and seated. Avoid anything with shouting, standing, passing things between tables or singing - and check with the restaurant first if you're a big group.

Do you sell party games or party supplies?

We make greeting cards, art prints and pin badges in the UK - the games here are simply what we'd suggest to a friend, and they need little or nothing to run. The cards on this page are ours.