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Steve Pope

> wrote:

>I've never heard of sending out an invitation to a potluck dinner.

On some level, an invitation however informal must be issued, otherwise
how would people know to show up at the potluck?

>Usually with a potluck everyone involved knows it's a potluck. No one
>really does the inviting.

Unless it's being held in a free, public space such as a park, someone
agreed to supply the location of the potluck. Said person is by default
the host of the potluck; has in effect invited people over, even if
by word of mouth; and also can set the rules of the event (which
might include micromanaging the potluck items being brought).

Back to Miss Manners, if the event is not a potluck, if the
event is a dinner party, then it is the height of tackiness to
bring over food or beverage with an *absolute expectation* that
said items be consumed during the event. But it's perfectly
okay to bring them as gifts for the host. Who can them decide
whether to serve them. Guests should never try to disrupt a
host's food or beverage or entertainment plans.

Steve