.  Offering to bring something is not rude. It is actually the polite thing to do. What is rude is to insist and not take no for an answer.  When I host, i plan a menu. I have the platters selected, the food timed, a theme planned and food on the table to fit my table While they may have good intention to ask to bring something, it is insulting to not take no for an answer bc it implies I cannot adequately provide for my guests. It also causes me extra work to find a place for food that was not wanted in the first place. When I ask people to my home, I host. Fully. Completely.  POD.  I usually plan unsrewuppable things like drinks, chips, green salad (pointing out I have dressing), bread (I do specify), paper plates, napkins and the like for those who will not be discouraged from bringing. Sometimes desserts. What I HATE (being veg) is that after I have planned a complete and coordinated meal and cooked my little heart out, assigning things to those who insist, is somebody who did not ask to do so showing up with a hunk of meat and announcing LOUDLY and raucously that they "BROUGHT DINNER." And it needs some preparation, which I will not do, so they must, blowing my timing and often the meal I have prepared. My not doing it has no effect on the time it takes. Happens all the time. Different people. Told not to. Do it anyway (and no longer invited unless no choice.) Please don't do this.  Offering to bring something is not rude. It is actually the polite thing to do. What is rude is to insist and not take no for an answer.  When I host, i plan a menu. I have the platters selected, the food timed, a theme planned and food on the table to fit my table While they may have good intention to ask to bring something, it is insulting to not take no for an answer bc it implies I cannot adequately provide for my guests. It also causes me extra work to find a place for food that was not wanted in the first place. When I ask people to my home, I host. Fully. Completely.  POD.  I usually plan unsrewuppable things like drinks, chips, green salad (pointing out I have dressing), bread (I do specify), paper plates, napkins and the like for those who will not be discouraged from bringing. Sometimes desserts. What I HATE (being veg) is that after I have planned a complete and coordinated meal and cooked my little heart out, assigning things to those who insist, is somebody who did not ask to do so showing up with a hunk of meat and announcing LOUDLY and raucously that they "BROUGHT DINNER." And it needs some preparation, which I will not do, so they must, blowing my timing and often the meal I have prepared. My not doing it has no effect on the time it takes. Happens all the time. Different people. Told not to. Do it anyway (and no longer invited unless no choice.) Please don't do this.  