Miss Manners: When hosting a cocktail party, must the host constantly replenish the cheese board?

Miss Manners: When hosting a cocktail party, must the host constantly replenish the cheese board?

DEAR MISS MANNERS: When hosting a cocktail hour, how does the hostess gracefully navigate the quantity of food served? For example, if the cheese platter is reduced to a few bites, should the hostess be constantly monitoring and replenishing it, even if the planned “hour” has passed?

Column | Miss Manners: How does a host gracefully navigate quantity of food served?

A host is looking for clarity on how to handle empty trays of food. Do they need to refill them or let them be empty to signal to guests it’s time to move on?