6 Halloween Party Games and Activities for Restaurants and Bars
Six Halloween party games and activities for restaurants and bars, from a pub quiz and bingo to a murder mystery dinner: what you need, time, players, cost and steps.
It’s 31 October, 8 pm. Your tables are full, the decorations are up, and the Halloween specials are selling. Then the room goes quiet. Guests finish their main course and start looking at their phones. A good game fixes that. It keeps people at the table, and it gives them a reason to order one more round. Below are six games that work in a normal dining room. Some suit adults, some suit families, and most need no dance floor.
Halloween party games guests play at their table
These three need almost no space. Guests stay in their seats, and your staff keep working as usual.
Halloween pub quiz
A quiz turns each table into a team, so it fits any dining room without moving a single chair.
You’ll need: a host with a microphone, printed answer sheets, pens, 4–5 rounds of questions.
Time: 60–90 minutes · Players: teams of 2–6 · Cost: very low
How to run it
- Write four or five rounds of ten questions. Mix horror films, Halloween traditions, local legends and a picture round.
- Ask each table to choose a team name and write it on every sheet.
- Read the questions, then collect the sheets after each round. Teams can also swap sheets and mark each other.
- Give one point per correct answer and read out the scores between rounds.
- Ask for phones face down on the table. It keeps the game fair.
Restaurant tip: Plan a short break between rounds so staff can take orders for Halloween snacks and drinks while teams talk about the answers.
Halloween bingo
Bingo is one of the easiest Halloween family games: simple to explain, quick to play, and it works for grandparents and children at the same table.
You’ll need: printed bingo cards with Halloween pictures or words, pens or stickers, a caller.
Time: 10–15 minutes per round · Players: any number · Cost: very low
How to run it
- Print 5×5 cards with Halloween pictures or words, such as a bat, a ghost or a witch’s hat. Make each card different and leave a free space in the middle.
- Put all the words on slips of paper and draw them one by one.
- Call each word clearly. Guests mark it if it is on their card.
- The first guest with a full line, across, down or corner to corner, shouts “Bingo!”
- Check the card against the called words, then start a new round.
Restaurant tip: Keep it free to play, and use pictures instead of words so younger children can join in.
No-carve pumpkin painting contest
Painting small pumpkins gives families a calm activity at the table, and there are no knives involved.
You’ll need: small pumpkins, acrylic paint, brushes, paint markers, paper covers for the tables, wet wipes.
Time: 30–45 minutes · Players: any number · Cost: low
How to run it
- Cover the tables with paper and put a small pumpkin, paint and brushes at each seat.
- Suggest a simple plan first: a face, a pattern or painting only the stem.
- Tell guests to hold the pumpkin by the stem and turn it while they paint.
- Give the paint about 20 minutes to dry while guests eat.
- Display all the pumpkins on one shelf and let guests vote for their favourite.
Restaurant tip: Schedule it early in the evening, before dessert, so families can take the pumpkins home.
Bigger moments for the whole room
That’s the quiet part of the night. These three need a bit more planning, but they give the evening a clear high point.
Murder mystery dinner
Of all the Halloween games for adults, a murder mystery works best in a restaurant. It spreads one story across the whole meal, so guests stay for every course.
You’ll need: a ready-made murder mystery kit or a simple script, character cards, clue cards, an answer sheet for each table.
Time: 2–3 hours, across the meal · Players: 8–20 · Cost: medium
How to run it
- Choose a script and send each guest a character with a short background before the night.
- Release new clues between courses, for example one clue card with each plate.
- Let guests question each other and swap information.
- Before dessert, ask each table to write down who they think is guilty.
- Read the solution aloud while dessert arrives.
Restaurant tip: Sell it as a set menu with fixed course times, so the clues and the kitchen stay in step.
Mummy wrap race
A mummy wrap race is loud, quick and very visual, which makes it a strong moment for the whole room to watch.
You’ll need: 1–3 rolls of toilet paper per team, masking tape, a timer, one judge.
Time: 5–10 minutes · Players: teams of 3–4 · Cost: very low
How to run it
- Ask each team to choose one person to be the mummy.
- Start the timer. Teammates wrap their mummy from head to toe, leaving the face clear.
- The first team to use all its paper wins the race.
- The judge also names the best-looking mummy.
Restaurant tip: Run it in one open space away from the bar and the kitchen door, and have a bin ready for the paper.
Halloween scavenger hunt
A scavenger hunt gets children moving in a controlled way, while their parents enjoy another drink.
You’ll need: 8–10 small Halloween objects, a printed list or clue sheet, a pencil per team.
Time: 15–20 minutes · Players: teams of 2–4 · Cost: low
How to run it
- Hide small objects, such as paper bats or plastic spiders, in guest areas only.
- Give each team a list of what to find, or a clue sheet that leads from one object to the next.
- Teams mark each object on their sheet when they find it. They do not take it.
- The first team with a full sheet wins. If time runs out, the team with the most items wins.
Restaurant tip: Hide objects at a child’s eye level and never near steps, hot plates or service routes.
Quick safety notes
- Keep aisles and exits clear during active games, especially the mummy wrap race.
- Use LED candles only. Real flames and paper decorations are a bad mix.
- Keep food prep areas off-limits during the scavenger hunt.
- Children should stay with their adults at all times.
- We’d suggest asking guests to remove face masks at the bar if your venue checks ages.
Pick two games, one for the tables and one for the room. That is enough for a busy night.
Related reading
Sources: Pub quiz — Wikipedia · Bingo (American version) — Wikipedia · No-carve pumpkin painting ideas: Our favorite pumpkin decorating tips for fall — Hallmark Canada · Murder mystery game — Wikipedia · Mummy — The Game Gal · Scavenger hunt — Wikipedia