"What should I bring?" doesn't have one answer — it depends on the kind of party, and the invitation usually has a cue even when it doesn't say so directly. Here's how to read it correctly for each common situation.
Any mention of "bring a dish," a specific ask, or a theme is a direct instruction — follow it literally rather than adding on top of it. A plain invitation with no mention of bringing anything, for an event with catering or a restaurant booking, usually means bring nothing but yourself (and a gift, if one's expected). The ambiguous middle ground — a casual invitation at someone's home with no explicit ask — is where most of the guesswork actually happens, and it's covered below.
When a host asks guests to bring a dish, it's almost always about sharing the workload, not testing anyone's cooking. A store-bought dish is entirely acceptable unless the host specifically asked for homemade. If the invitation doesn't assign categories (appetizer, main, dessert), a quick message to the host or the group asking what's still needed avoids everyone showing up with the same three desserts.
Beyond the gift, a change of clothes is worth packing for younger kids at any party involving cake, water, or outdoor play — it's the single most common "wish I'd brought that" moment. For parties with a long midday span, a snack or water bottle for a child with dietary restrictions is worth bringing along even if food is provided, since kids' parties don't always accommodate every allergy on the spot.
For an adult party at someone's house with no potluck request, bringing something small for the host — a bottle of wine, flowers, or a treat — is a common unwritten norm, separate from any birthday gift for the person being celebrated (if it's not the host's own birthday party). It's not obligatory everywhere, but it's rarely unwelcome, and it's the safest default when you're unsure.
A specific alternative attached to "no gifts" (a cause, a request to bring a dish instead) is usually meant literally. A bare "no gifts please" with nothing else is more often read as politeness than a hard rule — bringing a card, or something small and inexpensive, tends to be the safe middle ground. For more on how hosts can word this so it's actually taken literally, see our guide to party invitation and RSVP etiquette.