'AITA for confronting my friend about charging people for meals?' 'You're 30+ years old.'

"AITA for confronting my friend about charging people for meals?"

I (30M) have a friend (30M) who asked me if I wanted to come over last Saturday morning because he was going to cook breakfast for me and some of our other friends. I agree, and shortly after he creates a group text asking if people could pick up ingredients for mimosas.

I offered to get a couple things of orange juice and someone else said they’d grab champagne. So Saturday comes, we all get there and he made breakfast burritos and picked up a couple of pastries for everyone to split. Everything was fine, until the following Monday. He texted me “$14 for you and Brooke (my gf) for breakfast.”

I was shocked, I think it’s ridiculous to offer to cook/host breakfast and then charge your guests after the fact. He and his long time girlfriend both have well paying jobs, and I know they’re not hurting for money. I should also mention he has done this before in the past after offering to host a cookout and grill for Memorial Day a couple years ago, which we were all charged $5.50/person.

Again, AFTER the event. Now, I think if you’re 30+ years old and offer to host events such as these, you are expected to provide the food. That being said, I also don’t have an issue bringing things, or chipping in monetarily if it’s mentioned beforehand.

The rest of my friends are just as floored by this, so I want to text him on the side to let him know that that’s not normal behavior and rubs people the wrong way. So maybe in the future if you want to host, at least let us know beforehand that we’re also going to be responsible for the cost of the food you’re buying to cook. So AITA for thinking this way?

Here's what people had to say to OP:

CF_FI_Fly said:

ESH. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

No_Worldliness_6976 said:

NTA. Let him know that you refuse to attend any events he hosts unless he specifically states that you would be paying or not. It seems sort of crazy he charges you guys for offering to cook.

adventuresofViolet said:

NTA, He's a bad host. is have no problem texting him how is it possible he's not ashamed and embarrassed to invite people over and days later charge them and add, we're not paying. I'd happily die on this hill.

Fresh_Caramel8148 said

NTA. You'd be doing him a favor to give him a heads up that this isn't cool. While I think it's crass no matter what, I guess the "nicest" way to approach it would be to say something to the effect of "Hey, friend.

I was surprised to get this bill. I thought you invited us over to host us, especially as you asked us all to bring things to contribute. I'll pay you this time, but in the future, if you're going to charge us, it would be nice to know ahead of time."