'AITA for walking out of the restaurant during my wife’s birthday dinner?'
'AITA for walking out of the restaurant during my wife’s birthday dinner with her family? I’m feeling a bit guilty now.'
For context my wife’s birthday was a few days ago, I took her out last weekend somewhere nice for just me and her to have lunch and I took her out and did a whole walk/hiking day which is her favorite thing to do. This weekend her parents wanted to take her out to dinner, wherever she wanted to go.
She asked my opinion on it, and I simply answered “literally anywhere except shoguns is fine.” She knows I don’t like the restaurant, I just don’t like the flavors. Her dad loves the place so we’ve been there often, every single time I have not liked it, so I came to the conclusion I just would stop going there. Spending $30 on a plate of food I won’t eat seems ridiculous.
Cue todays events, we went out with her parents and our kids, had a nice day together. Time comes to decide where we’re going for dinner, wife and family says shoguns. I think “okay, no big deal I’ll just get a kids meal or something (chicken strips and fries).”
I remind my wife on the way to the restaurant that I don’t plan on eating anything off the menu, but I would be more than happy to sit with everyone, enjoy the company, and I will order the chicken strips. She’s happy, I’m happy, all good. Until we get to the restaurant that is.
Turns out the kids meals are only for 10 and under, obviously I’m way over that age limit, so I thought “no big deal, I’ll just relax and enjoy the company, then I’ll grab some food when we leave”. Oh no, according to shoguns policy you have to pay per person whether or not that person is eating.
They wanted me to pay $10 to watch other people eat, when the kids meal would’ve only cost $7. So I asked again if I could just get the kids meal then, they refused, my wife was getting upset over the $10 charge for me to just sit there, so I told my wife I’m not paying $10 to watch everyone else eat dinner, f**k that.
So now I’m sitting outside in the car, my wife is mad at me, and my wife’s parents I’m sure are not thrilled as well. I guess I’m just feeling guilty, so the real question here is AITA? Should I have paid the $10 to sit at the table and watch everyone eat food that I can’t even stand the smell of?
Info from OP:
For clarification, the $10 was a plate charge, the drinks were separate. And yeah even their appetizers are not good to me. Idk if it’s some seasoning they use, or the way it’s prepared, it’s just not good to me, something always tastes super off.
Here's what people had to say to OP:
Few_Ad_5752 writes:
NTA. She asked your opinion and you told her literally anywhere but shoguns. Why she chose it is anyone's guess, but it was a thoughtless thing to do, birthday or not. And she shouldn't be mad at you.
ElectricalAct8452 writes:
YTA. Let me get this straight, you couldn't spend $10 for your wife to be happy at a restaurant so she would be happy? Lol
youkickmydog613 OP responded:
The wife was the one complaining about spending the $10 to not eat anything, so I said f**k it I won’t spend the money, and then went out to the car.
Smooth-Duck-4669 writes:
The restaurant is the AH. Why must you pay whether you are eating or not? Could understand if you were by yourself, but with a big group is ridiculous.
gdddg asks:
INFO: what is so offensive about this one particular place? What differentiates from every other restaurant in town? I find it very hard to believe that, since you don't mention allergies or dietary restrictions, that you couldn't find one thing you could eat. What does 'I don't like the flavors' even mean?
youkickmydog613 OP responded:
I’m not sure if it’s the way they prepare it, or some sort of seasoning they use in all their food, something just tastes really really off to me every time I eat there. Can’t pinpoint what it is, just know I don’t like it.
And I’m not usually a picky eater, I will eat literally anything outside of raw stuff. Never have this issue anywhere else we go, just something about the food here is really off putting to me for some reason.
FilthyWeasle asks:
After you said, 'literally anywhere except shoguns is fine,' what did your wife say??
youkickmydog613 OP responded:
We laughed and joked about how much I hate shoguns. It’s literally a running joke we have, because I have been there prolly 40 times with her family and have tried everything on the menu in the years we have been married. I’m just not a fan of any of it. It’s to the point now where it turns my stomach just smelling the food.
After reading the comments OP has some thoughts:
jemy74 asks:
INFO: I looked at their online menu. Were you not allowed to order an appetizer?
youkickmydog613 OP responded:
Looking back, this was the answer I needed at the time. I was put on the spot and reacted poorly, ESH, including the restaurant. I think I may have had a little passive aggressive resentment built up tbh, I’ve came to the conclusion that ESH, especially shoguns for having such a sh** policy.
I should’ve reacted to the situation differently, but so should my wife. Is what it is at this point though tbh.