There’s something truly special about treating your loved ones to a delicious meal, especially when there’s a special occasion to celebrate. Recently, a woman shared her experience on Reddit, recounting how her in-laws took advantage of her and her husband’s generosity by constantly expecting them to foot the bill.
When she finally addressed the issue, it seemed as though she was being portrayed as the disrespectful daughter-in-law. Luckily, she managed to save their relationship.
A 37-year-old woman and her 40-year-old husband have discovered a passion for dining out and proudly refer to themselves as «amateur food enthusiasts.» Thankfully, they have the means to indulge in dining experiences at one-of-a-kind restaurants.
Occasionally, they invite their in-laws to join them every few months. When it comes to extending the invites, the couple also takes care of covering their parents’ meals. However, the woman’s in-laws may have interpreted their gestures differently.
Once, her in-laws invited them to join them for a meal. The restaurant was conveniently situated close to the parents’ house, making it an exciting new dining experience for the couple. The woman didn’t think much of it and assumed her in-laws wanted to share their passion for various types of cuisine.
After dinner, the woman’s mother-in-law handed the bill to the woman’s husband without even glancing at the price. The husband was surprised, yet he quietly covered the cost of the affordable meal. The woman chose to keep her thoughts private.
However, her in-laws once again extended an invitation to dine at a more high-end restaurant that was a bit on the expensive side. They had previously dined at the establishment, so the price range was well-known to everyone. Once more, her mother-in-law quietly passed the bill to her husband.
This time, the woman was well aware of her mother-in-law’s actions and strongly disapproved of them. Eventually, she mentioned how her in-laws consistently expected them to foot the bill.
One day, the woman’s husband excitedly shared with his mom about his wife’s impressive accomplishment at work, which earned her a well-deserved award. Right away, the mother-in-law proposed celebrating at a fancy restaurant. Upon hearing her husband’s plan over the phone, the woman inquired about the financial aspect, asking, «Who will be covering the expenses?» She recounted:
«He abruptly ended the call and accused me of being impolite. I expressed my opinion to him, stating that it seemed unfair for us to foot the bill every time his parents wanted to dine out, especially considering that they were using my award as an excuse for a lavish evening.»
Her husband believed that they had the financial means to cover the cost of all the dinners, whereas their in-laws did not. The woman’s remark left her in-laws feeling quite embarrassed, as if they were relying too much on their son’s wealth.
They expected the woman to offer an apology and make amends for the incident. Her husband proposed dining at the restaurant his parents preferred to maintain harmony.
However, the woman proposed dining at a luxurious restaurant to celebrate his parents’ anniversary instead. However, the in-laws wanted to have the meal already and suggested that splitting the bill was rude.
The woman’s Reddit post garnered numerous comments, with a majority of them expressing support for her. She later explained that her husband has since apologized and come to the realization that it was unfair for his parents to expect them to pay for dinners. According to him, he felt trapped in that moment and reacted out of sheer panic.
The woman’s husband dealt with his parents’ sense of entitlement while she said she was sorry for making them feel bad. Nevertheless, it was decided to postpone the dinner until the anniversary. Although the couple continued to have their regular meals with the in-laws, they politely turned down other invitations.
What are your thoughts on the woman’s decision to decline payment for her in-laws’ meals? How would you handle the situation if you were in the woman’s position?
