My parents are celebrating their golden wedding shortly and so we've arranged to go out as a family for a nice meal. Parents, me, DH and our teenage kids, my brother, his wife and their two older kids who are in their 20s, We all agreed MONTHS ago on the venue. Venue has a private dining room which they're giving us at no additional cost and it does fairly standard gastro-pub fare. Nothing too challenging.
SIL is incredibly picky. No allergies, no intolerances, just exists on a diet of beige freezer food. Her kids are the same. The venue asked if we would choose our menu options ahead of time as it they were very full on the evening we'd booked and it'd help them considerably. No problem.
Forwarded the menu to SIL. Reply - "niece has decided she's a pescatarian and won't eat anything fried so can she have a tuna salad" Well no, because that's not an option. There's a vegetarian dish but that's not to her taste. There is a salmon en croute but she won't have that because she doesn't like pastry. Then next reply - could Nephew have a burger? Again no, that's not an option. Well he'll have the chicken pie then, but only if there's no mushrooms in it because he doesn't like them. SIL isn't sure whether she'll like the steak, it might be "cooked funny". Brother is not getting involved - he's so laid back he's horizontal and just nods and mmmms to keep the peace.
In contrast, asked my own teenagers to choose and they all picked within two minutes.
Seriously considering cancelling the whole thing. SIL has decided she'll now call the restaurant herself. Probably to ask whether they'll do her chicken nuggets and freezer chips.