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Shall I just go to the restaurant my DH booked or say something?

417 replies

reversegear · 28/03/2026 09:59

For context we are in marriage counseling mostly for him being passive and leaving me to carry the load and me being the leader and stepping in, plus lots of other issues, but the lady said he needed to stop asking me what I want and be more decisive, she was also eluding to saying “I’ve looked at these three places, which would you prefer” she’s meaning real deep effort and thought.

Anyhow we have the meeting on Thursday and on Friday he’s like right we are out on Saturday night. Ok great that’s a start but when I said am I allowed to ask where, he gave me the name of the place we always go to and have been say 6-7 times, it’s lovely expensive restaurant but it’s the very easy simple go-to option and there isn’t much on the menu I fancy as they change it.

I feel really deflated, and a bit angry that’s he’s kind of just gone for something quick and easy, he’s not even sat down and looked at a new place.

i know this is part of the process, but everything in me wants to say something, and look at alternatives or just say don’t bother.

Or do you think I have to carry this and go along and the focus ny feeling with the marriage counselor?

For context he’s never booked anything.

OP posts:
justasking111 · 28/03/2026 14:00

@reversegear why do you want to eat out anywhere with him. You seem so over the whole relationship.

I've always done the admin, insurance etc. DH is dyslexic. He's awful with paperwork.

He won't decide on a restaurant either but pulls a face if I suggest one he doesn't fancy. 🙄

viques · 28/03/2026 14:06

reversegear · 28/03/2026 10:10

He’s never done anything, his whole life he’s just been the laid back guy. I don’t done book or plan nothing happens, no socials nothing.

he will go to the pub, go where he’s invited but he doesn’t initiate anything.

And now he has!

And your response is…………….!

Poor man, nothing like knocking his feet from under him as he tries to stand up.

WilfredsPies · 28/03/2026 14:07

I think you shouldn’t really be surprised that he’s booked this restaurant. He’s either gone for the path of least resistance, or he’s thinking of it as a place of happy occasions and celebration, so is hoping that transfers over into you having a lovely evening together. The surprise is that he’s actually booked one in the first place.

I don’t think you’ve had the easiest ride on here and I think that’s quite unfair. If he’s done things like lost your son, then it’s clearly not just a case of failing to decide what takeaway you’re having at the weekend. I’d imagine you feel like you have to take on responsibility because otherwise, there could be some catastrophic consequences that you’ll have to step in to sort out. That must be bloody exhausting and like a full time job. Which might be ok if he’s picking up the slack in other areas, like doing all the housework, childcare etc, but not if you have to deal with that too.

The fact that you’re still fond of him and still care about him is a good sign. I think once contempt has snuck in, then that’s when it’s usually beyond repair. I’d try really hard to go with a positive attitude and tell him you had a really nice time, even if you didn’t enjoy the food. He’s not going to go from useless to competent overnight. And if, after you’ve gone on with a bit more counselling, you’re still feeling like the change is too little, too late, then you can end the marriage and know that you worked really hard to help him change and couldn’t possibly have done any more. That might not seem hugely important now, but it will mean something to your DC in years to come.

Interested in this thread?

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BreatheAndFocus · 28/03/2026 14:08

YABU, OP. You’re assuming he chose the restaurant out of laziness because he couldn’t be bothered to think, but he could well have considered other restaurants or asked friends or colleagues for recommendations. But then, he started worrying that you wouldn’t like those places, and you’d be annoyed (“Why did you book that Ethiopian restaurant? It’s not even convenient to get to. What if the food isn’t to our taste? You know I like Usual Restaurant….” etc).

So, because of your anticipated reaction, he chose somewhere he knew you liked and that you’d booked a number of times before. Not out of laziness, but to avoid your criticism, after giving it some thought.

Go to the restaurant, thank him for booking, and if you want to try a further test, then drop into conversation mention of a new Turkish restaurant and see if he takes the initiative and books it.

understandyourdilemma · 28/03/2026 14:11

@reversegear I think your counsellor would applaud you for coming on here, listening to other viewpoints, and reflecting on your own behaviour. Good work (whatever the outcome in the long term).

I wonder whether your counsellor's allusion to dh selecting 3 possible options was to avoid him being panicked by e.g. all the possible holiday choices, and the possibility of selecting something you didn't like, thus leading to overwhelm/inertia - which none of you want. This is not a holiday though, it's a dinner out, and in some ways he may think he's exceeded the brief as he has actually made the whole decision, on his own, and secured the booking. So he thinks he's exceeded on the task, and you think he's under-performed? Even if that's not the case, it is sometimes worth recognising that when a third party offers something 'helpful' we can all interpret it in different ways.

I do understand some of where you're coming from. In our marriage I am definitely the arranger and sorter. However I can also be a bit picky and fussy (some might call it controlling!). Over the years I have pushed more responsibility in dh's direction, however I am particularly bad at sharing responsibility so there is clear demarcation. I do most food related things (planning, shopping, cooking [although he does his own breakfasts and lunches]), and he does all the laundry. I pay the electricity bill (which arrives by post in my name) and he pays the gas bill, which arrives on line or by text. The payments come from the same account but each of us has a defined responsibility. To be fair this arose from us needing utility bills in our own names. I do car insurance, he does travel insurance. It appears from recent conversation that we both think we have sole responsibility for the dishwasher...

dh and I are both quite laid back - except when I'm not! I'm chill and happy to go with the flow on 90%, but feel, and sometimes behave, like a moody teenager on the 10% that I'm inexplicably bothered about. And I know that it could be pretty impossible for dh to guess what exactly that 10% might be!!

I am the main instigator of days out / activities. I realise that if I want our life to be satifyingly full then me taking on the biggest part of that role works. Otherwise we'd be a bit like the vultures in the original version of Jungle Book, sitting on the wire endlessly repeating the same conversation: "What are we gonna do?" / "I don't know, what do you wanna do?"

Recognition of the dynamic, and acceptance, however, don't mean the absence of all feelings of small resentment. It helps that we can laugh at ourselves as being those vultures. We also have a jar in which we cut out and keep any ideas that we come across. So if dh is reading the paper or scrolling his phone and comments on something interesting to do, or a new restaurant, or a possible holiday destination, I get him to cut it out or write it down and put it in the jar. Then on a wet Saturday in winter, with no specific plans we might find an exhibition that we'd forgotten about, or a new coffe place that we can walk to. It takes the pressure off both of us sometimes.

I also appreciate my good fortune in having a partner who will join in with pretty much anything I've arranged yoga would be exception I've seen a few last minutes things in recent years - concerts which are almost booked out, special offers from favourite restaurants, exhibitions and experiences - and I can book them for us without discussion or 'asking permission'. I have several friends whose husbands would be real moody pains in the arse in a similar situation, and I know that some of my friends are a bit envious of my dh's laid-back and willing approach.

However, at the base of all of this is a good understanding of ourselves and each other - our individual strengths and failures, the parts neither of us like but can/will do, and the bits we are both terrible at and which could be a real problem [that'll be the leaking roof!!!]. There's also good communication usually, and love, usually.

Wishing you all the best @reversegear

Turquoisesea · 28/03/2026 14:14

I totally get where you are coming from OP and I don’t think people can really understand unless they are in a relationship with this dynamic. My DH is like this and it’s exhausting. He leaves every decision to me, it’s my own fault for allowing this I suppose but it’s like having another child. Even down to the fact that if go out for the night he messages me to ask what he normally orders from the local Indian takeaway! When we go on holiday, I organise everthing, he doesn’t even so much as look at where we are going or suggest doing anything, he just asks “what are the plans today” . He buys me the same chocolates/wine every year for my birthday, it’s become a bit of standing joke having to looks vaguely suprised each year! If he offers to cook he will ask me what to cook and won’t check if we’ve got the ingredients so I end up doing it myself. If we need any work doing in the house, I organise it all, I just tell him what we are doing. It might sound controlling but if I didn’t do it it would never get done. So I absolutely get it, it’s great that your DH has booked somewhere, but I would be the same as you, it’s not like any thought has gone into it, he’s just ticked a box as he’s done it. I wouldn’t say anything and would go for the meal but maybe bring it up at the next session saying it would be nice to go somewhere new and somewhere he’s had to look into a little bit. But I get why it feels disappointing but if the relationship has been this way for years it’s small steps.

jay55 · 28/03/2026 14:15

I think you’re disappointed as he’s made this booking on the back of your labour and not taken any initiative of his own.
If your relationship was in a different place you’d be framing it differently. But it’s not and you just need to pull the plug and move on.

landlordhell · 28/03/2026 14:15

Thunderdcc · 28/03/2026 10:06

If he has never booked anything then I think it makes sense from his perspective to go for a safe option first. Give him a chance, see what happens next time (if there is a next time!)

This

BrickBiscuit · 28/03/2026 14:25

I cannot understand how anyone could think that booking a restaurant without asking what the other person wants is an example of being decisive. Surely in an functioning relationship you discuss where and when you fancy going and reach an agreement that best suits you both? Then one of you makes the booking. Isn't the problem that he can't participate in that sort of process and leaves it all to you, not that he doesn't take control of the situation and tell you what to do?

BudgetBuster · 28/03/2026 14:26

Mudgarden · 28/03/2026 11:34

There's a lot of defending the husband on this thread and suggestions that OP is overbearing and takes control. But if you've lived this, it's incredibly frustrating to be with a passive, indecisive person who happily leaves all decisions and arranging to you. You have no choice but to decide everything if the other person just doesn't. Nothing would happen, the old shabby carpet or broken furniture would never be replaced. I would never have had holidays and outings if I hadn't arranged them. DH would never decide when and where to go, would never book anything, and unless I wanted to stay home every day and evening of the year, I had to suggest options, eliminate those he said no to, choose something he was ok with, and say "I'm booking it now or never, are you ok with it?" He was happy to go, just couldn't be bothered making it happen.

An adult married man is being praised here for booking a restaurant. His wife is being criticised for not being thrilled that he's gone for somewhere she's previously booked several times, instead of putting a bit of thought into it. I understand that it's a step forward, but it's really a bit pathetic.

Of course it's difficult and absolutely draining living with a grown adult who doesn't make decisions or plan things etc. But they are in therapy. One of his tasks is to plan something so I see this completely different.

He's likely afraid that he'll get it wrong if he chooses somewhere else. He has chosen a pricey restaurant knowing they have enjoyed it multiple times previously. It defeats the entire purpose of the OP turns around and says "I don't want to go where you booked... let's go somewhere else". He'll just go into the next therapy session saying "I tried, and the restaurant that she has picked multiple times, apparently wasn't good enough thsi time".

If she wants him to pick, he picks.

petiteoeuf · 28/03/2026 14:26

I get it, OP. You really need him to take the initiative, and that means thinking about what you’d like, thinking about options… All those micro decisions that go into organising something. Him choosing somewhere you’ve chosen before feels like he’s barely taken the initiative beyond just being the person who made the phone call. I can understand how that feels deflating. Because it’s not just about him booking, it’s about him thinking about it. And if the best he can manage is the safest option possible that you’ve already done the thinking about previously, that is so minutely above baseline it’s almost not worth it. I guess however that it’s a start, and as you are in counselling and trying to make a start in the right direction, it’s probably worth not stepping in and taking over or shitting on it just yet.

Janesput · 28/03/2026 14:26

If you've only been a handful of times in more than 10 years, why are you complaining he took the easy option of your regular place?

Seeingadistance · 28/03/2026 14:26

Schoolchoicesucks · 28/03/2026 10:07

You wanted him to be decisive and do the booking. He's done it. If your first thought is "he's done it wrong, I shoild tell him he's done it wrong" then that may well be a signal of your role in the dynamic that has led to him being passive and you doing all the organising.
Are you having any individual counselling or therapy alongside the marriage counselling?

Yeah.

I read the OP and thought, well no wonder the guy's passive if every time he does something he's told he's wrong!

Dervel · 28/03/2026 14:27

Sounds pretty over if you ask me. You don’t love him anymore. You want him to pick and lead this relationship in the fundamental direction you’d take it in if you were in the driver seat. Short him being a mind reader this isn’t likely. I think this whole therapy thing is you doing your due diligence on trying “everything” so it looks good post divorce. If you were anyway invested in this man you’d be over the moon he was investing in the process.

Whats probably happened is you have mothered him for so long and he’s let you. It’s killed the passion you had for him. It doesn’t have to be anyone’s fault these things happen. Neither of you have to be bad people. Just end it with dignity and whilst you have a modicum of respect for one another.

Notsosweetcaroline · 28/03/2026 14:29

petiteoeuf · 28/03/2026 14:26

I get it, OP. You really need him to take the initiative, and that means thinking about what you’d like, thinking about options… All those micro decisions that go into organising something. Him choosing somewhere you’ve chosen before feels like he’s barely taken the initiative beyond just being the person who made the phone call. I can understand how that feels deflating. Because it’s not just about him booking, it’s about him thinking about it. And if the best he can manage is the safest option possible that you’ve already done the thinking about previously, that is so minutely above baseline it’s almost not worth it. I guess however that it’s a start, and as you are in counselling and trying to make a start in the right direction, it’s probably worth not stepping in and taking over or shitting on it just yet.

Eh? He booked somewhere she likes. Why on earth is that deflating.

Notsosweetcaroline · 28/03/2026 14:30

petiteoeuf · 28/03/2026 14:26

I get it, OP. You really need him to take the initiative, and that means thinking about what you’d like, thinking about options… All those micro decisions that go into organising something. Him choosing somewhere you’ve chosen before feels like he’s barely taken the initiative beyond just being the person who made the phone call. I can understand how that feels deflating. Because it’s not just about him booking, it’s about him thinking about it. And if the best he can manage is the safest option possible that you’ve already done the thinking about previously, that is so minutely above baseline it’s almost not worth it. I guess however that it’s a start, and as you are in counselling and trying to make a start in the right direction, it’s probably worth not stepping in and taking over or shitting on it just yet.

Are people really this hard work in relationships? Deflated as your husband books an expensive restaurant you like and have been to only once every 18 months or so.

TheWineoftheChicken · 28/03/2026 14:31

MrMucker · 28/03/2026 13:33

Sorry, but in a world where many of us now struggle to afford a basic chippy tea, you just come across as a princessy taker.

No she doesn’t 🙄

Muffinmam · 28/03/2026 14:31

He’s not incapable of decisions …he’s lazy. Why are you flogging this dead horse??

Notsosweetcaroline · 28/03/2026 14:33

Muffinmam · 28/03/2026 14:31

He’s not incapable of decisions …he’s lazy. Why are you flogging this dead horse??

Is he? I know some posters on here hate men, but if I alwags felt attacked and my decisions wrong, I’d be reticent to make them. If the genders were reversed I guarantee you’d be posting leave him op, he’s controlling,

Frida2023 · 28/03/2026 14:33

Schoolchoicesucks · 28/03/2026 10:07

You wanted him to be decisive and do the booking. He's done it. If your first thought is "he's done it wrong, I shoild tell him he's done it wrong" then that may well be a signal of your role in the dynamic that has led to him being passive and you doing all the organising.
Are you having any individual counselling or therapy alongside the marriage counselling?

Gently OP, I think this post might be important for you to think about. Could it be possible that you have been critical in the past when he has made decisions and could this be a factor in him not making decisions. If you want the behaviour that he will go ahead and book something, then you might need to tolerate it not being perfect. And praise the behaviour you want to see (even if it’s not as great as what you wanted) if you criticise him now - he might just give up . Sounds like he might need to build his confidence up in making choices

reversegear · 28/03/2026 14:35

Janesput · 28/03/2026 14:26

If you've only been a handful of times in more than 10 years, why are you complaining he took the easy option of your regular place?

Because much as I’m being called a princess we don’t go out to expensive restaurants much!

OP posts:
Notsosweetcaroline · 28/03/2026 14:36

reversegear · 28/03/2026 14:35

Because much as I’m being called a princess we don’t go out to expensive restaurants much!

So this is a treat, it’s somewhere you previously said you really liked and he’s still got it wrong.

Mischance · 28/03/2026 14:46

During my marriage to late OH it was always me who arranged outings, holidays, came up with ideas for fun things to do etc. - I was fine with that. I was playing to me strengths. He was always happy to come along.

He played to his strengths and did lots of other things.

It's teamwork. If you are good at something, then do it and do not resent this.

Turtlesgottaturtle · 28/03/2026 14:49

Poor bloke. I suspect things have got to this stage because he's faced so much criticism in the past. And now he's terrified that if he gets it wrong yet again he'll lose his marriage. So what were the options this time round?

  1. Choose somewhere out of the box. OP's likely response: Why the hell have you chosen somewhere we've never been to? I'll probably hate it. You chose it for your own selfish reasons, didn't you? I'm not risking my hard-earned money on this!
  2. Choose somewhere he knows the OP likes. Well, we've seen how that went, haven't we?
  3. Give OP 2 or 3 options to choose from. OP's likely response: So even now, as part of therapy and when I've told you I want you to be decisive and choose, you're expecting ME to choose, you loser? That's a deal breaker.
  4. Choose his own favourite restaurant. OP's likely response: You selfish bastard! I think it's over, OP.
usedtobeaylis · 28/03/2026 14:59

I haven't RTFT but the idea that you have to be grateful for the bare minimum is bullshit. You don't have to be grateful for anything. You're allowed to demand time and thought from your partner. Grateful my fucking arse.