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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask what is the rudest thing a friend or relative has ever done at a meal out?

279 replies

BallsforEarings · 27/12/2014 15:50

When out at a meal with a bunch of friends, my ex-friend (never popular -known for rudeness!) once asked if she could taste my chilli con carne, I said 'of course' and she proceeded to take a huge forkful and then pronounce loudly 'UGGHHH!! That is SHIT'.

I was left to 'enjoy' the rest of my chilli after that!

Anyone got/had a friend/relative with worse manners?

OP posts:
Bogeyface · 31/12/2014 11:48

We were not at a restaurant but at a relatives house for Dc's first Christmas, dc was less than a month old.
Cousin was trying to 'teach her Dd a lesson' and the 2 year old screamed absolutely bloody murder the whole meal while cousin ignored her. This little bitch (she really was) screamed so hard and loud she started vomiting . We swore the next year if they let her do that ever again we were getting up from table, leaving and never coming back!

And if I had known that you had referred to a child of mine as a little bitch at the age of 2, I would have told you to leave and never come back! The issue is with your cousin and anyone else who left a 2 year old to cry until she vomitted, thats disgusting behaviour on the part of the adults not the child.

iklboo · 31/12/2014 12:16

I used to work with a woman who would never look waiting or shop staff in they eye as they 'were not worth it'. She was a Class A twat & I despised her.

MrsTawdry · 31/12/2014 12:19

StormyNight that's disgusting. That' you called a 2 year old a "little bitch" absolutely horrendous. Angry I know you never said it in real life but the printed word is powerful and babies and toddlers are not bitches!!!

shovetheholly · 31/12/2014 12:23

I once went out for a meal with a bunch of local male political types just to a local curry place, nowhere posh. They were extremely loud and brash in what they were saying, boasting about all the horrible political games they played to 'win' their petty battles with each other, with no apparent concern for the actual people they were supposed to represent.

Within 10 minutes I wanted to sink through the floor because I could see that they were completely wrecking the dinner of the poor couple sitting next to us. I tried everything to calm them down, to no avail. The restaurant was busy, so we couldn't move.

Eventually, the couple left casting looks of absolute disgust in our direction. Being between courses and emboldened by a couple of glasses of wine, I went after them and apologised. It turned out that they shared the political convictions of the people I was with, but still thought their behaviour and boasting was a disgrace. They gracefully accepted the apology I offered. I don't know whether it was the right thing to do - I didn't really know where to put myself or how to handle it.

When I came back to the table, I was asked why I had followed them. I explained as politely as I could that the couple were upset. The people I was with couldn't understand why - and when I tried to explain that they had been offended by the tales of gameplaying and oneupmanship, they proceeded to address me as 'madam' for the rest of the evening. It was really offensive and sexist.

clementine63 · 31/12/2014 12:30

On a (first and only) date with a guy I did not know (set up by a friend): when the time came for the bill (a not insubstantial one, over £100) to be paid, he went off to the loo, and he did not come back until after I had paid, no mention made of the bill, and just asked me to drive him back to his hotel.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 31/12/2014 12:51

... but you didn't, did you clementine? And you made him stump up his half, didn't you? I would have been flummoxed. Shock

IsChippyMintonExDirectory · 31/12/2014 13:50

Shock at a 2 year old being called a bitch. Think this poster needs to be enrolled in Prof McKnobs classes

expatinscotland · 31/12/2014 14:28

Why on Earth did you pay it, clementine? I'd have paid for mine and left. I have done, in fact. You didn't even know him, why pay?

Royalsighness · 31/12/2014 14:28

Me and DH go out with a couple sometimes in a group, they order the hottest most Inedible thing on the menu (usually Indian food we go for) and don't share but literally eat my meal while I'm eating it! Always just mine! So I've started putting the whole meal on my plate which I hate doing cos I like to pick, they then take food OFF MY PLATE! Angry

And then they have the nerve to quibble about the bill and try and make us pay for their wine, but we keep seeing them because other than this they are actually lovely!

ZombieApocalypse · 31/12/2014 14:46

DH and I were in our local Italian restaurant recently which is very nice with lovely owners. Two very erm... brash couples came in and sat right next to us. Think overpowering perfume, gobby, loud, drunk, fake tan, the works.

The owner came over to take their order and one of the guys starts in that patronising matey way 'ooh, we're from oop north so we know our chips, do you do chips here?' The owner looks a bit nonplussed and just says no, I'm afraid we don't. Of course, the guy won't let it drop and the rest of them start banging on about chips and why can't the restaurant just do them some chips. Me and DH were sitting there like this Shock. Eventually, the owner picks up their menus and says with exquisite politeness 'we are an Italian restaurant, so if you want chips, perhaps you should remove yourselves to the chip shop at the other end of the road'.

We were expecting them to kick off but amazingly, they all got up and trooped out though I heard Gobby mutter that all the food looked shit anyway.

vrtra · 31/12/2014 15:47

I have 2:

I didn't have a job (this is relevant) and went out to my mate's birthday meal. Also there were another mate and his girlfriend. He had a job, she didn't. I ordered a pizza and a beer, so did she (as did pretty much everyone). At the end it came to about 9 quid each so everyone put in at least a tenner to cover tips. Except when we added it up it didn't cover the bill, I ended up throwing in another fiver to make it up... Turned out little miss princess had put in 2 quid as she was broke and her boyfriend went along with it.

Went out for a meal with my ex, his mate and mate's fiancee. Lovely meal, loads of food, and the staff were amazing. I put in a big tip along with the cost of my meal and didn't think any more of it as I'm usually the first to put my money down... A few minutes later mate's fiancee is picking up the money and handing it to her fella saying "there's too much on the table, take some back"! what there was left was just enough to cover the meal. Cheeky bitch! I was so taken aback I didn't even say anything, it should have been obvious I was tipping as we actually joked about having ordered the same food.

clementine63 · 02/01/2015 16:08

I didn't make him pay, no. To this day I don't really know exactly why not, I am normally anything but an unassertive person. But at the time I was going through a horrible divorce and not in a good place, that might have been it. Also, have long been used to both family and friends who are visitors to the UK, (which he was) going on and on endlessly about how expensive everything is for them, and just expecting me to pay for things.

BadLad · 02/01/2015 18:24

Last summer I took my cousin's daughter out for a meal for a belated 18th birthday present, as I couldn't go to her party on the day itself.

Also present were my wife and the revolting scrote that she calls her boyfriend. Imagine not posh enough to be on Jeremy Kyle, and you'll picture him.

As the waitress came over, he looked her up and down, before saying "fucking ell, do we aff to av the munter? Can't we av er?" jerking his thumb at another waitress.

Gruntfuttock · 02/01/2015 20:12

BadLad That's disgusting. What happened next?

BadLad · 02/01/2015 21:21

A shocked silence, and then my wife in particular rounded on him, when the waitress had gone, asking him how the fuck he thought that had made her feel. That was too complex for him to get his head round, so when she came back I apologised for his behaviour. His manners in general were non-existent.

It turned out through talking to them that he sits on his arse at home getting stoned while my cousin's daughter works. She had already fallen out with her parents about him when she moved out. I normally give her fifty quid for Christmas and her birthday, but she can forget that until she dumps the little shit (I'll save it up for her and give all to her when she sees sense).

IsChippyMintonExDirectory · 02/01/2015 21:43

BadLad that's horrendous although I had to read it 3 times to realise the chav bloke was your cousins daughters BF not your wife's BF Grin

GraysAnalogy · 02/01/2015 21:45

Me too chippy ha

badlad that's horrible. Must be infuriating for you. I was once with a scrote like that and my dad was furious.

Namehanger · 02/01/2015 21:52

Law student doing experience at City Law Firm. Took a couple of visiting American lawyers to play golf at my golf club, drove them out of London. Afterwards we drove back, went out for meal. Sort of assumed they would pay, but no split the bill three ways. Ok, can handle that but then one of them took bill so he could put it on expenses. Tight twat.

BadLad · 02/01/2015 21:53

Yeah, when I read it back, I saw it was ambiguous but couldn't edit.

It's not just me who has stopped her birthday presents - my parents and some of her other relatives have also stopped, for now. It feels a bit controlling, but I'm buggered if I'm paying for him to lounge around (he has no intention of working).

Bogeyface · 02/01/2015 21:58

Oh I wish that had been my colleague from my waitressing days (she of the 20p tip shit storm above)!

She would probably have said "I apologise if my revolting looks put you off your meal sir" deadpan. She was brilliant!

Bogeyface · 02/01/2015 22:02

May I say though, I think the way that you and her parents are dealing with it is wrong.

If she feels that everyone is against her then she is likely to stay with him long after she has realised what a wastrel cock lodger he is. Partly because she may feel she has no one to turn to and partly because of pride, she wont want to say "OK you were right". Sad but thats human nature.

By sending her a gift, just not of money that only she can use (say perfume or something to wear), you are sending the message that you still love her and care about her. She is more likely to come to you when she wants to get rid of the loser if she thinks that you are not judging and are not going to say "I told you so".

GraysAnalogy · 02/01/2015 22:03

Yeah I second sending her an item instead of giving her cash

YouTheCat · 02/01/2015 22:16

Badlad, take her shopping so she gets something for herself.

BadLad · 02/01/2015 22:56

I didn't think of that.

I don't see her very often, or even know her all that well, as I don't live in the UK. And I have no idea what teenage girls might want.

But I take the point that it might not be the best way to deal with it. I don't know what her parents are doing about it, or how they are now. I just know that they fell out in the summer.

DharmaBums · 02/01/2015 23:29

An ex-bf used to "take me out for dinner" then split the bill and keep the receipt to expense the whole meal. Worst was when I paid for an expensive dinner and in the taxi home he asked for the receipt to claim for that. AngryAngry Took me far too long to wise up to him but eventually dumped him.