What do I say to this?

[teaandakitkat]

Ds wants to do an activity with 3 friends for his birthday then go to Pizza Express.

I texted round all the parents and got this reply from one of them.

"Dd would love to do the birthday activity but does not want to eat in Pizza Express. She deeply opposes large corporate chains and prefers to support locally owned eateries. Would you consider eating in xyz instead so that she doesn't feel excluded?"

This kid is 9.

Wtf? Sometimes something is so bizarre you're not quite sure how to respond.

I want to say "Sorry, birthday boy has asked to go to Pizza Express so that's what we are going to do. You can collect your dd before we go in if she won't join us".

AIBU? I'm not, am I?

Surely you either go to the party that's on offer or you don't? The host doesn't arrange the party to suit individual guests?

I sent the text. I'm not sure why I even needed to ask. I was just so thrown by the message.

But now I am wishing I had offered to change the venue to McDonalds instead.

Is PE such a bad corporate chain as these things go? I have no idea.

Honestly this world gets weirder by the day.

Perfect reply!

Let us know how she responds!

YANBU. She can eat where she wants on her birthday.

What a wanker. Your text back was fine. She sounds like an absolute looney.

I hope the daughter doesn't wear clarks shoes or wear Boden/primark, or eat Pom bears walkers crisps

How well do you know them? Is this something the parents have encouraged?

it may be a corporate chain but real people work there, trying to earn a living, tell her you will leave a big tip to help them!

This is brilliant! Pls do let us know her response

Her pfb ds is prob still ebf. ....

Wow that's just unbelievable! I mean do what you want for your birthday but don't try and change someone else's plans!

Christ.
Your answer was perfect, I would have sent similar.

Nuts.

Your text sounds perfect.

When it is this little girl's birthday she gets to choose the location.

This will end up in the mail won't it?

At least this is a fast updating thread!

She replied to say she is disappointed that I don't share her (ha!) concerns over the future of the local high street and small business owners and she is asking me one more time to reconsider.

I have answered "the party is activity followed by tea at Pizza Express. Let me know by the end of the day please if your dd wants to come".

I'm not getting sucked into stupid arguments.

I know her to say hello to in the playground but she's not a friend

Does she happen to own a 'locally run eatery' perchance??

rude and presumptuous!

The parent probably owns Local Eatery XYZ and was touting for trade!

This is actually absolutely hilarious. Love this!!! I'd tell her the same, tbh.

I presume the pizza express chain employs local people. She is a dick.

9 year olds don't 'deeply' feel anything. Not that they can't have opinions, but they just do not have anywhere near the contextual experience of adulthood, life, death, etc, to understand anything deeply.

I'd go so far to say that a 9 year old shouldn't - they should be being a child!

Further evidence if any was needed that the kind of cheeky fuckery you encounter as a parent is unmatched by any other situation. She's really bonkers.

Ooh pizza can I come?
Can't believe someone would send that "from their 9 year old" poor child missing out on pizza though

How funny. Do love a cheeky fucker thread!

No way!! What the actual heck is this woman thinking?? How very embarrassing - for her not you!

You have done absolutely the right thing and not unreasonable in the slightest! First message was bad enough, but to not give up and go one with a second is totally batshit!

Life gets weirder and weirder! Good reply. if your son wanted his birthday dinner at xyz he would have asked for it to be at xyz!