To be upset husband has booked a ‘novelty’ restaurant?

[trapperjohna]

It’s my 50th next Saturday. DH told me he’d book a nice restaurant and I was really looking forward to it as we rarely ever eat out. I was expecting to go somewhere nice in central Liverpool, he knows I love the waterfront so I was thinking he’d book somewhere around there.

Today he’s revealed he’s booked a place in Sheffield (which is annoying enough in itself, 90 minute drive for a meal and it won’t be relaxing at all) which is a novelty restaurant where the staff are intentionally rude to you and it’s all part of it. He’s booked it for the teens as well. I asked why on Earth he’d booked that and he said because he was curious about it and thought it’d be fun.

But it’s not me at all. I’m very self-conscious and even though it’ll all be a joke the thought of the staff verbally abusing me makes me anxious. I’ll end up taking something to heart and getting upset.

DH is annoyed I’ve asked him to cancel it and says I’m a spoil sport, but it’s my birthday dinner.

Karen's Diner

YANBU, why on earth would he book that?! I also feel like people being rude to me all night would feel quite upsetting - especially on my birthday.

Book what you want and tell him he’s welcome to either join you, or go to the restaurant by himself. If he wants to be told to fuck off so badly, I’m sure you can provide that experience!

You poor woman, what a twit.

What sort of an idiot would enjoy that?.....and 90 minutes away?

And now he is blaming you.🙄

Do not entertain it. Tell him exactly where you want to go, no discussion, it's your birthday.

How selfish to choose something for himself on your birthday.

LTB

(Only half joking)

It's also my birthday next week and my DP is taking me to an amazing restaurant (also in Sheffield weirdly enough) and has booked a lovely hotel too.
That's what decent partners do.

Do NOT accept this bizarre and unforgivable shit your H is trying to pull 😲.

Just had a look, I quote: “Karen's is not for the faint hearted but it's the perfect place to dine if you dislike your friends, family and colleagues.”

Can’t believe he’d look at that and think it’s the ideal place to take his wife to celebrate her birthday! I’m annoyed on your behalf, OP.

video on this link

sounds/looks awful

Jeez
i avoid "bantz" in normal life

why the fuck does he think you'd want that for your birthday...well, he doesn't, he's booked it for himself.

tell him straight he can go another time, without you.

Does your husband know you at all? Is he always so insanely selfish and self-absorbed?

We took my mum to this and she loved it.

If he wants to be told to fuck off so badly, I’m sure you can provide that experience!

this!

and, erm the menu doesn’t exactly say ‘50th birthday treat‘ does it. I mean I’m a big fan of burgers and wings, but I wouldn’t even offer to treat a friend to that for a big birthday, never mind a (shy and slightly self conscious) spouse. It’s more a hen/stag/ rowdy 40th with disreputable mates kind of a place.

It really is my idea of actual hell.

I was bullied at school, the anxiety I’m feeling over going to this restaurant reminds me of the fear I felt before going to school.

I know that makes me sound pathetic but I just really don’t want to go, it’s not me. And with the travel involved, a trip over an hour each way to get there in the evening, for what what will likely be mediocre food (due to it being a novelty restaurant, I think it’s just burgers etc), it just sounds like a horrible chore.

Quite apart from the staff being rude stuff, it’s a fucking burger bar. For your fiftieth!!!!!!

@trapperjohna Have you actually said no, I'm not going? Because that's what you need to do

That is god awful. Certainly not a place for your 50th birthday.

I would have to say bluntly - it is not the sort of place I will enjoy myself, I don't want to be sat in a car for 3 hours, I want to go somewhere that I like on MY special birthday.

If he doesn't then change, go somewhere you like with a friend instead.

Gosh! A lovely misogynistic novelty dining experience. I'd tell him that he needs to go alone.

It's not pathetic at all. You are being 100000% reasonable!

Fucking hell, the whole concept is based on the sexist, mysoginistic trope of 'Karen'.

Fuck that!

I wouldn't take it to heart. Just get him to book somewhere else for your birthday and then the whole family could go to the gimmicky place another time.
Your choice to take offense when you know none is intended and it is part of the show-is just that - your choice.

What a bizarre concept for a restaurant!

A flat 'no fucking way' is what I'd be saying. Let him go to Sheffield to pay people to call him a fat ugly bastard. You take yourself off to a waterfront Liverpool with your kids and friends.

Christ on a bike! Could the whole concept be any more misogynistic or outdated?? If nothing else it's a nasty passive aggressive hit at 'women of a certain age' or, to quote my Ma, "la cringe de la cringe par excellence".
You wouldn't get me within the city limits if that place were the destination. As for your DH , have my first-ever LTB for good measure 🙂

I can't believe how horrible your husband is being. There's no way this is his first time being such a prick.

God, no. He can go (alone) for his birthday. I would hate this too. YANBU.

He's booked something for your birthday that he would want for his birthday. What a melt.

PS just phone up and cancel the booking yourself, @trapperjohna

Just looked at the menu, it’s more like a burger bar than a nice restaurant no way I’d be going for my 50th! Book your own restaurant and tell him to cancel his reservation at least that way you get what you want.