Has lack of Premier Inn breakfast ruined the weekend?

[Liesmorelies]

I mean, it hasn't, not for me, but DH seems to feel otherwise and I don't know if I've been UR. We (us and two dc) were in London overnight to see a show. We would normally maximise our time in the city and leave maybe this sort of time on Sunday, but we've all been ill and still feel a bit tired and rundown and so agreed we'd leave after breakfast and maybe a walk/quick trip to a park or the river.

When I woke I realised our PI was about a 20 minute walk from Shoreditch market where I was sure there are loads of cafes and stalls. Although we normally have the PI breakfast I thought this would be a nice change and mean we would be doing what we had planned (quick trip to somewhere nice and a walk) and could then leave. Also looked up a particular cafe that looked nice. Everyone agreed - all fine.

When we arrived at the cafe there was a queue. DH immediately said in a moody way, 'That's that then,' and started huffing. I said let's walk up (we were at the end of the road) it might not be that bad, but he had walked off. We ended up wandering around the area with him getting increasingly grumpy. Sods law, we weren't really going past any suitable looking cafes, although I'm sure the area is full of them. We did see a Pret but I didn't want that.

We eventually saw a nice independent cafe where we were able to have porridge,pastries, toast and spreads, fresh juice and lovely coffee. We all ate but DH wouldn't stop going on about the bloody PI. Yes, I get that he would eat his body weight there and we ended up with a relatively small breakfast that probably cost more (though our kids are 16 and 18, so no more free PI breakfasts!) but what we had was lovely, the place was lovely, and a bit different, and, ffs, PI will still be there next time. I offered to look for another place or even a Greggs for him to 'top up,' but he went in full strop mode. DS1 loves a PI breakfast too and he didn't moan, and dd was wanting pancakes in the place with a queue but she didn't moan that she didn't end up getting them, it's just him acting like a child. He also moaned about the cost, saying PI breakfast would have done for lunch as well, but we were home in time for a late lunch and no one wanted food on the journey so it's like he's just looking for stuff to moan about.

We're home now but he has said he's sick of me making all the decisions, I'm fussy and nothing is good enough and I'm just hard work. He's gone for a run but it was an atmosphere all the way home. Did I do wrong - I get I could have looked at booking but to me it worked out fine in the end.

While everyone discusses the merit or otherwise of a premier inn breakfast, the real issue is your DH’s childish stroppy behaviour which is what actually ruined the day, not the breakfast.

We just had 4 nites premier inn, aldgate, london, perfect lovely breakfast… can i just say, have you got nowt better to do than complain about a bitmof breakfast when theres so much going on in the world….. really……

Exactly.

Why are some missing the point entirely?

Premier Inn breakfasts vary a lot - we have had "ok" ones (no better than that) before, but the last time we stayed the breakfast was so revolting. - cold, dried, unappetising, that despite having paid for it we left & went to the Costa next door for bacon rolls. Won't book breakfast in a PI again

I don't think what he's done is reasonable and there's 0 chance I would marry someone like that as I like more adventure and can't deal with sulking but you have to work with what you have chosen or leave him. Surely you know him well enough by now to know that he's a sulker who doesn't like to try anything new/not have a plan? My FIL gets very stressed when there is no plan or things are inconvenient, so there's no way if we were having breakfast with him I would say - let's just go try to find a place. I would always book or do the easy thing like eat in the hotel. So i think you have to take some responsibility too - you married someone who is pretty boring and isn't good at free and easy and you have to adjust or put up with sulking. It's very unlikely he will change at this point.

He's been a childish dick OP. I know where you're coming from.
I no longer book PI breakfasts because the kids have aged out and it doesn't seem worth it.
DS2 isn't that interested in any breakfast unless its a) McDonalds pancakes or b) a hefty pistachio croissant and DS1 doesn't really like buffet contamination (he has issues with a lot of things of which this is one) and I wouldn't take H anywhere anyway as we're separated now, but even if I did, he doesn't really eat. So I can picture your scenario.
I do get why your DH got hangry, but Christ alive, he agreed to the plan, got decent food and I can't stand a sulker. He's not 5.

There is no comparison between PI pastries and those freshly baked at an artisanal bakers and you don’t get a decent cup of coffee at PI. You were near Spitalfields and it didn’t prove difficult to find somewhere - 15 mins is hardly any time at all

i don’t mind a PI breakfast but if I’m somewhere interesting I would much rather go and have a ‘treat’ breakfast

if he was that hangry he should have said before you left as there was always a risk the place you chose wouldn’t have space

Well neither of us would consider paying for breakfast elsewhere when we already had it included in our hotel price but if he didn't like your idea he should have said so to start with.

OP clarified that they hadn’t paid for the PI breakfast

Hi OP

I replied uo thread to say I didn't think you'd done anything wrong.

Are you going to have a sit down talk wirh him about his general attitude (not contributing to the organising but criticising minor shit) and sulking?

It’s frustrating having to walk about places and not finding what you want when you’re hungry. Premier inn breakfasts are fine. It’s hard to make a fry up badly and lots of other options. I’d have been miffed too, yes!

PI breakfasts are great! Are you being a snob?

I get where you’re coming from OP .
PI breakfast would be all you can eat so you’d be full but I’d rather find a good cafe .
You needed to find somewhere open , no big queue , seats available and ideally an independent cafe .
While Pret is fine , it’s a chain and is everywhere.
He's being childish by continuing to complain after you’d all been fed .
If I was hungry and tired I might possibly be a bit whiny till I’d been fed but afterwards I’d be good

The PI breakfast is pretty rank these days.

Theyve definitely gone downhill. Price same, quality pretty bad.

This really isn't anything to do with breakfast. DP perceives that OP steamrollers everyone into doing what she wants. Only she knows whether that is true.

I holiday with a friend who passive agressively just keeps stating her want even if everyone else wants to do something else. So for example everyone except her would agree PI breakfast and she will sit at the table stating 'i would have prefered to go out' every few minutes but wont actually go on her own.

Life is far too short for these types of situations 😆

“Glitterandmud · Yesterday 16:54
I do think you complicated things unnecessarily, sounds like you spent a lot of time wandering about and hungry when, if you had just had the PI breakfast, you'd have been done and out enjoying your morning.
Given that you said you'd all been ill and still not 100% I'd have taken the easy option over the added stress of finding somewhere, which is an absolutely fine choice to make when everyone is well and in the mood.
Doesn't mean your DH was reasonable to behave like a child though!”

This with bells on.

He’s a man, they require watering and feeding 10 minutes after they get up. Just go down for breakfast and let them eat. Completely bloody useless and awkward gits otherwise. I’m sure if they had a belly full, you’d get to eat where you wanted to later on without any complaint. Are you always so insistent OP?

I think we are more on the same page here than first appeared.

Man child who throws a Freddie because he doesn’t get his way

just what I was going to say. Are you planning to grow old with this curmudgeonf? The DC will be grown up and away at some point.

You'll be stuck with him. I'd start planning now. See yesterday's thread on starting a Running Away Fund. Solidarity, OP.

This feels like a classic male/female axis. With food, my dh would always go for quantity over quality. He loves the PI breakfast and almost sees it as a personal challenge how much he can pack in.

Whereas some overpriced artisan cafe would drive him mad.

Totally different for me. Opposite.

Exactly. If I was around the corner from loads of independent coffee roasters where I can get a truly delicious coffee and pastry rather than a “bog standard” Costa style cup, it’s a no brainer.

Would he sulk if you wanted to go to the artisanal place one day?