My Wife Demands That I Pay a Bill of $700+ for Her and Her Friends

After tying the knot, a newlywed couple opted to mark their union with a lavish celebration at a high-end restaurant. Surrounded by her closest friends, the wife made a startling request that caught her husband off guard when it was time to settle the bill. What followed next was a surprising turn of events.

On August 20, 2023, an anonymous male poster turned to the widely read "AITA" subreddit to pen his story. The man, aged 24, and his wife, also 24, had recently tied the knot. His wife, closely bonded with a group of four friends since high school, chose to commemorate their union with a grand celebration at an upscale steakhouse.

On the designated day, the couple and the woman's friends arrived in separate cars at the steakhouse. After enjoying their meal, the wife, with a bill exceeding $700, casually remarked, "The man should always pay for the wife and her friends."

Upon hearing his wife's comment, the original poster chuckled awkwardly, questioning her reasoning. She insisted it was because he was the man. Firmly, he responded that he would only cover expenses for him and her.

Now plagued with doubt, he wondered if he had overreacted.

Finding amusement in the situation, the woman's friends teased her husband, labeling him a financially strained spouse. Feeling his dignity challenged, he stood up, placed two one hundred dollar bills on the table to cover his and his wife's meals, and quietly exited the scene.

Upon returning home, the wife unleashed her frustration, shouting at her husband for humiliating her. She expressed her disappointment, mentioning her promise to her friends that he would foot the bill.

She recounted how her friends had mocked her during the ride home, ridiculing her choice of marrying a man unable to cover the expenses. Feeling the weight of the situation, OP packed his bag and sought refuge at a friend's house.

When he confided in his parents and friends about the incident, they suggested he should have paid the bill. Now plagued with doubt, he wondered if he had overreacted. Was he truly in the wrong?

Upon concluding his story, OP addressed the readers, sharing insights about the situation. He referred to comments from others questioning if his wife had exhibited similar behavior before. He clarified that she hadn't, which explained his awkward laughter during the incident.

The only comparable situation occurred early in their relationship when he didn't buy her mom food, leading to her first and only instance of screaming at him. Back then, he opted to leave rather than escalate the conflict.

Throughout their relationship, which spanned over eight years, they had known each other since the first year of high school and officially became a couple in junior year. OP emphasized that their disagreements had never escalated to such intense shouting matches, leaving him perplexed about recent events.

After reading the comments, OP confronted his wife the following day, seeking clarification about the unsettling incident and attempting to understand her perspective. Acknowledging his part in the situation, he admitted fault for not covering the total cost of his and his wife's dinner.

He realized he should have contributed an additional $50-75 to match the expense for two people. Addressing concerns from those who questioned the lack of a tip, he explained that he was a regular patron at the restaurant, often dining there with coworkers, each covering their meal and leaving a generous tip behind.

OP also commented on his original account, noting that he and his wife decided to dine out to celebrate their marriage. He allowed his wife to choose the venue, and when her friends learned about it, she extended an invitation so they could join them for the evening. While he anticipated their presence, he was surprised by the expectation that he should cover the entire bill.

OP's Reddit post garnered a significant online response, with most commenters supporting his perspective and labeling him "NTA." Let's take a look at a few comments worth mentioning:

What do you think about this story? Do you feel OP did the right thing by refusing to pay for his wife's friends, or could he have handled the situation differently? Click here to read another story about a woman whose boyfriend got banned from his favorite restaurant on his birthday and said it was her fault.