Man's Rude Treatment of His Daughter Leads to Him Missing Out on a Grand Prize

A man was out for dinner with his fiancée and father-in-law when the atmosphere suddenly became tense. Given the circumstances, he was left with no choice but to pay the bill. Little did he know that seemingly routine decision would lead to an astonishing grand prize, leaving the night's drama far from over.

In June 2012, u/JeffreyGlen turned to "r/AskReddit," inviting people to share their best karma stories, both positive and negative. Their post received around 3k comments, as well as an interesting story from an anonymous male poster with a now-deleted account.

The Original Poster went out for dinner with his then-fiancée (now wife) and her father. The father-in-law, who would later become OP's father-in-law, had a history of being difficult with his daughter.

Having experienced a divorce and remarriage, he seemed to favor his other children over OP's wife. The FIL often criticized her for various reasons, creating a tense dynamic during the dinner.

OP's FIL missed out on the grand prize because of his rude treatment of his daughter.

What Happened after the Dinner Was Over?

When the dinner concluded, the FIL extended the gesture of covering the meal expenses, which OP found appreciable. However, when OP's wife requested to have her leftovers packaged to take home, the father-in-law expressed reservations, suggesting, "[Well], you'll just leave them in the fridge, then they'll just get thrown out."

OP intervened, asserting, "Listen, it's not your fridge, leave her alone," emphasizing the shared living arrangement between OP and his then-fiancée at that time. The father-in-law became upset, exclaiming, "Don't tell me how to raise my daughter!"

OP responded firmly, saying, "Then don't speak to my fiancée that way!" In a dramatic turn, the father-in-law angrily tossed the bill and folder towards OP, declaring, "FINE! YOU [expletive] PAY THEN," before storming out.

The atmosphere grew increasingly tense as each party involved became more agitated. OP, having settled the bill, found himself in an unexpected delay of about ten minutes while waiting for the receipt.

The extended wait only served to intensify the prevailing sense of discomfort. OP's fiancée, frustrated by the situation, questioned the decision to initiate a conflict, adding a layer of discord to the unfolding events.

Outside the restaurant, the FIL, visibly perturbed, stood waiting. His frustration was palpable, and it was clear he was ready to confront them as soon as they exited. In an effort to expedite matters and diffuse the mounting tension, OP approached the waiter and inquired, "Can I just get our bill and go?" However, the waiter responded, "Oh no, sir, you have to wait for the manager," further prolonging the uneasy wait.

As it turned out, the restaurant had an ongoing contest where "every bill is a winner." Typically, patrons would win a free drink or appetizer for their next visit. However, on this particular occasion, OP and his fiancée happened to land the grand prize—a trip for four to Florida.

The twist in the contest was that the person who paid the bill was entitled to the prize. In this case, OP found himself in possession of the grand prize because he had settled the bill, a responsibility that fell on him after the father-in-law stormed out in frustration.

OP's FIL missed out on the grand prize because of his rude treatment of his daughter. Clearly, the situation, which could have quickly spiraled out of control, took on a touch of poetic justice, highlighting the adage that one reaps what they sow.

The Online Reaction

OP's narrative garnered a significant and positive response from the online community. Many commenters expressed the view that it stood out as one of the best stories they had read on Reddit.

"Don't tell me how to raise my daughter!" You should have reminded him that she is an adult," wrote one person. "That's the best one yet. Did you tell her dad? Reaction?" questioned a second user. "Never fully explained that he lost the tickets, just that we had won. But I secretly have always hoped he knows," replied OP.

"Wish I could upvote over and over. Also dealing with SO's crazy father, have yet to feel this kinda [instant] karma though," chimed a third commenter. "I really hope the wait staff orchestrated that on purpose," added a fourth Redditor. "[Hahahaha]! I hope you sent him lots of postcards from your vacation!" said a fifth user.

"He actually told you not to tell him how to raise his daughter? Did he actually think he had the right to dictate how she lived, when she's (obviously) out of the house, living with you, and getting married? He has some hardcore control issues. Kudos for sticking up for your fiance/wife, hope the trip was wonderful!" expressed yet another person.

What do you think about this story? Click here to read another one about a man who treated his girlfriend to a fancy restaurant on their third anniversary but vanished when the bill arrived.