AITA for picking a restaurant for my birthday dinner that "did not meet the needs and requirements" of my dad's wife and her son?
The 22-year-old male poster (OP) describes the complicated eating habits of his stepmother, Kathleen, and her son, Benjamin (18m), who live with his father.
Benjamin has severe allergies to peanuts and sh**lfish and is extremely picky, with a d*et consisting mainly of pizza, fries, burgers, and beef tacos, avoiding most fruits, vegetables, and other meats.
His stepmother, Kathleen, is also very particular, avoiding foods like fish, potatoes, rice, pasta, and bread.
These d*etary restrictions severely limit where the family can eat out, often forcing them to choose from a very small selection of fast-food places, even for the OP's celebrations.
When the OP planned his recent birthday dinner at a restaurant of his choice, his father insisted that Kathleen and Benjamin be invited.
The OP agreed only if they could eat at the chosen location, which they refused, demanding the entire party travel out of state to accommodate their preferences, leading the OP to stand his ground and question if he is in the wrong.
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The central conflict revolves around the OP's desire to celebrate his birthday on his own terms versus the strong expectations and perceived needs of his stepmother and stepbrother regarding food accommodations.
The OP feels frustrated by years of having his celebrations dictated by others' extreme d*etary limitations and reacted by drawing a firm boundary for his own special occasion, resulting in conflict with his father and Kathleen.
The core question for debate is whether the OP was justified in refusing to change his birthday dinner plans to accommodate his stepfamily, given their inflexible demands, or if the expectation to include them superseded his right to choose the venue for his own celebration.
Users Wasted No Time Telling It Like It Is:
Support, sarcasm, and strong words — the replies covered it all. This one definitely got people talking.
NTA.