I don’t know about you, but if I go out to dinner with a person over the age of say, 10, I expect them to hav decent table manners. You know, the basics – use a napkin, choose your silverware over your hands, be polite to the staff, don’t burp at the table.
If I went on a date with someone who claimed to be a full-grown adult who couldn’t manage any of those things I think I would have got up and left in the middle of my meal.
This woman had been dating her boyfriend for seven months when she got a promotion. Instead of eating at home (the way most of us had) they decided to go out for a really nice meal.
So my boyfriend (20M), L, and I (20F) have been dating for 7 months. We usually eat take out if we want to get something to eat.
However, I recently was promoted so we went to eat at a VERY nice Italian restaurant to celebrate. Like, one with an enforced dress code.
She realized that he wasn’t the neatest of eaters, but it wasn’t until he dug into a nice plate of bruschetta with his hands that she realized he had no table manners at all.
When he realized how she was looking at him (I presume) he asked if she minded if he ate the way he did at home. She replied they were in public with other customers, nothing more or less.
My boyfriend is not the nicest of eaters, which can be kind of gross but I deal with it. However, I didn’t realize he had no table manners.
At the restaurant, after we were served our first appetizer, a beautifully plated bruschetta dish, L looked at me and jokingly asked me if I would be upset if he enjoyed his meal the same way he would at home.
I told him that we were at a nice restaurant and there were other customers around.
For some reason, this caused him to double-down on being gross. He ate not only the bruschetta with his hands but his pasta as well, getting it all over the table and himself in the process.
He didn’t say anything, but instead started digging into the bruschetta with his hands, ignoring the serving fork, getting sauce all over his fingers. I let this go. However, when the pasta came out, he smirked at me and ate like he hadn’t eaten in a week.
He dropped his fork and started picking up pieces of chicken and noodles with his fingers, getting sauce everywhere: the tablecloth, his hands, his clothes and face.
He didn’t miss the opportunity to loudly burp after he had finished destroying his side of the table.
Other tables were staring. The waiter asked if he was ok.
So I feel confident that she was not exaggerating.
The table next to us was astonished. My waiter even asked him if he was ok. Other customers were staring.
He also put his feet up on the chair next to us, blocking the aisle.
She had no idea what to do so she finished her meal, paid the check, and left.
When she confronted him about being embarrassed he acted like she was the one being ridiculous, and she shouldn’t care what other people think.
I had no idea what to do. I didn’t want to make even more of a scene so I just asked for the check (which I paid) and left really embarrassed.
On the way home I told him how embarrassed I was and he just said that it was my fault for not letting him enjoy the meal as he pleased and that since we were paying customers the other guests had no business judging us.
AITA?
Reddit’s weighing in below, and I bet they have some choice words for this guy!
The top comment picked up on the smirk description, which pretty much means he was embarrassing her on purpose.
Image Credit: Reddit
Anyone who has been in an emotionally controlling/abusive relationship can see what’s happening – and what’s coming down the pike.
Image Credit: Reddit
I picked up on this, too. He wanted to make sure she didn’t feel too good about herself.
Image Credit: Reddit
And yes, he was definitely trying to punish her for daring to be successful.
Image Credit: Reddit
Absolutely everyone agrees that she’s too good for him and she needs to leave and not look back.
Image Credit: Reddit
I hope she read all of these comments, took them all seriously, and has already dumped him.
What about you? Do you see all the red flags here? How would you have reacted? Our comments are open for your thoughts!
