Imagine living in a house where there are two picky eaters, and they don’t even like the same foods. You can probably imagine that it would be really complicated picking a restaurant where there was something that everyone would like.

In this story, one young man grew up with a stepmom and stepbrother who are both very picky eaters. This year for his birthday, he decided not to pick a restaurant based on what they are willing to eat but to actually pick a restaurant where he wants to eat.

Was that a good idea or a bad idea? Let’s read the whole story to decide.

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?

My dad got married to Kathleen when I (22m) was 15. Kathleen has two kids. A daughter I never met. I think she’s in her late 20s or early 30s. And then she has a son Benjamin (18m).

Benjamin is allergic to peanuts and shellfish. On top of that him and Kathleen are very picky eaters. His diet when I lived there consisted of pizza, fries and burgers and beef and cheese tacos.

He didn’t eat fruits or vegetables. He didn’t eat any meat except for beef. He’d eat chocolate and ice cream and stuff though. And he was SO bad at checking labels and he had a few allergic reactions while we lived together.

One time he had to be rushed to the hospital and spent a week in because he had such a bad reaction.

It was hard to find somewhere everyone could eat.

Kathleen’s super picky too. I can’t remember all the stuff she wouldn’t eat but it included any kind of fish, any kind of potato, rice, pasta, bread and stuff like that.

This left us in a really weird position when my dad wanted to order takeout or take us out to eat.

We had a couple of fast food places where Kathleen ordered salad and Benjamin ordered pizza and burgers usually. The food was never great but could’ve been worse.

He couldn’t even pick where he wanted to eat on his birthday.

I think the part that sucked was every time we ordered out for my birthday or went out for my birthday it was one of the two places we had.

Even a Taco place was out unless they’d remove all veggies and extras except for the meat and cheese. And some places still put “gross stuff” to quote Benjamin on them when they did seemingly comply.

Anytime still they want to do a family meal out they expect us all to go to their chosen fast food places that work for Benjamin and Kathleen and I’m tired of dealing with them (they’re insufferable about how others eat too) so I never go.

This birthday, he decided it was going to be different.

A few weeks ago I had a birthday dinner with my girlfriend and some family and friends.

Dad wanted to come and he expected Kathleen and Benjamin to be invited too.

I told him that was okay if they’d eat where I had chosen.

I got an email from Kathleen and calls from dad where I was told my restaurant of choice did not meet the needs and requirements of Benjamin and Kathleen and would me and the rest of the guests travel out of state for a dinner for my birthday so we could go to one of Benjamin and Kathleen’s choices.

Now I understand why Kathleen’s daughter stays away.

My answer was no and I told dad he could still come but I was not changing where I have MY birthday dinner.

Kathleen sent another email asking why I was being so hostile like her daughter and I should care about my family’s health and interests.

Dad and Kathleen were more upset to learn some of dad’s side flew out to join us for dinner when they typically won’t accept plans from them to eat out. So now I’m facing more of their anger for my choice of restaurant.

AITA?

He should pick exactly where he wants to go for his birthday dinner. Good for him for not caving!

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

It is his birthday. He gets to choose.

If the stepmom doesn’t want to come, she doesn’t have to come.

That one line really did say a lot about her and her daughter.

Accommodating allergies is different than accommodating picky eating habits.

He should talk to his dad.

If they don’t like the restaurant he picked, they don’t have to go.

If you liked that story, read this one about grandparents who set up a college fund for their grandkid because his parents won’t, but then his parents want to use the money to cover sibling’s medical expenses.