Hospitality is a lovely thing, but even the most gifted host needs a heads-up before guests arrive.

One evening, a couple was reheating leftovers, exhausted and counting down to bedtime, when the partner’s parents suddenly appeared in the driveway.

They hadn’t called ahead, but they were quick to mention how hungry they were and how nice it would be to catch up over a meal.

With barely enough food and even less energy, the woman told them dinner was already sorted for two.

The parents looked surprised and a bit wounded, then headed out to eat elsewhere.

Her partner thinks she came across as cold. She thinks she was being honest.

Keep reading for the full scoop.

AITA for telling my in-laws they can’t stay for dinner after they showed up unannounced

My partner and I had a quiet evening planned. Nothing fancy, just leftovers and an early night.

Soon, the couple faced an unexpected interruption.

We were in the middle of reheating when my partner’s parents pulled into the driveway.

They said they were in the area and figured they would pop by.

These in-laws quickly made it clear they were going to be quite the nuisance.

Before I could even offer drinks, they mentioned how hungry they were and how nice it would be to catch up over a meal. I felt my stomach drop a little, because there really wasn’t enough food, and we had not planned on guests.

She tried to get through to them as politely as possible, but it didn’t seem to work.

I told them politely that we already had dinner sorted for two and weren’t set up for more.

They looked surprised, then a bit hurt, and said they would just grab something on the way home.

She thinks this wasn’t a fair thing to expect at all.

My partner later asked if I could have at least tried to stretch what we had.

I get that it might seem rude, but we were exhausted, and honestly, we did not have the energy or groceries to host a last-minute dinner.

Now the parents are texting less, and my partner thinks I came off cold. I am not sure if protecting our evening made me the bad guy.

AITA?

What kind of person just barges in like that?

Redditors chime in with similar outrage.

This user wouldn’t have been nearly as polite.

This reader can’t even comprehend doing something like this.

Partners are supposed to stick up for each other.

This is what should have been said.

It’s not like she slammed the door in her in-laws’ face or gave them an unfair lecture. She just said dinner was set for two. That’s a polite answer to a very presumptuous setup.

These in-laws could have called ahead like reasonable people, or they could have offered to take everyone out on their dime. But they had no right to behave this way.

One tired night doesn’t make her cold. It makes her human.