Reddit users side with woman who left a wedding to go get McDonald's: 'Really upset'
Many Reddit users said they'd never heard of people paying for their own food at a wedding
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Reddit users defended a woman who claims she left a coworker's wedding to go get McDonald's after she was told she'd have to pay for her meal at the reception.
A user by the name of "Historical-Warning31" asked Reddit's "Am I The A-----e" (AITA) subreddit to weigh in on the situation in a March 3 post she titled, "AITA for leaving a wedding to eat at McDonald's?"
In the post, the woman, 25, who did not share her location, said she was recently invited to her 31-year-old coworker's wedding.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I was super excited and happy for her," wrote Historical-Warning31.
"Just in case, I asked her if there [were] any guest fees — she said, ‘No, you don’t need to pay me anything.'"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}However, when Historical-Warning31 arrived at the reception, which she said was held at dinner time, "I was presented with a wedding menu that had prices on it. (For example: Steak ---- $50)," she wrote.
The Reddit user said she was told by her colleague (not pictured) that there would be no fees to attend her wedding — but that is not what the guest experienced, she revealed. (iStock)
"Everything was ridiculously expensive, including the vegetarian options," claimed Historical-Warning31.
Initially, the Reddit writer was upset because her coworker apparently lied to her about not having to pay for anything at the wedding — but she said she did not say anything, as she "didn't want to spoil her day by embarrassing her in front of everyone."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}REDDIT POSTER GETS HEAT FOR THROWING A DRY WEDDING, TELLS ANGRY FRIEND HE ‘HAS ALCOHOL PROBLEM'
Historical-Warning31 explained that she did not bring enough money for both dinner and a ride back; yet going without a meal was not an option for her, as she "had skipped my lunch to ‘save space’ for the wedding meal and was pretty hungry."
"Suddenly, I remembered that I saw a McDonald's about five minutes away from the hotel," she said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"As tactfully as I could, I asked the bride if I could make a quick stop to McDonald's as I didn't bring enough money for the reception meal. I said that I'd be back in time for the gift ceremony and cake."
All the options on the menu, even the vegetarian option, were "ridiculously expensive," wrote Reddit user Historical-Warning31. She said a 4-ounce steak cost $50. (iStock)
The bride did not react the way Historical-Warning31 thought she would.
"She got really upset," wrote Historical-Warning31. "She said that she put in so much effort to get this ‘Michelin-star restaurant service,’ yet I still wasn't happy. That I was trying to bring her down by saying that I'd rather eat at McDonald's."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}REDDIT USERS DEFEND MAN WHO SERVES A LOWER-GRADE STEAK TO HIS IN-LAWS (HIS WIFE HAS A BEEF WITH IT)
The Reddit poster said she tried to explain that she didn't intend to come off that way, but that she simply could not afford the meal at the reception.
"She then scoffed, saying, ‘Who’s fault is that?'" claimed Historical-Warning31.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Reddit poster also wrote that she accused her colleague of lying about not having to pay anything to attend the wedding, which the colleague also did not take kindly.
The Reddit user claimed she went to McDonald's and got a Big Mac after she was told to leave her colleague's wedding. (iStock)
"Getting angry as well, she replied, 'What I meant was there is no attendance fee! You literally assumed that you'd get a free five-course dinner. Wow, you're cheaper than I thought!,'" wrote Historical-Warning31.
The bride then told Historical-Warning31 to leave the wedding — which she did, "struck dumb and rather hurt."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}BRIDE ASKS REDDIT IF IT'S 'TACKY' TO ASK GUEST TO MAKE WEDDING DECOR AS A GIFT
Historical-Warning31 added that she got a Big Mac on her way back home from the wedding.
Once at home, Historical-Warning31's boyfriend told her that she was in the wrong for doing what she did, and that she "chose the wrong time to be stingy."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}She wrote on Reddit, "My other friends agree as well, saying that it was not tactful of me for doing that at the wedding — and although she lied, I should have just brushed it off instead of dampening her happy spirits."
The Reddit user said she felt lied to by her colleague that the wedding would not cost her anything. (iStock)
"After hearing their opinions, I felt quite guilty and embarrassed. However, that one little part of me still thinks that it's justified because 1) she lied to me, and 2) publicly humiliated me," she said.
Fox News Digital reached out to an etiquette expert for comment on the situation.
GETTING MARRIED IN COLORADO? THE STATE MAY HELP PAY FOR YOUR WEDDING
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}On the AITA subreddit, people on Reddit can reply to posts and indicate the poster is "NTA" ("Not the A-----e"), "YTA" ("You're the A-----e"), "NAH" ("No A-----e Here") or "ESH" ("Everyone Sucks Here").
Users can "upvote" responses they think are helpful and "downvote" ones that are not.
The majority of Redditors who replied to the post took Historical-Warning31's side in this case, albeit with the caveat that she should not have asked the bride about going to McDonald's — and should have just gone there without comment.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}There was also confusion about the practice of having wedding guests pay for their meals, as many commenters, including those who claimed to be wedding planners, said they were completely unfamiliar with this idea.
The Reddit user informed the bride she would be back from her McDonald's trip in time for the cake — but the bride told her to leave. (Getty Images)
"Never before heard of a wedding where you have to pay for the food. If there's a food fee, she should have told you or it should have been clarified in the invitation," wrote Reddit user "Rranranru" in one of the top-upvoted replies.
"I do think that you handle it a bit clumsily — you should have just gone to McDonald's in secret and come back later," said Rranranru. "When asked, you could just say you weren't feeling well and didn't want to eat."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}BRIDE RANTS ABOUT NOT RECEIVING ENOUGH GIFTS, ONLY HAVING TO WRITE 30 THANK YOU CARDS FOR 100 GUESTS
"As a wedding planner, I honestly have no idea how this type of service would be accomplished without the guests knowing they would receive a bill at the end of their meal. I have never heard of this," said a Redditor with the user name "Alarming_Reply_6286."
This same person also noted that the cost of the items was "incredibly cheap without Michelin Star quality," adding, "There's no shot this was an actual rated facility."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Both the bride and the Reddit poster did not behave properly, said some Reddit users, but the bride should have let her colleague know that the meal would not be provided without a fee. (iStock)
Reddit user PhoenixxFoxx agreed that Historical-Warning31 was not the "a-----e" in this situation, but that she "handled it wrong."
"You shouldn't have asked her if it was OK to leave and get McDonald's. You should have done it and come back," wrote PhoenixxFoxx.
"The bride/your colleague does sound like a bit of a jerk and she shouldn't have humiliated you that way."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
This same commenter added that he or she (gender wasn't indicated) had "never been to a wedding where I had to pay for my own food," despite going to both cheap and expensive weddings, the person said.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Also, did you buy her a gift? Because if you didn't and showed up to get a free meal, then you're a bit of an [AH]," wrote PhoenixxFoxx.