AITA for not paying for the extra meal I accidentally ordered at a wedding?

A Redditor shared a story about attending a wedding with their 16-year-old son, where a mix-up over meal orders caused unexpected tension. The user ordered adult chicken meals for both of them, but the caterer provided a kid’s meal for the son, leading to confusion at the table.

Later, the bride’s parents called, claiming that anyone under 18 was supposed to get a kid’s meal and asked the Redditor to pay for the additional adult meal. The Redditor stood firm, saying it wasn’t their responsibility to clarify the meal selection. Were they in the wrong for refusing to pay? Read the full story below!

‘ AITA for not paying for the extra meal I accidentally ordered at a wedding?’

My sixteen year old son and I went to a wedding. When we got the invitation, we both chose to order chicken for the main course. There was an option to select a kid’s meal version of each dish, but I never considered ordering one for my son because he is too old for kid’s meals. I sent in the RSVP card with our meal selections and never heard anything about it.

At the wedding, my son and I got our food, but the table was one chicken meal short. The waiter had a small plate of chicken fingers and fries, but everyone at the table told him it must be a mistake because we didn’t have any kids sitting with us. The waiters were able to put together an extra chicken plate for the person who didn’t get one, and it seemed all was well.

I later got a call from the bride’s parents, who told me that the chicken fingers had been for my son, and that I had caused the caterer to charge them for the extra adult chicken meal. I told them my son had asked for the adult meal, but they said he should have had the kid’s meal because he’s under eighteen.

They said I should have known he was meant to have a kid’s meal and that I should have asked for clarification if I wasn’t sure. But I wasn’t unsure, I never thought for a second that my son would have a kid’s meal. Ten and under I would think would have kid’s meals and eleven to thirteen is questionable, but fourteen and up I would never think would have a kid’s meal.

The bride’s parents told me it’s normal for anyone under eighteen to get a kid’s meal, but I’ve never heard of eighteen being the cutoff. I think it’s rude to feed a sixteen year old a meal meant for a six year old. WIBTA if I refused to pay for the extra meal and told them it was their mistake for changing my son’s order? I know wedding meals are expensive, but I think this was their mistake.

Here’s what Redditors had to say:

km89 −  NTA, but depending on how expensive it is it might be worth paying to salvage the relationship. I think it’s rude to feed a sixteen year old a meal meant for a six year old. It absolutely is, and it was rude to not inform you that they had changed his choice as well.

Lady_Mog_Mog −  NTA. I can’t believe they actually reached out to you about paying for the meal. How petty. A child’s meal is obviously not going to be sufficient for a 16 year old. Seriously. If you do think this is going to blow up and damage your friendship with the bride and groom, I’d s**k it up and pay though.

thelostoneout −  NTA — you told them what meal you were expecting. They knew what meal you were expecting. The confusion of them changing your son’s order is what cost them money, not you

A) They could have clarified before the wedding your son would be getting a kids meal (still rude IMO, but it was possible to avoid confusion)

B) Most restaurants have a kids meal cut off of \~13. Maybe I’m crazy, but I feel like this applies to weddings…a sixteen year old eats as much food as a grown adult.

C) Calling you after the wedding and asking you to pay them back just feels tacky. Wedding meals get expensive but in the grand scheme of things, one extra meal is not the expense that sends them into bankruptcy compared to the cost of a wedding

Fishface248 −  NTA. In no circumstance would I ever assume that a 16 year old boy would eat off a kids menu. The fact that they changed the order, and then expect you to pay is ridiculous. It sounds like they spent more than they could afford on this wedding and are trying to recoup some of the costs. This is beyond petty of them.

crazy_mary21 −  NTA honestly who are these parents and brides who harass their guests after a wedding? It’s so pathetic and rude.

Amythist35 −  NTA 16 are not children. Seems like they were trying to nickle and dime there caterers

Sharoney789 −  NTA – but the bride’s parents actions are SO over the top (they CALLED you about this?! To what – scold you? Ask you to pay??!) that I would go the route of being likewise over the top and graciously polite and INSIST on paying even though of course the parents WEREN’T ASKING THAT AND WOULD NO DOUBT NOT DREAM OF MAKING SUCH AN IMPOLITE REQUEST! $25 or

whatever it costs is nothing to get these bizarre people off your back (assuming you are able to part with this amount without hardship – if you can’t afford to pay then just politely say you do not feel obligated to pay, but apologise for the confusion).

PussyDestroyer2019 −  NtA. Who the actual f**k charges people to be a guest at their wedding?

Jaywearspants −  NTA – they’re being stingy assholes. You requested a meal on the invite for him and wasn’t provided one.

ZeusMN85 −  NTA. There is no age cutoff for kids meals. You ordered 2 chicken meals, you ate 2 chicken meals.

Do you think the Redditor was right to expect an adult meal for their teenage son, or should they have clarified the kid’s meal policy beforehand? How would you handle an unexpected catering charge from a wedding host? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!