When my sister, who had recently moved to a nearby town, invited me to dinner, I was thrilled. I couldn’t wait to spend more time with her and create new memories together.

We decided to go to an upscale restaurant that I loved going to with my husband. We didn’t often visit this place because it was on the pricier side, with dinner costing between $200-$250. However, since my sister suggested it, we agreed to give it a try.

After a fantastic dinner with my sister and her boyfriend, my sister excused herself to go to the bathroom. But as time went by, she didn’t come back. We became worried and went to check on them, only to find that they had disappeared without settling the bill.

Confused and frustrated, I tried to contact my sister. She eventually messaged me, thanking me for the dinner and saying how amazing it was. I couldn’t understand why she would leave me with the bill when she never agreed to pay for everyone.

In an attempt to take action, I warned my sister that if she didn’t return to the restaurant within 30 minutes to settle her bill, I would pay for mine and my husband’s portion and let the restaurant take legal action.

Thirty minutes passed, and true to my word, I gave the restaurant my sister’s details and paid for our meals. The next day, she called me, angry because the restaurant was asking her to pay for her share of the food. She didn’t believe that I would actually leave the bill unpaid.

I had no remorse. I explained to her that I had only ever paid for dinners that amounted to a maximum of $60, not an expensive dinner for four people costing $450. I reminded her that I had questioned her about the restaurant’s prices beforehand, and she had insisted on trying it.

Despite her pleas and attempts to make me pay, I stood my ground. I told her to go to the restaurant and settle her bill before they involved the police. But she refused, fearing embarrassment.

The situation escalated, involving other family members. I found myself under pressure to pay the bill, even though I felt uncomfortable and angry about how my sister had handled the situation.

I turned to Reddit for advice, asking if I would be wrong if I refused to pay the bill and let the restaurant call the police on her.

Commenter’s Reaction

Many Reddit users agreed with my stance on the matter. They commended me for standing up for myself and not being responsible for paying for my sister and her boyfriend’s expensive meals.

Some commenters mentioned that the general rule when dining out is to split the bill among everyone unless someone has specifically offered to pay. Since my sister had invited me to dinner, it should have been assumed that she would take care of the bill.

One redditor expressed their disbelief at my sister’s behavior, wondering how old she was. They felt that this kind of behavior was only expected from a 16-year-old. They said that they would most likely take a long break from dining out with someone like that or even seeing them.

I revealed that both my sister and I were in our 30s. I shared how my sister often made comments about my earnings, making me feel like she saw me as a source of money rather than a sister. This incident only amplified that feeling.

In conclusion, I firmly believe that I was right not to pay the bill and let the restaurant handle the situation. It was unfair for my sister to assume I would cover such an expensive dinner without any prior agreement.