“She cried and decided to leave early”: Woman tells husband’s 60-year-old Italian friend that Italian food isn’t better and to cook for herself, causing tension

Author image for Briana Viser
Briana Viser • Writer and Editor
Jun 12, 2025 4:00 PM EDT

Welcome back people of the internet. Italy, what can we say about such a historical country? The rich history only scratches the surface of Italy's interesting facts. Not only is the country boot-shaped and nearly anarchistic, it's also deeply pretentious as well. Italians have their fair share of stereotypes. From the rumors of constant cheating or cat calling, to them eating pasta for every meal, they're simply their own breed of people. 
 

Besides the Roman Empire hiding pressing issues under the guise or bread and circus, Italians are known for their strict codes of conduct about basically everything, but especially food and drinks. If you've never been to Italy there are a few rules. Never cut pasta, never put ketchup on it, and never order a cappuccino after 11. Why? Because they said so, now let's get to the story. 
 

In the story below, the protagonist is a woman whose husband has a friend visiting from Italy. She flies in and is immediately scathing about the quality of everything. Read the full story below for all the juicy details. 

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  • 01

    AITA for asking my husband’s Italian friend to cook for herself, and told her I would not eat her food?

    Cheezburger Image 10516603392
    via Engin Akyurt / Canva

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    My husband's friend flew in from Bellagio, Italy a week ago, and, as much as I tried, I could not make her happy with any type of home cook, or even restaurants in Melbourne!
    via u/LegElectrical9214

  • Both of these women seem pretty insufferable. The protagonist doesn't have to take everything so personally, and it's obviously not okay to speak to guests in that way. The Italian lady isn't much better though. I understand she hasn't traveled, but does that mean she's void of decency? 

  • 03
    Took her out to restaurants, we wanted to introduce her to the variety of food we have! No, no sushi, no Thai food, no Chinese, because Italian food is the best!
    via u/LegElectrical9214
  • 04
    We went out for Italian 3 days in a row! She complained about pasta, about cheese, anything is just not as good as in.......Italy
    via u/LegElectrical9214
  • 05
    She complained about the wine not tasty enough! she got mad when I dared to order a cappuccino at 4pm, because "we don't drink cappuccino after
    via u/LegElectrical9214
  • 06
    C. Corso Mauriz rian So Senap Leghorn TUSCANY iolal TO Bastia Grosect tonde Monte Cristo Ajaccio Cirliavecchia onifacio Porto Vecchio Tibe some APENNIN acerala PlooDo Pescara NEOR Callao ML C C. Pa Foggla Dare Strait of Bonifacto Gro Terranova Beneveme CascriAMPANIA Naples M. Veauorus Salerno ITALAY e Barf PULIA Brind Taranto Recrea Gulf of Taranto 0. INIA an Sea Cosenz CALABRIA Upari or
    via marekuliasz from Getty Images Pro / Canva

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 07
    12pm" (I was just like:"yeah, I drink wth I want at the time I want). Coffee was either too burn, or not hot enough. We went to Coles to do some shopping,
    via u/LegElectrical9214
  • 08
    straight away complained about no authentic Italian pastas, and in the middle of the isle, decided to teach me how properly say the name of each pasta.
    via u/LegElectrical9214
  • 09
    We decided to cook at home today, mind you, I am Asian, I love my spices and I love flavourful dishes! I decided to cook what I know best, did not
    via u/LegElectrical9214
  • 10
    think it would be a bad idea. She came, and the first thing she said was, your house smell bad (fish sauce), and she proceeded to ignore my dish and asked my
    via u/LegElectrical9214
  • 11
    husband to take her out for some lasagna! When she got back she told me I should learn how to cook Italian dishes, because it is
    via u/LegElectrical9214
  • 12
    not good for my husband to always eat fusion food, online recipes are just stupid for straying away from the root (...(?)
    via u/LegElectrical9214
  • 13
    I was so mad and did not mince words, I told her how arrogant and obnoxious to think Italian food are the best, told her Italian are not the best, and we would
    via u/LegElectrical9214
  • 14
    not take her out for any Italian meals, she could go shopping for herself, cooked it, and enjoyed alone, sorry but the ingredients would not be....as good as in.....
    via u/LegElectrical9214
  • 15
    Italy, but she was in another country, be grateful for what she could find! She cried and decided to leave early.
    via u/LegElectrical9214
  • 16
    My husband tried to tell me that she is set in her way, she does not travel that much all her life. 60 years, this is the second time she
    via u/LegElectrical9214
  • 17
    travels out of the country, the last time was to Germany, and it was well over 25 years ago! He told me maybe I should just say sorry to her just to smoother the
    via u/LegElectrical9214
  • 18
    Cheezburger Image 10516598528
    via sorincolac from Getty Images Pro / Canva

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 19
    situation. I refused, told him if she cannot live without her Italian heritage for just a few weeks, there is no point for me to convince her to like me anyway! So AITA?
    via u/LegElectrical9214
  • 20
    SeaweedSpirited2... ⚫ 20h ago NTA. I'm Canadian, have been to Italy several times and currently have Italian exchange students. Now the
    via u/SeaweedSpirited2573
  • 21
    exchange students will make the odd comment on food differences here and there (they don't like the coffee either) but they are usually
    via u/SeaweedSpirited2573
  • 22
    very polite and grateful for trying new things. It's part of being somewhere different is to experience culture. My
    via u/SeaweedSpirited2573
  • 23
    friends from Italy would never behave like this in my home, they always have polite manners. She was
    via u/SeaweedSpirited2573
  • 24
    r de to you on purpose and disguised it as national pride.
    via u/SeaweedSpirited2573
  • 25
    Dismal_Poet_3926 • 21h ago Nope, she was being r de and disrespectful. She should've stayed in Italy if she was going to behave that way
    via u/Dismal_Poet_3926
  • 26
    KronkLaSworda ⚫ 20h ago > She came, and the first thing she said was, your house smell bad (fish sauce), and she proceeded to
    via u/KronkLaSworda
  • 27
    ignore my dish and asked my husband to take her out for some lasagna!
    via u/KronkLaSworda
  • 28
    If anyone treated my wife with such disrespect, they'd be immediately shown the door. NTA and don't apologize. Make her uncomfortable. Cook fish every day. Use every spice.
    via u/KronkLaSworda

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Italy drama pasta relationships lol love entitled family reddit thread Reddit funny dating entitled people
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