Entitled birthday girl sends back the $120 her friend spent on her birthday sushi dinner because she found the celebration underwhelming: 'I was expecting more of a proper celebration'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor
Jul 12, 2025 8:00 PM EDT

Not everybody wants a big to-do on their birthday. If you're an introvert with a small friend group, a small get-together at a modest restaurant is the perfect way to commemorate being one year older. But that won't satisfy everyone, and it's not a crime to say exactly what kind of birthday party you want. If you want a big house party, you should throw a big house party! If you want to go to a high-end restaurant, you can do that, so long as you're willing to pay for it. I hate the culture around birthday parties being stupid and pointless once you're of a certain age. You don't have to be turning a notable age like 21 or 30 to celebrate big! Everyone should be celebrated the way they want to, and the best way to do that is to coordinate with your friends about precisely what you want.

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  • The friends in this friend group did not communicate about what their friend wanted for her birthday celebration. One friend assumed that she'd be okay with a low-key birthday celebration because her birthday is during exam season, but she wanted the same kinds of celebrations that all of her other friends got. 

  • 01

    Took a friend out to dinner to celebrate her birthday. 5 days later, got this message from her…

    Ο 000 Today Hey thanks again for the dinner, I appreciate you taking me out. I was kind of expecting more of a proper celebration with cake, gift, 0 and a little party with everyone, like we usually do for others' birthdays. I've had much more bigger celebrations in the past, so this felt a lot simpler and maybe a bit more convenient, like a polite gesture rather than a real celebration, especially since it wasn't planned beforehand. So that's why I am sending you the money back for the dinner,
    via u/Weak-Statistician107
  • 02
    This is diabolical. For reference, we're both mid 20's. She shouldn't be expecting princess treatment.
    via u/Weak-Statistician107
  • 03
    SEN
    via OSPAN ALI

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 04
    I knew from last year she was upset because we (our group chat) didn't throw her a party. Meanwhile everyone else had a party for their birthdays, except for people in July because it's during exam time (we're all students).
    via u/Weak-Statistician107
  • 05
    Cheezburger Image 10528581120
    via Ahmed (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 06
    It's kinda hurtful for her to basically say the effort I put in wasn't enough. Sure, it wasn't flashy or instagram worthy, but for me, going out to eat on special occasions is very normal. A total of 4 people came to dinner. I covered the bill. It was
    via u/Weak-Statistician107
  • 07
    30 per person at an all you can eat sushi restaurant that the birthday girl picked out. And to be honest, it was very mid.
    via u/Weak-Statistician107
  • 08
    Cheezburger Image 10528572160
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 09
    Btw I am introverted and hate parties. I'm also very frugal and won't spend a dime on someone unless I consider them a close friend.
    via u/Weak-Statistician107
  • 10
    Comfortablymoist 1 I would just send back "k".
    via u/Comfortablymoist1
  • 11
    Sad_Egg_5176 Not even. Thumbs up reaction
    via u/Sad_Egg_5176
  • 12
    WatashiwaNobodyDesu She “appreciates it”, but it felt like a “polite gesture rather than a celebration"? That's like saying she appreciates it but it wasn't good enough. It doesn't make sense, it's entitled, it's insulting. I assume that's the last time you bother lifting a finger for her...
    via u/WatashiwaNobodyDesu
  • 13
    Ok_Imagination_1107 Yes how does somebody make a polite gesture. I declare I hope this woman lives very very far away from me and from everybody I care about
    via u/Ok_Imagination_1107
  • 14
    Hurley_Cub_2014 It's not just like saying she appreciates it but it wasn't good enough, it is saying that. It's gross.
    via u/Hurley_Cub_2014
  • 15
    Coveted_AF She sounds horrendous but at least she gave you the money back so now you can move on from ever communicating with her again.
    via u/Coveted_AF
  • 16
    Carbon-Base OP should take this personally, buy popcorn with the money she returned, and post this on the group chat.
    via u/Carbon-Base
  • 17
    Plus-Championship424 Agreed. The others in the friend group need to learn what kind of person she is.
    via u/Plus-Championship424
  • 18
    sweadle Why did everyone else have parties but her? Did the birthday person organize their own party? Did someone organize them from everyone but her? It's fine that she's hurt that she was treated differently than anyone else in that friend group. It's just likely that her disappointment is misdirected at you as the one person who DID plan something.
    via u/sweadle
  • 19
    trulybeelightful I think it's because her birthday is in July, and OP mentioned that they don't have parties in July because of exams (they said in the comments they are also a party-less July birthday). It sounds like she's not really happy with that "tradition" and would like a party in July, but like you said, instead of expressing that to the friend group, she went about it in the worst possible way by being a to OP.
    via u/trulybeelightful
  • 20
    sonofaresiii and OP mentioned that they don't have parties in July because of exams (they said in the comments they are also a party-less July birthday). Honestly that's kind of Did anyone tell the girl that they'd throw a bigger party for her in August, or earlier in June?
    via u/sonofaresiii
  • 21
    If this girl is planning parties for everyone else and then they blow her off with just a simple dinner on her birthday, and say "Well i have exams" then yeah that's kind of behavior. If the perspective were reversed here everyone would be chewing out the person who reciprocated a great huge birthday party with a simple dinner "because of exams"
    via u/sonofaresiii
  • 22
    margmi Totally agree. Birthday girl is upset because everyone else in her friend group gets celebrated except for her. It'd leave anyone feeling unimportant. She's protesting instead of communicating it well, but this is a place where I'd be showing my friend a little patience and understanding, instead of expecting perfect communication.
    via u/margmi
  • 23
    Kind_Application_893 My birthday is in June and never got celebrated by coworkers bc we're out for the summer. It sks to be forgotten and sometimes even a pity celebration bc you've shown you're hurt is even worse. Like having to bring up to your friends that it's hurtful to not be celebrated makes the next celebration feel insincere. I decided my friends weren't really friends anymore when they couldn't make it to my birthday after all the times I've gone above and beyond to celebrate them. May
    via u/Kind_Application_893
  • 24
    celticspoop OP mentioned everyone else got parties two years in a row and she didnt get one, also insinuating she wasn't a July birthday where that's normal. So yeah I'd say it's not invalid, and she wasn't even really r de about it. She's probably going through a pretty tough time mentally and overthinking about her relationships with her friends in general. Before cutting her off I think there's either more context needed or it just may be a time to give her the benefit of the doubt
    via u/celticspoop
  • 25
    WhiteRabbit_412_ And what did she do for your birthday? I can probably guess
    via u/WhiteRabbit_412_
  • 26
    Weak-Statistician107 OP My birthday is also in July. De d center of exam times. But I'm also not much of a party goer. So it's a great excuse to say "I'm too busy studying, don't throw any party!"
    via u/Weak-Statistician107
  • 27
    NandoDeColonoscopy So everyone who actually wanted a party in your friend group got one except for her?
    via u/NandoDeColonoscopy

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friendship bad friend birthdays sushi birthday birthday party friends restaurant dinner restaurants entitled food friend group birthday girl entitled people students
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