23-year-old boyfriend reprimands girlfriend for only eating '3 pieces of chicken' on a meal for 5 people he spent $200 on: 'He gave you a stern look and tricked you? Girl run'

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JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Jan 11, 2026 10:00 PM EST

Nobody likes being forced to eat something. We hated it as kids, and we hate it now. That piece of broccoli that we didn't want to touch, that glass of milk we were avoiding, that lunch we packed for ourselves when we thought we were a different kind of person. Yuck. One of the wonderful things about being an adult is that nobody forces us to eat anything. We're in charge of our bodies, and we get to decide what goes in them. If we want to eat a bag of microwave popcorn for dinner, we can do that. It might not be advisable, but we can do it if it pleases us. When we go out to dinner, we can order what we want, and nobody gets to say anything about it, and nobody is allowed to make us feel bad about our food choices. 

One of the big red flags of any relationship is control. If they feel like they get to exert control over you, then that's a huge issue. You're your own person, and nobody gets to take that away from you. There are a few ways that some folks can try to control you, though, and food is a big one of them. Food is fundamental. It's famously something we have to think about every day. It's the way we nourish ourselves, but it's also the way we express ourselves. Food is so important to culture, identity, and sense of self. If anyone tries to mess with that, run.

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  • A woman takes a bite of food from a bowl while her boyfriend stands next to her
    via Unsplash+ (Curated Lifestyle)

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

  • That's the situation one woman found herself in with her boyfriend. When they were out to dinner with a large group of people, he was oddly concerned with what his girlfriend was eating. The way he saw it, he was spending the big bucks on a fancy dinner and wanted her to get the most out of it. The way she saw it, she was exercising her basic right to eat what she wanted, when she wanted, and nothing more. Read on to get a sense of the full story and see whose side you're on. 

  • Am I in the wrong for not eating $200 worth of food?

    I (23f) was visiting my boyfriend (23m) and his family in their state. On my last day there my boyfriend said he wanted to take his family and I out to dinner. He chose the restaurant which is a place he loves and invited 5 of his family members. We went to a restaurant where you pay for all you can eat
    via u/Calm_Consequence5525
  • bbq and sushi. I am not a big fan of red meats but I will eat them occasionally. I tend to stick to chicken and seafood and do not eat pork. You cook the meats there yourself and my bf ordered alot of pork and beef for us. I ordered myself chicken, shrimp, rice and veggies. I ate all of my food and made sure not to bite off more
    via u/Calm_Consequence5525
  • than I could chew. They charge you extra for whatever you don't eat. My bf offered me beef and I had some of that but when he offered me pork I hesitated but he gave me a stern look and I felt forced to eat a small slice. He even tried to give me more pork and trick me into thinking it was chicken thigh but I said no, I'm full.
    via u/Calm_Consequence5525
  • Well after that my bf's mood shifted towards me and I could tell he was angry. After the dinner, in the car he said he was upset he spent $200 on food and all I ate was "3 pieces of chicken" and barely touched the beef/pork. He said I was being ungrateful but I think not. HE chose the place, HE invited 6 people total not including himself so obviously the bill will be high, and HE ordered all the pork and beef. I ate ALL of my food. So AITA?
    via u/Calm_Consequence5525

  • Commenters gave their takes on the situation.

    Top_Fly3100 "He gave me a stern look" girl... what? This cannot be the first time he has tried to force you to do shit you dont want to do.
    via u/Top_Fly3100
  • Popular_Cost_1140 He was trying to trick you? And you put up with that?
    via u/Popular_Cost_1140
  • A man feed a woman a slice of pizza across the table
    via Unsplash+ (Ahmet Kurt)

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

  • Medical_Ear_3978 NTA. A $200 cost for that many people is pretty standard when you are going out to eat. HE is the AH for expecting you to eat read meat when that's not a typical part of your diet.
    via u/Medical_Ear_3978
  • hyundai-gt INFO: why he not mad at any of the other 5 people who could also have been eating beef? Seems like your man likes eating beef and starting beef.....
    via u/hyundai-gt
  • Mooshu1981 NTA. Is he aware of your distaste for certain meats. The stern look alone would make me want to break up with him. He can not dictate what you want to eat. You ate your food. I'm sorry but if he knows that you do not like it that much that makes him manipulating you in public to get his way.
    via u/Mooshu1981
  • justhewayouare He gave you a stern look as if you were a disobedient child and then tried to trick you into eating food you don't eat and didn't want. Why are you with him? He doesn't love you, I mean he doesn't even like you. Come on, OP you can do better than this guy. NTA but you'll be one to yourself if you stay with this lying manipulator.
    via u/justhewayouare
  • motie NTA. Your boyfriend sucks. Tricking you into eating pork? Pressuring you. Hassling you afterward for not eating enough? Fuck him.
    via u/motie
  • BubbaC619 "He gave me a stern look". Ew EW. This guy sucks.
    via u/BubbaC619
  • rstick369 He gave you a stern look and tricked you? Girl run. NTA
    via u/rstick369
  • yramt Girl, run. He is manipulative and it's not going to get any better. NTA
    via u/yramt

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boyfriend relationship advice controlling relationships girlfriend food eating bbq meat
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