“Ruined The Vibe”: Man Who Ordered Expensive Meal For Himself Has The Audacity To Cry Foul

We all know how powerful money can be. On the upside, it can change someone’s life for the better. However, it can also ruin longtime friendships in a single instance. 

Some of these issues stem from lending money, and the story you’re about to read is one you’ve likely heard many times. A man who had been struggling financially constantly received monetary help from his friends. However, he decided to take advantage of their kindness by ordering an extravagant meal for himself one night at a group dinner. 

When one of them called him out, he instead tried to turn the tables, which ultimately strained their friendship. 

Money shouldn’t ruin friendships, but unfortunately, it happens

Group of friends dining together outdoors, one man taking advantage during the meal, causing tension at the table.

Image credits: baffos / Envato (not the actual photo)

It happened to this close friend group because of one of their pals, who had been struggling financially

Text excerpt from a post about a friend ordering like it was his last meal and refusing to split the bill evenly.

Text excerpt describing a friend being laid off and others covering his tab, highlighting dinner and friendship dynamics.

Text excerpt from a mid-range steakhouse describing meal prices and drinks, highlighting a dining experience with friends.

Text discussing a guy ordering like it was his last meal while friends kept dinner orders reasonable with no big splurges.

Man at dinner table ordering an extravagant meal, taking advantage of friends during a shared dinner experience.

Text excerpt showing a person being upbeat and cracking jokes during a dinner, related to taking advantage of friends.

Text excerpt about a guy ordering an expensive meal at dinner, highlighting friends' reactions and a large bill.

Group of friends at dinner table with one person looking frustrated, highlighting someone taking advantage during meal split.

Text describing budget concerns at dinner as one friend orders more, impacting others’ costs and savings goals.

Text message conversation about splitting an itemized bill individually after a friend orders like it’s his last meal at dinner.

Man holding credit card and receipt at restaurant dinner table while friends eat around him, illustrating taking advantage at dinner.

Image credits: GroundPicture / Envato (not the actual photo)

An incident during a group dinner one night ultimately strained their relationship

Text showing someone describing covering their meal cost but not paying for a friend taking advantage at dinner.

Text message conversation about a dinner where a friend feels taken advantage of after ordering like it was his last meal.

Text discussing a friend ordering excessively at dinner, taking advantage of others and causing frustration among the group.

Text on a screen asking if it's wrong to refuse covering half of a lobster-level dinner order when on a burger budget.

Image credits: ToughSalad4906

Lending money can easily cause resentment among friends

As much as you want to help out a friend who is in dire financial straits, many experts would advise you to think things through. As psychologist and My Thriving Mind lead content creator, Veronica West tells Brit + Co, lending money is almost always a guarantee to lead to resentment among friends. 

“Money is a sneaky little devil who can push everyone’s buttons,” West said, adding that a “casual loan” can easily turn into an “epic saga of unpaid IOUs.” 

Finance expert Tori Dunlap notes that bitterness may arise if one person in a friend group consistently pays the bills. Meanwhile, the other person may feel uncomfortable and indebted for being a liability. 

“Money can also become a tool for power imbalances,” Dunlap adds, stating that one person’s perceived control over the friend who took a loan from them can “mess with trust and respect.” 

This isn’t to say that friends should avoid money talk altogether. Counselor Simone Bose considers having such conversations as a way of showing vulnerability, which ultimately deepens the relationship. 

However, we all know how broken trust can make any relationship difficult to mend. As Dunlap says, making money a primary factor in a relationship can overshadow the connection. 

“You can avoid this by having open conversations with friends and family about your financial situation,” she adds, emphasizing that clear communication keeps the focus on the relationship, not the money situation. 

Unfortunately, the author had the tables turned on her after doing Jake a favor. It should serve as a harsh and costly lesson on mixing money and friendship. 

Many people sided with the author and had some choice words for Jake

Comment about a friend taking advantage at dinner and deciding to ask for separate checks to avoid issues.

Reddit comments showing a discussion about a guy taking advantage of friends at dinner, with reactions from users.

Reddit comment advising to stop supporting a friend who takes advantage at dinner and blows the budget.

Screenshot of a forum discussion about a friend taking advantage of others at dinner, highlighting mooching behavior.

Screenshot of an online discussion about a guy taking advantage of friends at dinner ordering excessively.

Online discussion about a guy taking advantage of friends at dinner by ordering like it was his last meal.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment where a user criticizes a friend for mooching during dinner with friends.

Screenshot of Reddit comments discussing a guy taking advantage of friends at dinner, with one friend expressing frustration.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing a guy taking advantage of friends at dinner, prompting frustration.

Screenshot of an online discussion about a guy taking advantage of friends at dinner and one friend standing up.

Screenshot of a forum comment discussing paying fairly at group dinners to avoid taking advantage of friends.

Man taking advantage of friends at dinner by ordering lavishly while others grow frustrated with the situation.

Comment text on a white background discussing a friend taking advantage of friends during dinner.

Screenshot of a social media comment discussing someone taking advantage of friends at dinner and being spoiled.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment advising how to avoid paying for friends’ expensive orders at dinner gatherings.

Alt text: User advice on group dinners highlighting guests taking advantage and one friend having had enough of unfair splitting.

Screenshot of a comment discussing a friend taking advantage at dinner and respecting budget limits.

Screenshot of a forum comment discussing a guy taking advantage of friends at dinner and one friend having had enough.

Screenshot of a forum comment discussing splitting checks as a way to handle a friend taking advantage at dinner.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing entitlement and standing up to a friend taking advantage at dinner.

Comment about a guy taking advantage of friends at dinner and someone insisting on paying them back.

However, some criticized the woman for “penny pinching”

Comment discussing a friend taking advantage at dinner and one person deciding to split the bill with separate checks.

Comment discussing a friend taking advantage at dinner and one friend having had enough of the situation.

Comment about friend taking advantage at dinner, expressing frustration over penny pinching and bill splitting.

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