Taking food photos at restaurants is a passion for many.
Foodies love to document their meals.
However, over time, others have grown exhausted with this behavior.
When friends go out to eat, and they’re on opposite ends of the spectrum about this topic, drama can ensue.
Redditor Brina_95 to discuss their experience and get some feedback, so naturally, they came to the “Am I The A**hole” (AITA) subreddit.
They asked:
“AITA for walking out of the restaurant and leaving my friend?”
The Original Poster (OP) explained:
“My G[irl]F[riend]s and I went to a restaurant two days ago (I was the designated driver).”
“I ordered my meal, and they ordered their meal.”
“I went to take a picture of my plate, and before I could even take the picture, one of them used her fork and stirred up my food.”
“I got upset and asked her why she would do that, and she told me it was ‘cringe’ to take pictures of food.”
“I could tell the other girls were uncomfortable, but no one stood up for me.”
“All I wanted was a damn pic because my plate was presented beautifully.”
“I got upset and just walked out of the restaurant and drove home, leaving them behind.”
“When I got home, I asked who paid for my meal and Zelled her the cost.”
“They started texting me and telling me that it was just a joke, what I did was immature, and that it was wrong of me to leave them behind, considering I was the driver.”
“I do feel like I overreacted, but I also feel like what she did was mean.”
The OP was left to wonder:
“AITA?”
Redditors shared their thoughts on this matter and weighed in on some options to the question, AITA:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
Redditors declared that OP was NOT the A**hole.
“In what world does a person have the gall to dig around in your fresh plate of food, mock you for taking a picture of it, treat your objection like it was a joke, and then expect you to entertain their disgusting company for the rest of the evening and to chauffeur them home?”
“That person should be banished to live in a closed convent in the outskirts of Siberia till she learns how to use manners when interacting with others.”
“You are not the a**hole.”
“And it was classy to pay for your food later.”
“It’s time to shed some people from your friends list.” ~ HighAltitude88008
“Agreed! I have a girlfriend who takes pictures of her food every single time.”
“We all just giggle about it and know that’s part of being with her.”
“In fact, there’ve been times we’ve gone out to eat without her, and we’ll take pictures of our food and send it to her.”
“Her friends were just being complete jerks. NTA.” ~ Roadgoddess
“NTA. That was a form of bullying, and you were absolutely in the right to not tolerate it.”
“They weren’t stranded; rideshare exists.”
“Hopefully, they all learned a lesson.” ~ lasorciereviolette
“Exactly, this was a full-on mean girl moment.”
“Especially given OP’s edit, it was an expensive meal that sounds like it was presented beautifully.”
“Who in their right mind reaches over and messes up someone else’s expensive plate of food??”
“Not okay under any circumstances, but that extra bit of info makes it especially jarring.” ~ lelawes
“Where I’m from, no one, and I mean no one, better cross my plate with limb or utensil if they value their lives.”
“It’s rude, possibly unsanitary, and immature. NTA.” ~ MorganFreemanCoPilot
“NTA. She overstepped because she wanted to be an AH, and you decided you didn’t feel like being bullied and left.”
“Good for you.” ~ Specialist-Owl2660
“NTA, that was absolutely outrageous of her to mess up your food.”
“The only way she could have rescued the evening was to apologize and reorder the food for you and not mess with it.”
“I totally understand where you are coming from, leaving and going home.”
“Presentation is part of the enjoyment of eating out.”
“ETA, she still owes you an apology.”
“She messed up the evening for you and for the other friends.”
“Everyone should be mad at her.”
“Maybe try telling them that leaving them and going home was also a joke, and don’t they find that hilarious too?” ~ LottieOD
“While it may be a bit much to some to take pics of food, putting a fork in someone else’s plate, to make it look messy and destroy the presentation, for fun, crosses a boundary.”
“It doesn’t sound like you caused a scene; you left and took your dignity with you.”
“If the other b*tches wanted to stand them and not say anything to the bully, they deserved to figure out how to get home.”
“I’d personally reconsider the friendships.”
“That’s a lot of nonsense.”
“You know I’ve taken pics of my food, because sometimes people just really make beautiful presentations out of food, and you seem to enjoy the beauty of life.”
“Some people will always be the turd in the punchbowl. NTA.”
“Level up and leave these little girls behind.” ~ jfern009
“I think taking pictures of food is silly.”
“Know what I do about it?”
“Absolutely nothing.”
“Because it doesn’t affect me.”
“My kids tell each other, ‘Don’t yuck my yum,’ and they’re under 10.”
“Who the f*ck cares if someone else is doing an activity that you think is dumb, but that does not affect you in any way?”
“OP, NTA.” ~ Grumpy_Lurker
“NTA. Messing with someone else’s food just crosses an unspoken boundary for me.”
“Especially because the other ‘friend’ gained absolutely nothing other than their own satisfaction from messing with your food.”
“That’s like jumping in their car and messing with all the settings.”
“Technically, no harm done, but there’s really no point to it other than being rude.”
“Bonus points on your part for paying back the person who covered you, even though you never even got to eat the food.” ~ TheVoicesSpeakToMe
“NTA – that one ‘friend’ was disrespectful when messing with your food.”
“No one stood up for you.”
‘Disrespectful behavior, well, they can get their own behinds home.”
“Glad to hear you paid for your food, though.”
“But yeah, you’re NTA, you removed yourself from A-holes.” ~ Wise_Tradition4469
“She stirred your caviar into your gravy and mashed potatoes?”
“Who could even eat that disgusting, expensive mess?”
“I wouldn’t argue with your friends about it, though.”
“You did everything right, from leaving on the spot to generously paying for the food you never got to eat.”
“You are a class act.”
“I’m guessing that the person who did this was trying to show some dominance over you, and it blew up in her face.”
“Definitely not a joke. NTA.” ~ MightyMouse134
“NTA. Not only did they disrespect you and ruin your plate while you were taking a photo (which doesn’t concern them in the slightest).”
“But they also knew you were the designated driver and therefore needed to have a certain level of respect towards you.”
“They can’t expect a ride from you and then disrespect you.”
“Personally, if I am having a friend be my designated driver, I’m paying for their meal or, at the very least, giving them a pretty penny for gas money.”
“But maybe that’s just me.” ~ mollyymollss
“I find it annoying when people take pics of the food, but as long as it’s not my plate, then not my business.”
“NTA because messing with someone else’s food is crossing a huge boundary that might have unforeseen consequences for those who cross the line.” ~ WinEquivalent4069
“NTA. Do not f**k with my food.”
“My wife takes pics of food that is presented beautifully.”
“I don’t and don’t care to do it, BUT I also would NEVER mess with someone else’s food regardless of what they wanted to do with it.”
“If you just wanted to stare at it, you can do whatever you want to do with it.”
“It’s your food.”
“Extremely disrespectful to mess with someone else’s food.”
“WTF was wrong with her?” ~ Educational-Chair-84
“NTA. It’s f**king bizarre to touch someone else’s food as a way to control their behavior.”
“Drawing a boundary on that kind of weird s**t is good.”
“What’s even more ‘cringe’ is how attention-seeking it is.”
“She WANTS to be seen bullying you.”
“It’s like the people who ask you why you dress weird super-loudly and frantically look around to check that everyone sees them being Normal.” ~ WinstonWilmerBee
“NTA and whoever ruined your plate should have had to buy it.” ~ yeah_so_
“NTA. That’s not a friend.”
“Who are they to say what’s to be done with something that is yours?”
“The fact that no one else said anything speaks volumes about the power dynamics in your friend group.”
“You may need new ones.”
“Those are acquaintances.” ~ the_blacksmythe
“NTA. If you were insisting they leave their plates of food for you to photograph or wait until you took your photo to start eating – well, they’d still be AH for messing your food up, but they would be more justified in being annoyed.”
“Letting you spend 30 seconds to take a picture of your own damn plate of food seems fairly reasonable.”
“And if you do it all the time and they are annoyed by it, for whatever reason, they can be adults and use their damn words.”
“They just learnt that you won’t tolerate being disrespected by mean girls.”
“Good on you.” ~ Puskarella
OP came back with some information…
“I did tell my friends I was going to leave, ‘I don’t wanna be here anymore,’ then left.”
“My meal was steak, gravy, mash, and caviar, and it had a hibiscus plant on it since people are assuming it was pasta.”
“Not sure if that’s important information or not.”
“The girls who didn’t stand up for me laughed at the situation awkwardly.”
“I could tell they were uncomfortable, but they didn’t say a word.”
“The person who paid for my meal was one of the girls who laughed, not the person who stirred up my plate.”
“I was only trying to take a picture of my plate.”
“I wasn’t holding anyone back from eating their food.”
Reddit is with you, OP.
What kind of person plays with other people’s food?
That is “cringe” behavior.
You have self-respect… keep it.
Good Luck.