Anyone here eat at nice restaurants without your spouse?

[TheRatPack]

Okay, situation in a nut shell. My husband and I usually go out for Valentines, but this year due to work he was unable to take me. So he said the next weekend. Well it came and went, then it was going to be this weekend but never fail he's got to work all night on Friday so Saturday was out again

So tonight he was going to fire drill, and I asked him to go to the mall with us and get something to eat and return a bedspread I'd bought. He of course said he was going to drill.

So while at the mall, the kids and I stopped by Red Lobster to eat. When we walked in with our doggy bags he got mad and went in the other room and slammed the door. He obviously either got home early from drill or decided to not go, but regardless I asked twice and was declined twice.

It's not the first time the kids and I have ate at a nice restaurant without him, but I suppose he was thinking it took away our special yearly meal? Anyhow, I just don't see the issue. I mean he eats out all the time and not just fast food drive thrus, but nice places with coworkers.

Anyone think I'm being harsh?

 

[kpm76]

I don't think it was a big deal at all, but I also would not classify Red Lobster as a "nice" restaurant....I consider it a chain place, similar to Olive Garden, Applebees etc. You asked, he declined....if I were in your situation, I probably would have called him on his cell phone or at home just to see if he was intersted in joining you or if he wanted you to bring something home....

 

[ducklite]

I don't think it was a big deal at all, but I also would not classify Red Lobster as a "nice" restaurant....I consider it a chain place, similar to Olive Garden, Applebees etc. You asked, he declined....if I were in your situation, I probably would have called him on his cell phone or at home just to see if he was intersted in joining you or if he wanted you to bring something home....

My thoughts exactly.

This year for V Day my DH was in NJ. I had a bowl of cereal at home then went to House of Blues for Disturbed, Bloodsimple, Scum of the Earth, and The Lizardman. Nice, eh?

I'll be in FL for my birthday and he'll be in NJ again. Who knows what trouble I'll find LOL! Maybe I'll go to Emeril's.

Anne

 

[punkin]

Man, I go out with chilldren and no hubby often and he goes out without me. Red Lobster is not exactly haute cuisine.

 

[TheRatPack]

LOL, we'll Red Lobster is about as nice as I get with kids LOL At least it wasn't Sonic LOL I would call him on my cell and asked if he wanted something but I thought he was at drill, and he doesn't carry his cell on him with his turnout gear.

Plus, I asked if he wanted to go to the mall with us and grab a bite and he kind of just sat there on the phone, so I said "well, I know you're tired...that's okay we're going to head on out there then". Then he popped up and said he was going to drill, so I said "okay, well we'll go on then and not wait for you"......would he still be as mad if we'd had McDonalds...nope. So why does it matter where we ate, he shouldn't assume that we eat Sonic and ChickFilA at every outing LOL

 

[TheRatPack]

Man, I go out with chilldren and no hubby often and he goes out without me. Red Lobster is not exactly haute cuisine.

Dang, okay....everyone step away from ragging on my choice of restaurant. We do not eat there all the time, we eat there maybe twice a year. We don't eat anywhere really, sometimes Cracker Barrell or O'Charleys. It's "nice" to us LOL, I guess I should rephrase my question. Do you guys eat at sit down restaurants that cost more than normal without your spouse LOL

 

[kilee]

Okay-- any meal I have to pay more than $50- for for my family of 3- I consider nice. So, I rank Red Lobster right in there.

Anyhow, DS and I go out all the time w/o dh- but he works out of town. So, he understands. My dad works the same job as my dh- so usually my son, my mom, and I will go.

 

[Goofball]

Even if you'd had dinner at the White House, that's no reason for him to get his panties in a wad. He made his own plans, leaving you and the kids free to do what you wanted. I'd tell him where to stick his fire drill!

 

[disneysteve]

Sometimes DW and DD go out for dinner when I'm working late. And about once a month I take DD out for dinner. She and I usually go to someplace that DW can't go due to her seafood allergy, so it's not like she's missing anything.

All of that said, neither of us go to what we would consider a nice restaurant but I'd have no problem if she did (though I would be a little surprised). More likely to be standard family type places, like a diner or something about the level of a Red Lobster - upscale fast food basically. DD and I usually go to the Chinese buffet place since we both enjoy it and DW can't eat there.

 

[Nolcrest]

Sure, I've gone out many times without hubby. I ask, I don't beg. If he chooses not to go that's okay with me. Maybe next time your DH will be more on the ball. He's probably trying to make you feel guilty. Don't! Hope you had a good dinner.

 

[AMcaptured]

My 16 yo and I go out all the time when my husband is busy or still at his office.

I agree he got upset over nothing. Offer him your leftovers and see how that goes over.....

 

[HaleyB]

You carry a cell phone then? He could have called YOU if he got home early.

My husband could care less about stuff like that. I eat out with the girls at nice places monthly. Not only does he not go along, he gets the kids and I don't even make dinner before I go anymore.

I don't think my husband would begrudge me anything, and I would be upset if he did. I would be upset he a)didn't bother to call when he got home early and b) that he begrudges you spending money on yourself and the kids.

Of course if eating at Red Lobster means a dinner out with him is beyond your budget... maybe I would sort of feel a little bad. But it did not sound like that was the issue at all.

And with two kids in tow, yeah RL is a 'nicer' place I totally understand that classification.

 

[mjbaby]

I don't think you did anything wrong at all. I mean, it's a shame that your special dinner tradition didn't happen this year, but I don't think that should mean that you need to be special dinner-free altogether, you know? Like you said, you asked and he declined. In my house, I'd say "go be Cranky McCrankerson on your own time, dude. Here, have a leftover cheese biscuit."

 

[I*Heart*WDW]

In my house, I'd say "go be Cranky McCrankerson on your own time, dude. Here, have a leftover cheese biscuit."

That's excellent, I'm stealing this to use on my hubby.

 

[deltachi8]

all the time, of course im divorced...seriously, he needs to relax. you asked, you did your part.

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

My husband would be thrilled if I took the kids to Red Lobster and called it a special place.

I go out with my friends bi-monthly and we always do nice dinners. I f my DH had a problem with it we probably would not be married.

 

[robsmom]

First of all, i have no problem with calling Red Lobster a nice restaurant because it happens to be one of my favorites!! I do ladies night out every few months and I will sometimes take DS out by ourselves if DH is not around for some reason. DH will take DS out if I have a business dinner or am out of town, etc. Most of the time we go to the diner or friendly's because i usually don't like to dwell over a long dinner without my DH but I don't think either of us would care if it was somewhere nicer but we eat out alot (too much) so it is not that big of a deal. Reading your question, i think the issue is really how often do you go out? You made a point to mention your lack of a valentines dinner and then later mentioned that you only go to red lobster 2 times a year. If eating out is a special occassion for you, i can sort of understand you husbands opinion but still think he is over reacting.

 

[ladysoleil]

I go out to nice restaurants with friends and without my husband often. I'm a very adventurous foodie, he likes his food as plain as it comes, so it's understood that when I want something spicy, exotic, or other than beef, well done, I'm probably going solo. I have been known to eat things that look like they should be on Fear Factor (this Korean place I like springs to mind!). He chooses not to go there.

Sometimes he'll come along to be companionable and pick off my plate and basically end up eating the bread basket for dinner, but he doesn't enjoy that much so usually he chooses not to go even if he's invited. We have a running joke where I warn him that the place I'll be going to doesn't put training wheels on the food.

I'd probably hesitate to eat at a really outrageous (think over $100 a person) place without him- but more because if we're spending that much, that should be a joint decision and we should enjoy it together. Okay, so realistically that means I'll probably never get to eat at Nobu ever again until I die or he does, but I love him and I'm kinda sorta okay with that.

But I think you get the point. In my house, it's completely normal for us to do that kind of thing.

I'm sorry he's mad at you. Whap him upside the head with a stale cheese biscuit!

 

[lucyanna girl]

Yes, DD and I often eat out without DH and Yes, I consider Red Lobster nice - maybe some people here have more choices and more money than we do here in NE Louisiana.
MY DH is nice enough not to mind if we eat out. We always ask him to go with us but he sometimes can't because of business obligations. Your DH has no reason to have his lip stuck out.

 

[Nicolepa]

My dh took my 3 yo son to the Brown Derby at MGM. Was I mad, no way. Did I think he was nuts going there by himself w/a only a 3 yo? Absolutly! (BTW he said the staff was very understanding, and ds did great.)