I Refused to Tip $300 After Being Invited to a Dinner

The celebratory occasion of Mark’s son’s graduation quickly spiraled into chaos. Tensions flared when Mark extended an invitation to his parents to join the elaborate family dinner organized by his in-laws. Following an unforeseen dispute and an unexpected reaction from his wife, the evening concluded with Mark feeling bewildered and disappointed. He sought our counsel to navigate the situation.

This is the letter from Mark:
For my son’s graduation, my in-laws arranged a gathering at an upscale restaurant, inviting twelve family members. Since we were honoring their grandson, I also invited my parents to participate.

However, because I had “brought guests,” my father-in-law requested that I cover the 18% gratuity after settling my $1700 share of the bill. I chose to leave rather than comply. My wife remained largely silent during this exchange.

Later that evening, I received a distressing text from my wife. She wrote, “Forget about me for a while. For a few hundred dollars, you ruined our only son’s celebration and made me look foolish in front of my whole family.”

When I returned home, I found our room nearly vacant, and I was taken aback. Most of my wife’s belongings had been removed during her departure. It has now been three days, and she still has not answered her phone. While I recognize her anger, I had hoped for her support rather than blame. Her father’s treatment of my parents felt like a slight, which added to the insult.