A birthday dinner should be a fun occasion, but for Stella, it became a lesson in social expectations. After bringing a gift to her colleague’s celebration at a luxurious restaurant, she was shocked to receive a text asking her to pay nearly $200 for her meal.
Believing her present was contribution enough, Stella politely declined to split the bill. The next day, she overheard coworkers criticizing the mystery guest who “stiffed” the host—and then discovered her gift had been returned to her desk.
The incident left Stella questioning modern etiquette. If you invite guests to your birthday, is it reasonable to expect them to foot the bill on top of bringing a gift? Or was her colleague’s demand the real faux pas? The debate continues, but one thing’s for sure: next time, Stella will be asking about the payment plan before RSVPing.
