This TikToker Is Facing Backlash For Skipping His Friend's Birthday Dinner After Realizing The Cheapest Entrée Was $41

Celebrating a friend's birthday with a fancy dinner is a popular tradition, but with rising prices, the commitment to attend every friend's celebration is becoming financially impossible for a lot of people.

birthday dinner with friends featuring a small cake with a sparkler
wundervisuals / Getty Images

A lifestyle content creator who goes by @seanlans shared a now-viral TikTok video explaining why he believes expensive birthday dinners are unfair. "Read the room. Yeah, it's your birthday, but you should know if your friends are going to be happy where you choose," Sean said in the video.

@seanlans / Via tiktok.com

"For his birthday, [my friend] chose a restaurant where the cheapest entrée was $41, so I didn't go and now he's mad at me," Sean explained at the start of the video.

Closeup of Sean Lans
@seanlans via TikTok / Via tiktok.com

"The reason I decided not to go was because the plan was dinner and then going out, and the place he chose to go out already had a $35 ticket and I am a little bit broke as it is, so I'm like, I'll just skip the dinner, and then go out," Sean explained.

screenshot from tiktok of Sean with caption "I thought it was a good compromise."

"But when I met them out after dinner, it was clear that the vibe was a little bit off, and a mutual friend was like, 'Yeah, he was talking shit, and kind of mad that you didn't go,'" Sean explained.

Closeup of Sean
@seanlans via TikTok / Via tiktok.com

"I'm not really looking to spend the equivalent of a week of grocery money on a single night out," Sean said.

Closeup of Sean
@seanlans via TikTok / Via tiktok.com

Well, it turns out that people are pretty divided on this topic. One user commented: "I feel like you have all year to save up for your friends birthday no excuses."

"I feel like you have all year to save up for your friend's birthday. No excuses"
@seanlans via TikTok / Via tiktok.com

Agreeing, another user wrote: "If you can't spend $100 a year to celebrate your friend , are you even a friend?"

"If you can't spend $100 a year to celebrate your friend, are you even a friend?"
@seanlans via TikTok / Via tiktok.com
Friends celebrating a birthday at dinner
andresr / Getty Images

This user pointed out that Sean's friend should've been more understanding, writing: "It's his bday so he doesn't need to change plans but also u don't need to go if you're tight on money. He should understand at least."

"It's his birthday, so he doesn't need to change plans, but also you don't need to go if you're tight on money. He should understand at least"
@seanlans via TikTok / Via tiktok.com

"Friends who make you feel bad for being tight on money are not your friends period," this user wrote.

"Friends who make you feel bad for being tight on money are not your friends period"
@seanlans via TikTok / Via tiktok.com

One user shared their experience being left with an expensive bill after attending a birthday dinner: "I was stuck with a $300 + bill on someone's birthday. Made me sickkkkk. I'm never doing that again ! I couldn't even eat."

"I was stuck with a $300 + bill on someone's birthday. Made me sick. I'm never doing that again! I couldn't even eat"
@seanlans via TikTok / Via tiktok.com

And finally, this user wrote: "I'm sorry but if you have working class friends and are expecting them to join expensive dinners and trips, something is wrong with you."

"I'm sorry, but if you have working class friends and are expecting them to join expensive dinners and trips, something is wrong with you"
@seanlans via TikTok / Via tiktok.com

I want to know how you feel about this situation? Let us know in the comments below.

You can keep up with Sean Lans on TikTok.