If he doesn't want to come, that is his decision. You can be understanding and try to be accommodating, but his decision is his own.

Today is my birthday and I along with 3 friends are planning to have lunch at a restaurant. One of them is insisting that we go out for dinner as he has a meeting in the afternoon. The meeting is at around 3:00 so we told him that we will finish lunch by around 2:30. He still is refusing saying that he needs to prepare for the meeting in the afternoon.He is a glutton and I assume that what he wants is food. He did not give a birthday treat to any of us on his Birthday in September.What should I do? Dinner is out of question as the rates are very high at dinner compared to lunch.