diff --git a/apps/bot/src/telegram/menus.ts b/apps/bot/src/telegram/menus.ts
index bf22081..ccbb694 100644
--- a/apps/bot/src/telegram/menus.ts
+++ b/apps/bot/src/telegram/menus.ts
@@ -401,9 +401,11 @@ export function reminderPickDayMenu(timezone: string): MenuView {
     keyboard.row();
   }
   keyboard.text("⬅ Back", "rm_t:back");
+  // Plain text — IANA timezone names contain `_` which Markdown reads as italic.
   return {
-    text: `📆 *Custom — Step 1 / 3*\n\nPick a day (timezone: ${timezone}):`,
+    text: `📆 Custom — Step 1 / 3\n\nPick a day (timezone: ${timezone}):`,
     keyboard,
+    parseMode: undefined,
   };
 }
 
@@ -425,8 +427,9 @@ export function reminderPickHourMenu(dayLabel: string, dayOffset: number): MenuV
   }
   keyboard.text("⬅ Back", "rm_t:custom");
   return {
-    text: `📆 *Custom — Step 2 / 3*\n\nDay: ${dayLabel}\n\nPick an hour:`,
+    text: `📆 Custom — Step 2 / 3\n\nDay: ${dayLabel}\n\nPick an hour:`,
     keyboard,
+    parseMode: undefined,
   };
 }
 
@@ -448,10 +451,11 @@ export function reminderPickMinuteMenu(
   keyboard.text("⬅ Back", `rmd:${dayOffset}`);
   return {
     text:
-      `📆 *Custom — Step 3 / 3*\n\n` +
+      `📆 Custom — Step 3 / 3\n\n` +
       `Day: ${dayLabel}\nHour: ${String(hour).padStart(2, "0")}:00\n\n` +
       `Pick minutes:`,
     keyboard,
+    parseMode: undefined,
   };
 }