Going to restaurants with friends

Discussion in Food & Drink started by Dora M • Apr 1, 2014.

  1. Dora M

    Dora MWell-Known Member

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    How do you usually split the bill when you go out to restaurants with your friends or family?
    I have been in some awkward situations where the other party secretly paid for everything before I even got a chance to say something. I might be stubborn, but I always like to make it clear that I pay for my own meal at every occasion. Even when I go out with family members, especially with them, I insist that nobody pays my bill, as often I don't see them for months and it still hangs around my head that I owe them a lunch or dinner.
     
  2. sidney

    sidneyWell-Known Member

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    If I get invited by my relatives, then I never pay anything, because it's their treat. On the other hand, my friends are not really the restaurant type of people, they're more like the fastfood type, so I don't have to worry about that.
     
  3. stacyje

    stacyjeActive Member

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    I like to pay when I go out with family and friends but if they pay I always insist on paying the tip. I have to do something. Then if they pay the first time the next time we go out I let them know that it my treat.
     
  4. Oakster

    OaksterActive Member

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    Whenever I go out with friends it's always an evenly split bill.
    No matter what you have and what you drink, at the end you divide the total by the number of people (kid's don't count either) so everyone pays the same, no matter if you have kids or if you ate more than someone else.
    Sure some of us pay more than we should and some pay less, but what's a few dollars between friends? That's nothing to worry about.

    Oh, and as for the tip, we round up the bill amount to whatever closest number it's easier to divide by the number of people at the dinner. (If the bill is $53 and there's 6 of us then we round up to $60 and pay $10 each.
     
  5. ohiotom76

    ohiotom76Well-Known Member

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    At least you are courteous enough to pay your own bills instead of mooching off of your friends, lol. I have several friends (ex-friends in some cases) who are always looking for ways to weasel out of paying the bill or score free food and drinks. They are *constantly* "accidentally" leaving their wallet at home, or disappearing when the check or tab arrives, or saying that they'll pick up the check the next time, but they never do.

    You could always ask for separate checks up front. In fact, your sever will appreciate this more than having to separate everything at the very end.

    If your friends are picking up the checks though, I would consider it a bit of a compliment towards you though, since they trust you will return the favor. I never offer to pick up the check when there are people in our group who I know are freeloaders and users - they're on their own.

    I've actually ended friendships with people over this. One of my friends was constantly calling me up to go to lunch or dinner with her, then she would order a bunch of appetizers before telling me she left her credit card or wallet at home. Another ex-friend of mine would purposefully invite a bunch of us to go out to the bars with him, then each time one of us went up for a drink, he would follow us up to the bar and start schmoozing with us, knowing we would probably just say "what are you drinking" when placing our orders, then get him a drink too. He would do this all night long with each of us, and end up drinking the entire night for free.