Split the bill or pay for your own order?

[KateESJ]

Sometimes it not people being “tight” it’s that they don’t have much money, you know, like the way some people have more money then others?? If someone is going out for a meal and only having one course and one drink maybe they are just fucking skint and only want to pay for what they’ve had themselves, that’s not being tight.

Yep. On the meal I went out to, I couldn’t really afford it, which is why I got myself a kids meal, but I didn’t want my kids to miss out on seeing family. So we went and I took the kids their own beakers with juice, I had water and I paid only about £10 for two kids meals (one for me to share with my 11 month old and one for my 3 year old).

Everyone else’s came to a lot more (£30ish pp). They had two, or three courses and alcohol. I wasn’t about to pay that much. I could hardly even afford £10. Like you said, it’s not being tight, it just literally wouldn’t have been possible for me.

 

[EllaAziza]

I went to a ‘friends’ birthday once it was an exclusive french restaurant and unfortunately the only vegetarian option was a side of fries. As I was driving an hour away I only drank coke. At the end of the meal I was told my share was £30 not including tip! Everyone had bottles of expensive wine on tap! Mine was actually £5. I quietly said to my friend although I’m normally happy to split tonight I would only pay my share due to the circumstances. I was then mocked during present opening as I bought her a bottle of gin which is her favourite tipple however it was ‘only’ Gordon’s
I’ve not heard from her since, however I’m glad I didn’t pay extra especially the way she acted

 

[MaxieMoo]

The dividing of the bill is one of the major things that puts me off going out with friends tbh. I'm happy to split the bill even if not really drinking. We have been out in some small groups and people literally order stuff (like double G&T) and then don't drink it. Or loads of sides and don't eat them. They know we typically split the bill so don't give a shit. These situations tend to apply when out for a friends birthday, for example, when you are not the one inviting the other guests. And I have friends who send the poor waiting staff back and forth for any little thing but don't tip. So I over tip more to compensate for that. Often come home feeling ripped off and now try to avoid these situations. I sound like a misery guts but this has happened so many times over the years .

 

[Ellsbells123]

If I go with friends we tend to split it, as drinks wise we always have the same. One of the friends always comes with a money bag full of loose change. Pays exactly her share, never rounds up and never tips!

 

[Titntat]

Just split it. But for example if someones not drinking and everyone else has had alot of wine, cocktails I would just expect them to pay for their food. Not fair when wine and cocktails can be £8-10 each.

 

[Youtubegossip]

The dividing of the bill is one of the major things that puts me off going out with friends tbh. I'm happy to split the bill even if not really drinking. We have been out in some small groups and people literally order stuff (like double G&T) and then don't drink it. Or loads of sides and don't eat them. They know we typically split the bill so don't give a shit. These situations tend to apply when out for a friends birthday, for example, when you are not the one inviting the other guests. And I have friends who send the poor waiting staff back and forth for any little thing but don't tip. So I over tip more to compensate for that. Often come home feeling ripped off and now try to avoid these situations. I sound like a misery guts but this has happened so many times over the years .

Not eating out but something that grinds my gears big time is when your out in a group and buying rounds and someone is drinking half pint lagers until it’s your round then they are suddenly on doubles and mixers....

don’t mind buying people what they drink any time, if that’s what they are drinking but that takes the absolute p**s and have known many over the years. Or they drink really slowly when it’s approaching their round so it ends up skipping them

 

[Calabria]

I pay for what I ordered as I don’t drink and don’t eat three courses. However, one of us will always happily pay the entire bill on a card and sort the money out after leaving the restaurant rather than driving the waiting staff mad trying to calculate it on the spot.

 

[petra23]

My friends and I all pay for what we order and leave a collective tip. It works for us and none of us have to feel guilty about ordering something expensive.

 

[Hobbitsies]

I generally am a mix of both, depending on what I have eaten. So I went out for dinner the other night and I had eaten less but the split o my added £5 to my bill and so I just counted it as tip.

However, the other day I also went out for breakfast where mine cost £6 and nearly everyone else’s cost £15 and they said about splitting it. In that situation I have no qualms about saying no, i’m paying for what I ordered as splitting it was double my bill.

 

[Twinkle485]

I don’t tip when I go out to eat I must be a bad person. It’s their job and their paid to do it I expect it to be a good service regardless.

 

[KateESJ]

Depends what I've had. I went out for a meal with family a few weeks ago and couldn't afford anything more than a kids meal for myself and a glass of water. They all drank alcohol and had 2 courses. So I was 'that person' and insisted on just paying for what me and my kids had.

Other times I haven't been as bothered if I've had a proper, full meal.

 

[Horatio]

I also have friends who are really tight, as in don't even want to pay for what they've had, will order the most expensive things and then laugh when the split bill averages to less than what they've had! really winds me up!!!

Yeah wtf ? I feel like that’s not even tight it’s kind of like open theft.... of your friends....
Deliberately ordering something expensive because you know it’ll be subsidised by the bill split is a just a bit weird ... and gross... and kind of takes the joy out of the whole point of sharing the meal and bill as a group, right ?

 

[Instamoron]

I pay for what I had - I wouldn’t mind splitting it if I drank alcohol like everyone else, but I’m always the driver so I don’t drink anything other than Pepsi while out!
I’ve found people took the piss when they thought it was being split too. More bottles of wine than they’d usually get cos it won’t cost them so much - nope.
It’s not because I’m tight, it’s because I’m not prepared to pay for someone else to get pissed up

 

[midnightrose]

100% agree with this. The second someone pulls out a calculator I literally wish I was hiding under the table.

If money is that tight, don't go.

So just because money is tight, it means you can’t go out? Think that’s a bit unfair. Although I do agree, I hate people being unnecessarily tight and pedantic!

 

[Babyjane123]

Oh god I absolutely hate when people quibble over the bill. Growing up my mum and dad were on benefits (their choice) so meals out we’re few and far between but if we did it was always the cheapest thing on the menu/ 1 drink etc. Now me and my husband both work we like to eat out and I definitely don’t pick the cheapest thing on the menu. Luckily our wider family and friends are all really generous so we will always split or one of us will cover if it’s a birthday etc. Can’t bear tight people.

 

[BoCs2019]

Really depends who I'm with, if we go out with another couple for a curry for instance we all tend to have the same so would obviously just split it, when we go out in a big group or a group where everyone doesn't know each other then id say put in what we've had a few quid for a tip. We normally do that as a family too, as some of my family are big drinkers and others aren't, so its fair and with family nobody is going to leave you short.
Its horrible being in a position though where you go out with some girlfriends who are better off than you and they order wine for the table and shots etc and say lets just split it!! Don't want to be a killjoy so just swallow it...then cry when I get home to hubby! hahaha
I also have friends who are really tight, as in don't even want to pay for what they've had, will order the most expensive things and then laugh when the split bill averages to less than what they've had! really winds me up!!!

 

[Yel]

Depends who I'm with.

I've got a friend that's always like "I'm ok to split the bill" when she always orderes the most expensive things. Kinda not her choice if it works in her favour! She's often just not bothered to work out how much she owes and hoovers up the tips by paying the outstanding amount!

I used to find it embrassing working it out, but it's fine and I prefer it as some friends are on a limited income and wouldn't want them to cover me.

 

[Lyds26]

I went to a ‘friends’ birthday once it was an exclusive french restaurant and unfortunately the only vegetarian option was a side of fries. As I was driving an hour away I only drank coke. At the end of the meal I was told my share was £30 not including tip! Everyone had bottles of expensive wine on tap! Mine was actually £5. I quietly said to my friend although I’m normally happy to split tonight I would only pay my share due to the circumstances. I was then mocked during present opening as I bought her a bottle of gin which is her favourite tipple however it was ‘only’ Gordon’s
I’ve not heard from her since, however I’m glad I didn’t pay extra especially the way she acted

You are better off without people like that in your life. Whatever happened to it’s the thought that counts when giving gifts.

 

[Horatio]

No chance do I split the bill. I pay for what I ordered, simple. I don’t go down to the penny though but why should I pay more to make theirs cheaper? Not happening

Because they’re your friends and sharing a bill is part of sharing a nice evening and meal together?
I completely agree with the general consensus that situations do occur when one person has consumed vastly less and it’s a bit presumptuous to assume they should subsidise you. I always try and keep an eye on that if someone’s too polite to say. But generally a few quid here or there I don’t think is worth quibbling over. Eating out is an indulgence and luxury so when somebody acts like it’s an outrage they’ve paid 1.50 more than they should have it seems a bit of a warped perspective.
Again I know there are times when you're really skint but feel obliged to attend a birthday or something, and it can be hard when everyone else has a more disposable income.
But in general, if you are at a restaurant already, you can afford to split (most) bills and you can afford to tip. That’s the worst of all - I’ve actuslly heard people say that they weren’t paying service because they couldn't afford it. I was like “well then you can’t afford to eat out at all!” Rude and inconsiderate.

Agree that large birthday meals are the absolute WORST for this. The last one I went to half the table conveniently left soon after the bill came, (all people I didn’t know) and seemed to ‘forget’ to pay service. Me and a few others had to cover around £50 extra between us. It’s not even about the money as much as the selfish attitude, the total opposite of what eating out as a group should be about.

 

[DanaScully]

If we've all had similar in terms of drinks and courses I'm always happy to split the bill. If someone has had much less than everyone else I've no issue with them covering their own and a tip.

I must admit I hate the awkward moment the bill arrives when you're in a large group. I love when someone takes charge and says something like, "Is £25 each OK including tip?" but I hate when someone gets their calculator out to work out one person owes £15.38 and another owes £17.82 etc. No thanks.