Split the bill or pay for your own order?

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Monkeybum

VIP Member
We'd generally split, and if someone hasn't drank and/or had considerably less they pay what they've had and split the rest
 
Mustard

Mustard

VIP Member
Yel said:
Tipping I find a bit weird in the UK. Everyone is paid minimum wage so there's no need. It's not like the states where a server is a profession and people are paid way less as people would rather have the control to tip. There you need to tip and we've unnecessarily imported the custom over here.

Most of the service in the UK is awful and they automatically add service then are annoyed when you don't pay it. If service is good I'll tip, but I've no guilt over giving nothing if it was shit.
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If I tip I always give it to the server in cash to make sure they get it as I found out that many restaurants keep the service charge and use it to pay the servers. A French chain company selling open faced sandwiches does/did that as I found out when I asked the server.
 
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sdmilne

Well-known member
Calculating what you owe based on what you ordered isn't really any more difficult than working out what the equal split would be. Another weird one is people that get all arsey about someone wanting to pay their share via card if everyone else is paying with cash. Seriously, what's the problem?
 
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Lyds26

Member
I’m curious, you go out to a restaurant with a group of friends. When the bill comes, do you divide it by the number of people, or pay for what you individually ordered? Personally I don’t drink alcohol or always order all three courses so I’d rather not pay for someone who’s downing wine and having starter, main and dessert. However I’m typically British and wouldn’t quibble over a couple of quid. Thoughts?
 
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Wormhole

Member
It depends.

3 of us go out for lunch regularly and usually take turns to pay the whole bill. If we try somewhere new or more expensive ( no lunch special we will equal split it )

I don't drink booze though so for bigger/ evening meals/ colleagues etc I will make it clear I'm not equal splitting and will just round up my part and pay that. I did have somebody get funny at Christmas with me for doing it this way but our table of 7 the booze bill was almost £300 so no way was I paying any share of that
( I don't mind splitting the lunch bill as we are just usually going straight to school run so if the others choose to have a drink it will just be one glass or bottle )
 
memoii11

memoii11

VIP Member
If we go out with family, we usually pay the whole bill. If we go out with friends, we pay for what we had.
 
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LinaLamont

Well-known member
Generally, me and my friends always round up the bill to include a tip and split it between us. We’re a pretty much on a level playing field financially and tend to all have a similar amount so there’s never an issue. It helps that we all love food and drink so really enjoy going out for meals 😆 (pre-covid obv). It’s a little luxury once in a blue moon so we like to enjoy it. I have known people who only ever ordered the cheapest thing on the menu and paid their fiver (they were tight defo not skint) and I just thought why even bother going out for a meal when you clearly grudge it? Like go put that fiver towards something you actually enjoy. Different if someone is genuinely struggling financially obviously, but people with plenty of money who order tap water and argue over pennies give me the boak.
 
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TheScarletgirl

VIP Member
Depends on who i am with. The only time i refused to split the bill was when i was out in a large group and i paid for drinks at the bar , everyone else hadn't . No way was i going to pay £15 extra for everyone else's drink .
 
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Elles20

VIP Member
Usually split the bill as I find it easier. If particular friends in my group have had much more expensive food or drinks then they usually offer to pay a bit more though.
 
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sdmilne

Well-known member
Kimbo92 said:
With friends we split the bill, we usually have had roughly the same to eat and drink, I have one friend who I see occasionally who will just pay for what she has had and will very reluctantly leave a tip. If I am with my husband one or the other of us pays. we have never split the bill, it would seem odd to me but I know that couples do, more so the younger couples.
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It still sounds weird to talk about someone "just" paying for what they had.