MONEY MORAL DILEMMA. Would you pay for no-show?

debtworrier

KarrieBee wrote: »

I think that is really terrible of the people you eat out with. A lot of our friends don't drink, either due to babies, driving or disinclination and when we eat out we split the food bill but the drinkers cover the alcohol as that is really the only fair way given the cost of drinking in restuarants.

With any large group (i.e. about 6 people or so) my friends and I simply ask the restaurant to provide separate food and drink bills. Then everyone splits the food bill, and all the alcohol drinkers split the booze bill. In hot weather if everyone's been swigging the fizzy water then the non-alcohol bunch chip in something.

I much prefer to keep the end of evening maths simple - I find that the only-pay-for-what-you-eat approach leads to extended sessions of haggling over the bill which ruins my enjoyment of the evening.

debtworrier

Talent wrote: »

The only way I'd spend £80 on a night out is if it was just the two of us and we would enjoy ourselves, together. I don't believe in 'Yorkshires' where you all throw into the pot with equal shares, there's always some that want to pigout at others expense and it's noticeable that they are always the ones with pot in hand.

Also known as "Nobby no mates" because they never get invited anywhere twice!

PolishBigSpender

<clicked "thank you" by mistake >

I'd pay additional 17 pounds - it's only polite, and these are my friends.

moore20

Yes I would pay I would be too embarresed to cause a fuss

happy2B

It is an issue between the host and the no-shows. You shouldn't have to subsidise their bad manners. No way!
Had a similar thing happen to me with theatre tickets I had forked out for up front, and someone forgot to turn up. I was just polite but firm with them (I actually managed to phone them during the interval) and said I had paid for the ticket on the basis of them saying they wanted it - and I didn't expect to be out of pocket.
It is a shame for the hosts to have an issue with the money but they have to take it up with the no-shows, not expect those who did turn up to bale them out.

I don't think everyone paying their own way is an issue. Often a celebration like this is prohibitively expensive if one person foots the bill. So long as it works the same way in reverse!