Lunch with Colleagues - don't know what to do

Poppy9

lazer wrote: »

Common practice when i am out with my friends is to seperate teh bill into alcohol and food, divide the food among everyone and divide the alcohol among those that drank it.

I personally don't think this is very fair either on cheap eaters! Whenever we go out I'm the cheap eater. I don't generally have a starter, I only ever chicken as I dislike any other meat and I will only have dessert if there is a chocolate one and I don't drink coffee. Other eat an expensive starter, main along with dessert and coffee so sharing the food only bill I'm always a loser - last lunch from work I had a main that cost £8 and had to put in £15 for my "share" of the bill and then pay on top for the wine share!!

With a group of friends my OH and I go out with we split the bill, food and drinks, equally. This balances the expensive eaters with the big drinkers. I think this is fairer as I drink while the others eat:D

Tygermoth wrote: »

O

S

I got Thingy for secret Santa this year (its a £20 gift) and i am tempted to put in a IOU like she has done for the last few staff meals out and get the team £20 of goodies. We had to buy all new festive decorations this year because she nicked last years but we cant accuse her, she also has conveniently forgotten the petrol money she owes me and one of the team and has persistently managed not to pay for Fridays McDonald's breakfast.

The woman drives me mental.

I would buy some make up from the pound shop for her!!

duchy

Poppy9 wrote: »

I personally don't think this is very fair either on cheap eaters! Whenever we go out I'm the cheap eater. I don't generally have a starter, I only ever chicken as I dislike any other meat and I will only have dessert if there is a chocolate one and I don't drink coffee. Other eat an expensive starter, main along with dessert and coffee so sharing the food only bill I'm always a loser - last lunch from work I had a main that cost £8 and had to put in £15 for my "share" of the bill and then pay on top for the wine share!!

With a group of friends my OH and I go out with we split the bill, food and drinks, equally. This balances the expensive eaters with the big drinkers . I think this is fairer as I drink while the others eat:D

I'd think you probably get the better deal as booze is usually more expensive than food -however I find the big drinkers are usually the big eaters too (and the keenest to split the bill equally) and "your way" wouldn't suit me or my friends at all

Poppy9

duchy wrote: »

I'd think you probably get the better deal as booze is usually more expensive than food -however I find the big drinkers are usually the big eaters too (and the keenest to split the bill equally) and "your way" wouldn't suit me or my friends at all

But I demonstrated I lost on last lunch to the tune of £7, I paid almost twice the cost of my meal.

I then paid for my wine on top as a few of split that bill.

The steak eaters were subsidised by me! No one subsidised my vino!

When we split drinks and foods I'm probably equal. My main course is always under a tenner as chicken tends to be cheap. Others choose seafood/steak etc. at least twice the price so I'm a tenner down already, add starter and coffee I'm then about £18 down at least which covers me if I drank an extra bottle of wine to myself!! If 10 of us go out we tend to drink about 10-13 bottles of wine between us. Everyone drinks the wine but some more than others.

dandelionclock30

All this about splitting the bill is simple when you go out with a big group.Just state you are paying for what you have to eat and drink only and thats it.So if what you have costs £8.00 thats what you pay and put in a pound or two for a tip if you feel like it.
Its not fair to be expected to sub the rest of the group.Also most adults can add up what they have had to eat and drink.
I've always done this and so have a lot of people I know.I wont be taken for a ride.

krlyr

Poppy9 wrote: »

But I demonstrated I lost on last lunch to the tune of £7, I paid almost twice the cost of my meal.

I then paid for my wine on top as a few of split that bill.

The steak eaters were subsidised by me! No one subsidised my vino!

When we split drinks and foods I'm probably equal. My main course is always under a tenner as chicken tends to be cheap. Others choose seafood/steak etc. at least twice the price so I'm a tenner down already, add starter and coffee I'm then about £18 down at least which covers me if I drank an extra bottle of wine to myself!! If 10 of us go out we tend to drink about 10-13 bottles of wine between us. Everyone drinks the wine but some more than others.

Then don't do it that way! Lazer was simply stating how they split the bill with their friends. When I go out, I rarely drink, so we always pay for exactly what we had, though for the tip I'll just put in my share of the overall 10% for ease - if I was at a huge group do I might do otherwise, but for a small group I'm not fussed over the minimal difference it would make. Do it whatever what you feel comfortaable doing it, no one's said you have to do otherwise.

RuthnJasper

Please stop dissing the OP for her decision. Only SHE knows the full picture and she has reached a conclusion to this particular episode that befits her and her colleagues' situation.

She took the advice from all sides and drew a balanced judgement that seems wiser than that of other people, who would have pursued "Thingy" to within an inch of her life, with scant regard for the consequences.

Gibson123 has made her decision and we ought to respect that. Other threads can be raised for continuing discussions, but bandying this about endlessly amongst ourselves is neither constructive nor helpful to the OP.

Sorry to sound like I'm hectoring - but Gibson123 has brought about a difficult but rational close to the issue for which she created this thread, and I think it's unfair to slate her for that.

Love and best wishes to all.
R x

wanchai_2

I'm not slating her - I understand her reasoning, but it is very unfair that she should be out so much money.

There has GOT to be a way to resolve this fairly without 'Thingy' claiming bullying. I said that it could be done in such a way that she doesn't lose face. It's just really unfair on gibson. However, I respect her decision.

meritaten

I understand Gibsons position given thier past history. But, If I had been at that lunch, I would want to know about this. No way would I want a colleague out of pocket like this - especially to cover this thief! I would at least want to reimburse Gibson for my share of the tip! and to make sure this person didnt get away with it in future!

wanchai_2

I agree, meritaten. This woman sounds like a nightmare - at best she's a calculating tightwad, at worst, she's a thief. I think that the others have a right to know. At the very least, she should repay gibson (and the waitress) what she owes.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Poppy9 wrote: »

I would buy some make up from the pound shop for her!!

That's a point.

OP, I'd hold off giving her the Secret Santa present until you see what she has got for her person. If it is pound shop crap, hand over your £20 present to the poor cow she's just ripped off.