How do you split the bill?

pollypenny

If it's just me a girlfriend, we may pay what we owe.

When OH and I are out with a group of friends we split the bill - often annoying, as a vegetarian, I have little choice and supplement the big steak eaters.

On OH's birthday a few years ago, I said I'd have a starter and dessert. The soup was so filing I had no room for anything else. I was driving, so drank coke.

That was a very expensive meal at £25!

But friends are important.

Saturnalia

Owwch! I know friends are important, but surely steak-munching-wine-drinking friends don't let non-drinking-veggie friends pay through the nose?

benwilliamsuk

This message has been removed.

patm_2

We usually split the bill, but suggest strongly that anyone who has had substantially less pays less, and volunteer to pay extra if we have had more.
One year on our work Xmas lunch, 3-4 people racked up a massive wine bill, which caused much resentment amongst the rest of us who are moderate drinkers or teetotal, as we split the bill evenly. The next year I announced in advance that we would be ordering 1/2 bottle of wine per person for wine drinkers, with the equivalent of 2-3 beers or soft drinks for others, and anyone who wanted to order more drinks would be paying separately. At the end of the meal, 3 people at the end of the table had managed to drink their way through 5 extra bottles of wine at over £20 a bottle; they were not happy when it came to paying the bill! The rest of us were though, and we had a good laugh. They can't say they weren't warned!

morg_monster

I was so happy when I reached the age when all my friends were earning enough money to just happily split the bill evenly rather than add up everything everyone has had and then arguing over splitting the tip proportionately! It makes eating out so much nicer.
If I eat with people I don't know well or who I know are watching their pennies I'd always ask what they want to do though. Eating out with my younger cousins who are still at uni or in low paying jobs DH and I usually just pay for them. My older cousins did it for me when I was in their shoes!
It does bug me when people who I know earn a LOT more than I do quibble over these things though. I earn around £30k (I know it is a lot compared to many but it's not so high in London, and probably one of the lowest salaries in my peer group, lucky us.). My friend, a lawyer on a 6 figure salary who's just come back from working in Dubai for 3 years (paying little income tax while there), OFFERED me a lift to a weekend away rather than me getting the train, as he was already driving on his own. On the way back he asked me for £10 petrol money. I was a bit surprised... I didn't have the cash on me though and he hasn't asked for it again!

Brian_Steele

I eat out quite frequently with my Round Table group and the food bill is normally covered by our subs, but the drinks still have to be paid for.

This normally results in a split between everyone, which as I don't drink much, is very expensive. I might have a glass and a half and end up paying for over half a bottle. There is nothing dishonest going on, but some of the group really pack it away and I always lose out.

Mostly, I just stick to water, or a Coke or a beer and stick a couple of quid in, even if I'm not driving. Most unsatisfactory!

pinchingpenny

I get so angry when people want to split the bill equally!
Some of my friends I know earn substantially more than I do but I don't see it as a topic to discuss as it can cause embarrassment on both sides.
So if I go out to eat and have a soft drink and the cheapest thing on the menu because I'm watching the pennies, I'm not happy if they expect me to subsidise their wine and steak. I would never ask that of someone else, I think it's really rude!

pollypenny

Saturnalia wrote: »

Owwch! I know friends are important, but surely steak-munching-wine-drinking friends don't let non-drinking-veggie friends pay through the nose?

That was a one off, I have admit. However, I'm usually subbing steaks.

TBagpuss

It varies. If we've all had more or less the same, then I'll split it equally.
If not, not.

If I want to have steak and fancy wine I want to feel I can order without my friends feeling I'm trying to pull a fast one, and equally if I'm on a budget I don't want to be faced with a bigger bill because someone else was feeling expansive. But I with most of my friends we'll split it on broad terms, not work it out to the last penny.

In a large group where I don't know everyone well enough to know what their attitude will be I'll say something at the start and if need be, ask for a separate bill.

Sambucus_Nigra

I usually sneak off and pay with my credit card, then tell everyone I've done it, take their cash and the tip and swan off to do some cycling. It means I get a free meal! They've never noticed thus far.

Suckers!!!