Splitting the bill with extravagant friends

PasturesNew

maman wrote: »

I'm fascinated as to where people go for an evening for £20? Amongst my friends, we almost always spilt the bill except for one friend who's teetotal. She always puts in a sum to cover everything she's had and a tip and then the rest of us spilt the bill.

Well, as a list I'd say: 2-3 halves of cider in a Wetherspoons/similar, followed by a 1-course simple curry (e.g. biryani) at a cheap indian, without any drinks (jug of water), no poppodums and no naan breads or other extras.

I'd expect to pay £4-5 for 2-3 halves of cider, £8 for the meal and £2 if forced to lob a tip in, £2-3 for transport/parking. So I'd go home with change from £20. If I could get free parking and no tip I might even get away with just £12 for the whole night out. And that'd be a typical "my birthday/going out" night out.

purpleshoes_2

maman wrote: »

I think OP is saying that she does have the money but would prefer to spend it on days out with the family than eating out with this friend and her circle.


I think I might go to the 40th as it's a special occasion and then put my foot down. Either go very occasionally (like annually) or arrange to see her on her own somewhere cheap.


I'm fascinated as to where people go for an evening for £20? Amongst my friends, we almost always spilt the bill except for one friend who's teetotal. She always puts in a sum to cover everything she's had and a tip and then the rest of us spilt the bill.

Theres a restaurant near me that does a 3 course lunch (granted not evening meal) for 7.90 and then we would head to spoons for a drink or two.

Theres another local restaurant that does a buffet for 13.95 in the evenings and again to spoons for a drink or two. I dont drink often these days, but both local spoons do a bottle of hardys for 7.19.

Depends where you are in the country, Im in Scotland and clearly we are nowhere near London prices.

FatVonD

I agree with asking for your own bill, tell her you have to nip off early and want to settle up for your own food and drink before you leave.

If the cocktails are at a different venue to the restaurant could you arrive a little late (and not in a taxi!) in fact, if you skipped cocktails but we're the first to arrive at the restaurant it would give you time to speak to the waiting staff about your separate bill.

purpleshoes_2

Id just boot her to the kerb and find friends where a night out doesn't involve being made to feel like theres something up if you don't want to spend a 3 figure sum.

FatVonD

Another vote for eating in chains here too! It's food, you put it in your mouth, it tastes good, why pay three times the price for it?

maman

purpleshoes wrote: »

Theres a restaurant near me that does a 3 course lunch (granted not evening meal) for 7.90 and then we would head to spoons for a drink or two.

Theres another local restaurant that does a buffet for 13.95 in the evenings and again to spoons for a drink or two. I dont drink often these days, but both local spoons do a bottle of hardys for 7.19.

Depends where you are in the country, Im in Scotland and clearly we are nowhere near London prices.

Oh OK, we're in the South East so it probably explains things. Although even I, used to southern prices, was taken aback at £13.95 for a glass of wine recently.:eek: Especially as it was with a 3 courses for £20 lunch.


We do have Weatherspoons but for me that's more functional (can't be bothered to cook or on the way to cinema) rather than a special occasion place.

purpleshoes_2

Theres not actually many chains in the town I live in, or the next one, its more family run businesses. There is a tony macaroni and Ive eaten there a few times. I have eaten in the cook and indis chain, not sure if thats a scottish one or not, but it does a buffet style mix, you get Indian, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, its not the fanciest food in the world and I bet people who are real food buffs wouldn't eat there, but it's absolutely fine and its dirt cheap.

Its the people that make a night out as far as Im concerned. In these economic times you can often get really good offers on ncrowd, wowcher and groupon. Theres a local hotel near me that does a 3 course sunday lunch for two with a glass of wine per person for £15 and sometimes if the site does a percentage code off you get anything up to 30 per cent off that price as well. We leave a decent tip as obviously the hotel doesn't get the full price of the money you pay to the site, but Im pretty sure in most places in the UK you can shop around and get some really good offers, Ive seen decent groupon ones for London.

Life doesn't need to be a competition as to who can drink the most expensive champers or eat at the best restaurants, the fact that people do that every time there's a night out on, is a bit beyond me (obviously because Im not on 150k a week or even a year salary).

purpleshoes_2

maman wrote: »

Oh OK, we're in the South East so it probably explains things. Although even I, used to southern prices, was taken aback at £13.95 for a glass of wine recently.:eek: Especially as it was with a 3 courses for £20 lunch.


We do have Weatherspoons but for me that's more functional (can't be bothered to cook or on the way to cinema) rather than a special occasion place.

I live in a hick town where the only pubs worth going in are spoons and a couple of local family run pubs, cosmopolitan it is not:rotfl:

There are a couple of large cities within train distance and I do go there now and then, but if its local, it tends to be spoons.

FatVonD

purpleshoes wrote: »

I live in a hick town where the only pubs worth going in are spoons and a couple of local family run pubs, cosmopolitan it is not:rotfl:

There are a couple of large cities within train distance and I do go there now and then, but if its local, it tends to be spoons.

I love eating at Wetherspoons but they do differ quite a bit from town to town. The one most local to us is fine once you're inside but you do have to walk past a load of drunks sitting outside with their roll ups to get in. The ones in central London you wouldn't necessarily know they even were a Spoons and the prices are just the same. The one at Brighton marina overlooks the sea/boats etc (so it has a supermarket in the other direction but once you're in, you're in!

Worry_Wart

I don't like eating in chains. What's the point in going out for food if you can make better yourself, or eat the same stuff you can get in every town in the country? I prefer to have a bit of regional and seasonal variation in my meals out. I'd rather pay £50 for a decent meal out every couple of months than pay £20 for something mediocre more often.

Back to the question though - just insist on paying for your own share. State your intentions to do so before ordering, and don't drink the champagne. If you're firm, and you do so each time, then there should be no problem.