large booking at restaurant- how to split the bill?

onlyroz

NewShadow wrote: »

Interested in views rather than making a point (just to be clear)

What are peoples views on the 'quality' of ingredients?

Quality is important to a point, but it depends really on what you are comparing. E.g. I really don't think there is much difference between a 30p can of tomatos or a £1.50 can, but there is a bigger difference between cheap ham and expensive ham.

There is also a lot of snobbery - for example I now do about 80% of my shopping at Aldi and I have found the quality of their produce on the whole to be excellent. But some people won't shop there just because of the perception that it's a "discount" supermarket. However, I also only buy meat from the local butcher because I think it's important to know where meat comes from and also it's important to buy locally where possible.

I also avoid ready meals because most of them are made with little regard for nutrition. They are packed full of salt, sugar and preservatives, and in general I can make a better version myself for less money.

duchy

missbiggles1 wrote: »

Without wanting to provoke another row:( isn't the difference that those who aren't drinking alcohol are drinking something rather than just standing round with their hands in their pockets looking on?

Apparently not if the (alcohol) drinkers keeping nagging at the (soft) drinkers to "Have a proper drink".

(I don't get it either - but then I don't understand why you feel someone happily chatting without a plate in front of them whilst you eat your starter "ruins" your meal either . I've eaten out plenty of time with people having unequal courses but never had anyone sitting po-faced whilst doing so. I find even if people have the same number of courses people eat at different rates, some chat more whilst eating so take longer to finish so even with an equal number of courses some will still be eating when others have finished that course. Doesn't ruin anything for me -we're too busy chatting and laughing to be bothered.)

mumps

duchy wrote: »

Actually my experience as a drinker and a non drinker and as an observer whilst working in pubs is the people who get bent out of shape aren't the non drinkers but the drinkers who take it as their mission to biatch and complain if one or more of their group isn't drinking alcohol and try and persuade them to join them in drinking alcohol.

Why it matters so much to them is as baffling to me as the people who claim me opting out of a starter would ruin their meal. We aren't all sheep after all !

The bane of my life! Why does it bother people if I don't drink alcohol? If people go on about it enough, and people do go on about it, I sometimes end up saying something like "I don't need alcohol to enjoy myself." They then get in a huff because I am implying they need alcohol to enjoy themselves. Just leave us alone.

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Yes, to me that is a difference, they are joining in. Someone not eating isn't (but I don't want another row either, so I think I'll say here and now that I understand others see it differently and let's just agree to differ. ).

I didn't go to that murder mystery party because I wouldn't be joining in. I felt that would spoil it for all the others (and seeing as how my friend was so diligently trying to fit me into a part I'd feel happy with, then for her it WOULD have spoilt it if I hadn't joined in).

I drink very little of anything so for most of the night I won't be "joining in" by drinking. I do join in by chatting, joking etc.

missbiggles1

LilElvis wrote: »

Ah, but the sorbet would be made with "bad sugar"

It could but it might also be totally sugar free.:)

http://goodfood.uktv.co.uk/recipe/sugar-free-fruit-sorbets/

mumps

I hate the "clean eating" thing. The implication that some food is dirty doesn't seem healthy to me and it seems very judgmental.

Pollycat

NewShadow wrote: »

I have no issues with cheap sausages or fake maple syrup (as long as they taste nice), but think things have gone a little far if you can leave something on the side for a month (or 6) with no discernible change to taste texture or smell (twinkies)

From a purely personal viewpoint, I do.

Cheap sausages don't taste nice (to me).

missbiggles1

NewShadow wrote: »

I would suggest it's a result of the fat = bad world view.

From what quick google suggests, the difference between full fat v's reduced fat seems to be the addition of water...

Doesn't that just make it diluted rather than reduced fat?

LilElvis

mumps wrote: »

I hate the "clean eating" thing. The implication that some food is dirty doesn't seem healthy to me and it seems very judgmental.

So you won't want the tedious, pious Hemsley sister's cookbook my husband bought for me because he just looked at the titles and pictures

Looks like the local charity shop gets it.

Georgiegirl256

Pollycat wrote: »

From a purely personal viewpoint, I do.

Cheap sausages don't taste nice (to me).

I have an issue with them too, then again I have an issue with most sausages, apart from vegetarian ones!

mumps

LilElvis wrote: »

So you won't want the tedious, pious Hemsley sister's cookbook my husband bought for me because he just looked at the titles and pictures

Looks like the local charity shop gets it.

I am sure they will find it more useful than I would, but thanks for thinking of me:beer: (tee total of course)