large booking at restaurant- how to split the bill?

Jagraf

Out,_Vile_Jelly wrote: »

I wonder how much of the UK's obesity crisis and disgusting food wastage is caused by people ordering dishes just for the sake of it, rather than eating as their appetite dictates.

If I order a starter I'll struggle to finish my main and definitely won't be able to enjoy a dessert, so I just don't as I hate waste. I am genuinely amazed that for some people this would affect their own eating pleasure.

I think some places now offer smaller or light portions. I too hate waste so often choose something really light. I sometimes ask for "no chips" etc if I've had a starter.

Pollycat

Jagraf wrote: »

I think maybe a lot of this thread is about the timings, rather than the actual food. If someone orders a starter instead of a main so that all the food comes out together, then to me that makes more sense.

So if the person who wants a starter has that when all the other diners are eating the main course, do they then have their main course when everyone else is having their pudding?

ETA:
I personally wouldn't have any objection to doing this but from some of the replies I get the impression that it wouldn't be the done thing.

silvercar

balletshoes wrote: »

I keep coming back to this thread, reading the last page or so, and going away again, shaking my head . Who knew it was such a potentially contentious issue, going out for a meal with family or friends?

I agree.

Out in my real world, away from MSE, I assume my friends have similar values and judgments to me. Otherwise they wouldn't still want to eat out with me.

Loanranger

It's easy, PN, divide the bill by the total number of diners. Partners and children all pay the same as everyone else. Drinks are paid for separately at the bar if bought beforehand and all wine beer consumed at the table is also added to the bill and divided equally.

Pollycat

PasturesNew wrote: »

OK - so, what if we now decide we're having such great fun we'll all meet up this coming Friday night at the local Wetherspoons.

How will we split the bill?

Some of you might bring somebody with you; others might bring kids of varying ages; some of you are more interested in sinking every ale they have at the bar; some of you are on a diet.

So .... how'd it work? Having got this far into this discussion, anybody got a clue?

I'm thinking: Wetherspoons, I'll take £20, should come home with £10, might come home with £5. Better pop to the launderette now and wash my jeans if I'm going out!

Yes, PasturesNew - get your glad-rags ready!

Personally, I'd make sure that I at least paid for what I ate and drank and would also put an extra few quid in for a tip.
I'd probably bring my OH and we'd share a bottle of wine and I wouldn't expect (or want) anyone else to subsidise our choices.

If it were me, OH and the 2 couples we're most friendly with, it would be a 3 way split because we'd all be drinking wine and the majority of the food would be a similar price where we'd eat.

Jagraf

Loanranger wrote: »

It's easy, PN, divide the bill by the total number of diners. Partners and children all pay the same as everyone else. Drinks are paid for separately at the bar if bought beforehand and all wine beer consumed at the table is also added to the bill and divided equally.

Ohhhhh sense at last. :T:T

Pollycat

Loanranger wrote: »

It's easy, PN, divide the bill by the total number of diners. Partners and children all pay the same as everyone else. Drinks are paid for separately at the bar if bought beforehand and all wine beer consumed at the table is also added to the bill and divided equally.

But is it really fair that PasturesNew - who doesn't (I think) drink wine - should pay a share of the bottle that me & OH decided to order?

I don't think so.

Spendless

Loanranger wrote: »

It's easy, PN, divide the bill by the total number of diners. Partners and children all pay the same as everyone else. Drinks are paid for separately at the bar if bought beforehand and all wine beer consumed at the table is also added to the bill and divided equally.

No also pay for the drinks at the table at the bar, or when the waiter comes over to the table with a bottle of plonk, pay then.


PN - If you're going to weatherspoons I think you are sorted - don't they do a deal where you can have certain items plus a drink for a set price?

Jagraf

Pollycat wrote: »

But is it really fair that PasturesNew - who doesn't (I think) drink wine - should pay a share of the bottle that me & OH decided to order?

I don't think so.

It would be split between the 2000 people there and probably equal itself out. If PN had arranged such an occasion she would deserve everyone to chip in and pay for her hard work.

onlyroz

PasturesNew wrote: »

So maybe that's it: If you're dining with people you've known for 5+ years and eaten out with for more than 5x .... it's different to eating out with people you've only ever met 0-2x before and might never eat out with again.

There is definitely a difference between eating out with your family and close friends and (e.g.) eating out with your work colleagues. With friends and family I know they're not going to stiff me (with a few notable exceptions), and that in general the cost of things even themselves out over time.


When eating out with work colleagues (which generally only happens a few times a year) I would suggest paying an amount that roughly corresponded to what we'd eaten.


I also sometimes eat out with old Uni friends, where some of us have kids and some of us don't, some are single and some are in a couple. Here, the norm is for each family group to pay an amount roughly equivalent to what they had eaten and drunk. I wouldn't expect my single mate to cough up as much as me and my two kids, and I equally wouldn't expect to pay more for my child than I would for an adult.