large booking at restaurant- how to split the bill?

lady1964

BarryBlue wrote: »

That sounds like a chain called Vapiano which we first encountered in Tallinn. They are excellent value and it's a clever concept. I believe there are a few in the UK but nowhere near where we are, unfortunately.

As I recall, my wife and I did have separate swipe cards but they combined them when it came to paying. Seemed to cover all possibilities, especially for the penny-pinchers I suppose.

Yes, it was Vapiano, thanks I'd forgotten the name, didn't realise it was a chain, never seen it here.

It was good value but to be honest, I wasn't overly keen but you're right, it did cover all possibilities. I think it's ideal for those who don't have huge amounts to spend on a meal out but want to enjoy the company of their friends without worrying that they might have to spend more than they can afford on splitting a large bill when they've not had as much to eat and drink.

SeduLOUs

minimacka wrote: »

We never knew if he put the "good" tip into the tips dish so after being caught out with this a couple of times we usually got separate bills and put out each individual tip in.

Yup. After divvying up the bill properly according to who had what, I witnessed a group of ten people (including myself) have their generous tips stolen by the person paying by credit card and was so shocked I couldn't bring myself to say anything. I couldn't tell if it was blatant or if he genuinely hadn't realised what he had done (but I very much suspect the former).

Won't be falling for that trick again any time soon...

tea_lover

PasturesNew wrote: »

So you're not coming to Wetherspoons with us then?

Unless somebody pays for you.

Maybe we need to pick one with large loo windows, so you can order, eat, then climb out of the window to avoid the bill.

Nah, you pay upfront at Wetherspoons so they'll have to stump up before eating

lady1964

When we go out with my parents, we usually agree that one pair of us will pay for the food bill, the other the drinks bill, then switch it the next time we go out, that works well for us.

With friends, generally we split the bill as we find we've eaten/drunk roughly the same & we aren't going to quibble over a fiver or so.

When I used to organise large nights out for colleagues where I used to work, we always chose somewhere with a set menu with a per head cost that everyone agreed on. Drinks were bought by the individual or pairs and paid for separately from the dinner bill. Everyone knew how much their dinner was going to be & was sometimes paid for in advance so people only had to being enough money for their drinks on the night. I used to select a few places with a range of cost per head and we went where the majority agreed on. Now we don't all work together, we have meet ups every few months in a local pub, dinner is cheap and we either pair up with someone who is drinking the same wine for example or buy our own, food is down to each of us, we order & pay for our own at the bar.

Out,_Vile_Jelly

At least it's definitely easier now to pay different card amounts towards the bill total; and waiting staff seem trained to hover with the payment machine. It wasn't so long ago that they were really reluctant to do this, and of course there was always someone who didn't bring cash.

Another fan of Weatherspoons here- a good range of fairly priced food in sensible portion sizes, invariably served promptly.

pigpen

PasturesNew wrote: »

Looks like Wetherspoons is a winner then!

No bill to split.

But the local alcifrolicks reside in there (locally known as poundstretcher due to cheap food and beer) ... and they have... vermin..

Just come to mine I'll cook you dinner.. whilst wearing marigolds and using separate utensils for everything and your food will be on the plate not touching its accompaniments

I may have realised why I don't go out very often lol

mumps

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Thanks, that is how I (rightly or wrongly) feel too. We have been broke and I can remember my husband making fried onion sandwiches for casts of thousands. It was fun! You don't need to go out to a restaurant to have fun!

The problem is if the cast of thousands have all gone out for a meal and you don't have much money. Do you sit at home with your onion sandwich, say oh well I will use my emergency £10 and make sure I order something within that budget or go along split the bill and find you haven't got enough money.

Horrible sitting at home when your friends are all out and you have been invited but don't feel you can go and equally horrible splitting the bill and finding you don't have the money to pay.

Homeownertobe

coolcait wrote: »

All personal anecdotes aside, do you think that it is right that people should pay for what they have had to eat and drink, on the occasions that they ate and drank?

That rather depends on the situation. Sometimes it's appropriate to split and other times it's appropriate to cover your bill to the nearest pound. And sometimes it's even appropriate to let one person pay entirely.

The problems begin when someone thinks there should be no nuance and it should always be x, y or z. Life isn't like that.

pigpen wrote: »

No.. how difficult is that to comprehend?? .. MY food is on MY plate.. NOONE touches it.. they can have my leftovers (HAHAHA as IF!!) Why would I want your saliva or my partners or my mothers on MY cutlery or food?? Why would I want fingers in my dinner that someone had had up their nose or in their ear or down their pants?? They might have just sneezed on their hand then touch MY food??? Why would I want any of that.. it is thoroughly disgusting! Just because some people have the manners of pigs doen't mean we who have pleasant hygienic manners are wrong!

And children are the filthiest little bits of grot ever to be invented.. they aren't even allowed to LOOK at my food they contaminate the world lol

Why would I talk about food when I can talk about politics, health, news, weather, pets, etc?? There is so much more going on in the world than the sausage and mash (in non-onion gravy) on my plate!!

I eat at home usually.. I have 3 or 4 places I will go to eat based on the cleanliness and service and quality.. I really struggle going different places.. some are a bit weird about letting you look at their kitchen

So people who share food have the 'manners of pigs'? Lovely.

minimacka

So what's the though's on someone ordering a starter as a main with some salad because they don't have a big appetite? My sister in law does this and I don't have a problem with it.

missbiggles1

onlyroz wrote: »

Sorry but the only people I'd share a fork with would be my husband or possibly my kids. Even then I'd probably prefer them to cut off a bit of my steak for themselves with their own cutlery.

I really don't think it's normal to be putting your cutlery into the mouths of your fellow dinner guests.

I don't think most people put the whole fork into even their own mouths, you just use it to lift the food from your plate to your mouth with, perhaps, the ends of the tines just touching your lips.