Non splitters

[Captainron]

A comment on another thread got me thinking about a person who I used to work with.

The team would go out for a meal every now and again because we all got on relatively well and it was nice to have a bit of a night out but there was the one person who made it uncomfortable when it came to paying the bill.

10 people go out and have a meal with drinks. Bill is £350 so split it 10 ways and its £35 each plus tip so £38.50. Easy.....

Nope! This person pipes up with "I only had the X,Y and Z so mine is £28 and I am not paying extra. Everyone should pay for what they had." (And it wasn't a case that they couldn't afford it)

Cue a look of embarrassment around the table. Deduct their payment and then split the rest amongst the rest of the group.

They were told straight up afterwards. You're welcome to come along to another meal but only if you split the bill. They never came out for a meal again.

How do you feel about this sort of thing?

 

[anotherdouble]

Have this all the time. My wife is always the driver and so never drinks when we go out in a group. But I never have a problem just dividing the bill. Sometimes you win (if I have a lot to drink) and sometimes you lose. If I couldn’t afford to split the bill then I don’t go. I have never dreamt of individualism with bills but the world would be dull if we were all the same

 

[Green Man]

Always just split however I have a friend who will always order the most expensive of everything as well as expensive wine he only wants to drink. He’s renowned for being greedy as well.
I refuse to ever go to a restaurant with him again.

 

[Imurg]

For the sake of a few quid either way it's not worth worrying about but if someone's extracting the urine, going through drinks 3 times faster than everyone else and having the most expensive things on the menu I can see it being an issue...

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Always happy to split bills, but if there's someone who always takes the pess I then I would insist they pay their onw extra bit.

 

[Crow]

As long as nobody is taking the piss with their order (a la Green Man's friend) then I'm always happy to split.

If someone wants out then they must say so at the start, otherwise it's a pain in the backside and they'll be off my Christmas card list.

 

[Deleted member 1740]

Split the bill equally and crack on. Though if there's a non drinker and a load of beer/wine has been ordered then I'd make sure they paid less.

If any of my mates tried to do that old "I've only had etc" they'd never live it down between us.

It's embarrassing when someone gets the bill and the calculator out ?

 

[Neilds]

I will always split. Usually find it is the richest/best off person that doesn’t want to split, and usually only for the sake of a few quid

 

[jim8flog]

My personal dislike is when I go out with my family there is one member who wants to split it down to each individuals spending.
I once was so incensed about this I once threw £20 on the table (well more than what my own cost and probably more than an equal split) saying I l will leave it to and walked out of the pub clearly showing my feelings.

Since then when we are often together I grab the bill and pay the lot before anybody can protest. (They feed me at their houses and awful lot more than I feed them).

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Most of the time, straight split. No calculators,

However, my SiL will order the most expensive main course, 3 side dishes just to taste and waste and drinks at 3 x the rate of the rest of us. If her glass is finished she will order another bottle of wine just for herself. At the end she will expect a straight split, never offers more. One time an Indian lunchtime special menu, £8 plus a lemonade for me, one glass of wine for my wife cost us £50. I do my utmost to avoid family outings on that side now, it annoys me too much.

It's easy to say straight split when no one is taking the Mickey but it grates like hell when someone does. It spoils the night.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Might depend on whether or not alcohol is included in the bill to be split and how much the alcohol costs relative to how much my water and soft drinks cost plus my Mrs alcohol. We don’t quibble and just split evenly - maybe a little quibble if the cost of the alcohol for everyone significantly exceeds the cost of the food. And will never quibble over food costs being split.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I'm a splitter but have been caught out in the past. Used to regularly dine out with a group of friends who would always have the most expensive things on the menu. Ended up doing the same just to make sure I wasn't taken advantage of.

 

[Fade and Die]

Split the bill equally and crack on. Though if there's a non drinker and a load of beer/wine has been ordered then I'd make sure they paid less.

If any of my mates tried to do that old "I've only had etc" they'd never live it down between us.

It's embarrassing when someone gets the bill and the calculator out ?

Agree, always split the bill but make allowances for non drinkers or singles. There is a couple that sometimes joins our group that always makes me cringe though, whenever the bill comes she knows exactly how much their bit is, she whips the debit card out and says “can you take £xx from this card” as they never bring cash. They also never make any allowances for a tip which the rest of us add onto the remaining split. ?

 

[chrisd]

Always happy to split but I guess if someone had a much more expensive dinner and drinks I might suggest that they pay a bigger share of the tip

 

[ManinBlack]

When I was young a group of 10 or 12 impoverished youngsters used to go out to a local Indian. This is where I invented the spreadsheet. I used to take a paper napkin, list the names across the top & the dishes down the left hand side, inserting the amounts & reconciling it with the bill. My experience as a trainee accountant really came in handy. Nowadays, I'd be able to do it on my phone.

 

[Kellfire]

As a general rule my friends would just split but if someone wants something that pushes the price up they’d almost always say, “I’m getting the steak special so make sure I pay the extra £10 at the end”.

Everybody’s happy.

 

[backwoodsman]

Generally we just split it.

But like several other posters, if someone has conspicuously less than most (usually by not drinking), then we'll make sure they pay a bit less. We'll not do it with precision, but just knock a few quid off. (A quick look at the bill then "Ok, Algy didnt drink so its £15 for him and £25 for the rest of us"). With the folk I go out with, I can't say we have anyone who over indulges the other way. If they did, I suppose I'd be annoyed but would suck it up - unless it became regular. I think then, I'd tell them to their face.

 

[Captainron]

Agree, always split the bill but make allowances for non drinkers or singles. There is a couple that sometimes joins our group that always makes me cringe though, whenever the bill comes she knows exactly how much their bit is, she whips the debit card out and says “can you take £xx from this card” as they never bring cash. They also never make any allowances for a tip which the rest of us add onto the remaining split. ?

I would right out say something to them. Split it or jog on and we won’t be having you with us again.

 

[fundy]

Most people we eat out with someone pays the bill, someone else picks it up next time. Tends to even itself out except with my Dad where its a battle to ever get to pay the bill.

If someone wants to split the bill invariably I will offer to pay more as my share often is. According to mrs fundy I pay more than I should but Im fine with that

 

[Deleted member 1740]

I've never take much notice of what others have but I'm very conscious of what i have. If I think I've had more to drink than others then I always throw extra in.

Anyone who watches what others order need to stay in.