Dinner w/Friends:POLL

kmf143 · February 2010

I ask this because I once went out with a big party of people & was pregnant, didn't drink anything & was later asked to split whole bill with their countless booze. I did it, I just wasn't prepared or thought it was really fair.

[Poll]

jen_and_scott · February 2010

I have never evenly split a bill with anyone like that, unless it's just me and one other and we ordered the same thing.

If I go out with a big group, when I order, I just mention that it will be separate checks so that it's not a big deal later.

jillianfries · February 2010

We just ask for seperate checks. That way it's fair and it's also easier, in my opinion.

katie_cj · February 2010

We always do separate checks.

We often go out for brunch with my BFF and her fiance and once in a while we'll treat each other. But besides that, it's always split.

Chrysallys · February 2010

It's better all around to get separate checks if you can. It spares feelings and wallets.

Jackswife123 · February 2010

I just always plan to split a check when I go out. If it's with friends I don't mind paying a bit more. If it wasn't with friends (like a business lunch or meeting or something) I would do separate checks if possible.

kmf143 · February 2010

There was like 20 of us (we went to a Murder Mystery) so I didn't think to even ask for seperate I thought they knew who the couples were. DH & I even ate light since we didn't want a big bill & ended up spending over $100!

My dismay was obvious I guess & a lot of people got mad @ me & said when you go out with a group of friends that's how you should do things.

kcampy31 · February 2010

whenever i got out with large groups of friends we always get the bill and just split evenly..it does't bother me b/c there are times that i order more or drink more and there are times where i order or drink less so it's pretty even and doesn't bother me. When I was pregnant I always offered to play the whole part of my part and a lot of times the group refused to let me and just had me pay less but i always offered. It's just how we do it.

deeanneharris · February 2010

It depends on who we are with. Sometimes we do sepearate and sometimes we take turns just picking up the entire bill.

JOEBunny · February 2010

I voted for dividing up the bill, but when we go out with other couples, we usually split the check, but we would take into account non-drinkers. We do have one couple I hate eating out with because they always order appetizers, like escargot, and a $50+ bottle of wine, then we split the bill, so we all end up paying an extra $20+ dollars for their indulgence. I have no problem with them ordering that stuff, but they should step up and realize that the rest of us have $100 tabs and their's is $200.

HappyTNWife · February 2010

That reminds me of the episode of Friends where they all go out to eat to celebrate with Ross, and everyone else has no money and they just eat salads and Ross and Monica get a huge meal and they want to split the bill and it turns into a huge ordeal. I love that show! Anyway...when we go out we always get separate checks, unless it is someone's birthday and we are paying for their meal.

jolis_petits_bijoux · February 2010

Separate checks. Especially handy for people like us who don't carry a lot of cash.

The only time we've ever split a bill evenly is with a pretty large party at a restaurant that wouldn't split them for parties over X people. Usually when we go out with friends, it's just us and one or two other couples, so separating the check is no big deal for the server.

wellfleet04 · February 2010

We never do separate checks with a big group, or, actually, even if it is just another couple. We always split evenly. If someone had over-ordered by a large amount (tons more drinks, or got an extra course or something), they offer to kick in extra and their offer is usually refused. It evens out, and even if it didn't, they are our friends and we don't sweat stuff like that. When I was PG, we still paid our "share" even though I wasn't drinking.

With 20 people, I think asking for separate checks is a bit much, to be honest. I haven't done separate checks since college.

kmf143 · February 2010

wellfleet04:

We never do separate checks with a big group, or, actually, even if it is just another couple. We always split evenly. If someone had over-ordered by a large amount (tons more drinks, or got an extra course or something), they offer to kick in extra and their offer is usually refused. It evens out, and even if it didn't, they are our friends and we don't sweat stuff like that. When I was PG, we still paid our "share" even though I wasn't drinking.

With 20 people, I think asking for separate checks is a bit much, to be honest. I haven't done separate checks since college.

I agree, which is why I didn't ask & I guess it would've been hard to divide everything but I didn't go there prepared for that & being that they knew that I didn't drink it would've been nice to offer for me to pay less-not that I would've. Many times friends & I will just split because it is close enough or treat each other..I just felt I got taken advantage of that night.

Smiles4Miles? · February 2010

we always do separate checks, or pay what we owe on one check. MH is the math whiz and can do the numbers rather quickly, when I do it alone I always end up paying more or tipping way too much

rebus82 · February 2010

I would never agree to an evenly split check, unless everyone was eating/drinking relatively the same thing. DH and I spend <$20 total most of the time, whereas our friends can spend that in drinks before they even start eating. There is no way I'm going to pay for someone else to get drunk (or eat steak when I'm eating salad.)

We go out to one restaurant that won't do separate checks, and we figure out individual bills down the the cent usually before paying so no one gets shafted.

ETA: I mean we as in the group figures it out, not that DH and I are cheapskates. Even tab splitting would not go over well with anyone in our group.

MarriedBestFriends · February 2010

My parents go out to eat with the same group of friends at least 2X/week. They don't often go places that offer separate checks but my mother painstakingly calculates what everyone owes inclusive of tip and tax and they all really appreciate it as one couple is a much heavier drinker than the others, one likes to get apps, etc.. I always wonder how much money they've saved by not splitting things equally.

carlab44 · February 2010

We never get separate checks. Regarding splitting the bill, for me it depends on how much the discrepancy is. If it isn't that much we usually just split it evenly and figure it all comes out in the end. If it was a pretty big difference we'll adjust it so people pay more of what they owe.

SheriBT · February 2010

We always do separate checks. We buy what we can afford, not what everyone else can. It may sound cheap or terrible, but we have to watch what we spend so when we go out, we buy what can fit into our budget. A lot of our friends can afford to buy more (drinks, dessert, etc) which is great for them, but I cannot afford to help cover that charge.

kmf143 · February 2010

Smiles4Miles?:
we always do separate checks, or pay what we owe on one check. MH is the math whiz and can do the numbers rather quickly, when I do it alone I always end up paying more or tipping way too much

Ain't that the truth!!

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