Dinner Tab

[ScienceGeek]

I was just wondering what the protocol was with regard to splitting a bill. I went to the pub with a friend recently for a meal, I said to her (another aspie) that I only had �9. I deliberately chose something that would be under �9, then she picked something really expensive and had a go at me when I couldn't make up the difference. I was justified in being annoyed at her, right? Afterall my part of the meal was below �9. Mum said that I was right to be annoyed and that what she did would be seen as rude, but I thought I would ask on here as well.

[warrenpenalver]

For friends i thought you just paid for what you ate/drank.

 

The dating "game" has more complex rules apparently. But that doesnt apply here really.

[Enid]

Listen to your mum, us mums are always right! you were with a mate, not a date, you were right. Enid <'>

[something_different]

yep u just pay for what you have thats fair.

 

 

[Clare63]

Its usually best to agree before you start how everyone is gonna pay and you quite rightly stated you only had �9, think your friend was being very unfair. Yup your Mum is right !

 

Clare x x x

[chris54]

I would expect to pay for my own meal and expect the other person,people to pay for theirs. But I may offer to pay for the whole meal or more than my share, it depends on the circumstances.

 

Its a while since I last dated but in these days I would have thought it not unusual to go Dutch, each pay for their own bit.

Me and my now wife use to take turns. Still do. Depends on how has some spare cash.

[pearl]

You did nothing wrong SG esp. as you explained in advance how much you had.

I hate this business of dividing bills equally. I used to go out with a bunch of girls from work & they'd always do that - but I'd have had pasta & theyd have had steak! Not fair!

[warrenpenalver]

it used to annoy me at work as theyd include the drink bill in the final bill and split it, which as a non drinker used to really really annoy me. To make it "fair" id have to be shotgunning pints of soft drink/diet coke otherwise id always end up out of pocket. And of course the drinkers just didnt "get it" and usually think im the one being daft and should just pay.

 

What i used to really hate was "leaving dinners" as you split the cost of the person leaving so they dont pay. Fine you might think but these dinners were compulsory and when i was leaving the ship i NEVER had a leaving dinner as i wasnt popular enough so yet again i was out of pocket.

[Canopus]

The best thing to do is find out what the rules are regarding payment beforehand. For informal occasions it is conventional for everybody to pay for themselves. At corporate social events bill splitting is sometimes the rule but not always.

 

My mother objected to bill splitting whenever she attended meals with colleagues from work. She doesn't drink alcohol but was expected to pay for the vast quantities of alcohol including expensive wines (>�20 a bottle) that the management drank. They "didn't get it" when my mother tried to make a compromise of splitting the bill for the food but paying for your own drinks. Something to do with corporate spirit (pun intended).

[Lynden]

If we go out a load of us then we usually just split the bill equally amongst everyone but if I'm out just with one friend and we agree to split the bill then we each pay for what we had - its the fairest way to do it then you can have exactly what you want. Your friend was rude especially seeing as you said up front the money you had and ordered accordingly!

 

Lynne x