Splitting A Restaurant Bill

[whitestripe]

We charge $3 per glass of wine. but our glasses are full and not the skinny type.

what do you mean by that? glasses of wine should be poured a standard drink amount - it doesnt matter what size the glass is, but the amount in it should still be the same


onto the actual topic though; i've only ever had to split the bill once, when we all shared pizza. I had to pay $12 for two slices of pizza because they never made it down our end of the table!
every other time we go out we always pay our own portion.

[wincrasher]

The next time you are in a fine restaurant, take a look at the wine list - generally the charge is 3 times what you'd pay at a liquor store or wine outlet.

The per glass price is even more. This is not your standard table wine, but ordered from a list.

So if what you normally keep at home is $20 per bottle, it can easily be $60 in the restaurant, and that would end up being $20 per glass.

There is one particular wine that I buy that is normally $7 to $9 per bottle in a store. I saw it in on a wine list at a restaurant for $57! Isn't that crazy? If you want to make all your money on booze, be a bar, not a restaurant!

Not defending it, still thought it was pretty rude. They were big glasses at least. But order a bottle instead and share it with a few at the table.

[elessar78]

I know this is a frugality based forum, but in this case I think you have to bow to social norms. The way I see it is that you're not there for yourself, you're there to celebrate another person AND to be with other friends. So you're not really paying as much for a meal as your are for the event.

Unfortunately the cost of this "event" was $40 a head.

My suggestion in the future: A) is to count on things like this to happen and bow out of the group event and take your friend out on your own terms. Most people are not frugal so you can't expect them to act that way. B) ask for a separate check right from the outset so you set the tone, but promise to pitch in for the celebrant's dinner.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

If some people ordered more expensive items on the menu and drove up the per capital cost of the bill, I could get caught being simply unable to pony up cash at the per capita rate. I don't normally carry cash that is a whole lot more than I expect to spend.

Then how do we solve the problem of me not being able to pay "my share"? One of the Big Eater-Big Drinkers offers to put it on her credit card and the rest of us can pay her now or later settle up later? Then Big-Eater-Big-Drinker not only gets her meal subsidized by me and the other more modest diners, but maybe earns a little bit on her rewards credit card. Guess I should at least beat Big-Eater-Big-Drinker to the credit card.

[cschin4]

The way I see it is that you're not there for yourself, you're there to celebrate another person AND to be with other friends. So you're not really paying as much for a meal as your are for the event.

I think this is true if you are celebrating a birthday. But, otherwise, just eating out with others is not the same thing and again no reason why anyone should take offense at seperate bills unless it he/she is the one who likes to run up the big drinking bill. They are usually the only ones who care.

[disneysteve]

I wanted to clarify what I said earlier. I have often paid more than my share when splitting a bill but I wouldn't pay less than my share. That would be cheating the other people in the party. If I knew my bill was on the big side because of what I ate or drank, I'd kick in extra money.

[cschin4]

I wanted to clarify what I said earlier. I have often paid more than my share when splitting a bill but I wouldn't pay less than my share. That would be cheating the other people in the party. If I knew my bill was on the big side because of what I ate or drank, I'd kick in extra money.
Yes, but a lot of us have been burned.

Anyway, my point when eating out is your really don't know the other party's finances. Maybe you can afford to eat out and splurge and maybe they can't. I think people feel much more comfortable if they can simply order and pay for their own meal versus spending the time worrying about getting too big a split, etc. Really? It is so simple once everyone gets used to it. All of us split now and nobody thinks a thing of it. Once in awhile, we will announce we are "treating" before ordering, etc. It works out great. So, why no do what makes most people the most comfortable? The idea is to enjoy one another's company. And, if you find that some people no longer eat out as much with others, I would guess that is part of the reason why and it is too bad because it is a simple fix.

[segmond]

let em know you are on budget before the meal and announce the most you are willing to chip in.

[cschin4]

let em know you are on budget before the meal and announce the most you are willing to chip in.

Why should I or anyone else have to do this? No thanks. I will just order and pay for and eat whatever I want or don't want.

[disneysteve]

let em know you are on budget before the meal and announce the most you are willing to chip in.

Why should I or anyone else have to do this? No thanks. I will just order and pay for and eat whatever I want or don't want.

It depends. If a group of friends are going out with everyone paying their way, you shouldn't have to do this. If, however, several people are treating one person for a birthday or something, that's a little different. In that case, you know upfront that you will be expected to pay part of another person's bill. If you have a limit on what you can afford, you should make that known to the others.

[cschin4]

. If, however, several people are treating one person for a birthday or something, that's a little different. In that case, you know upfront that you will be expected to pay part of another person's bill.

Yes, I have said that and agree with that. Paying and chipping in on a birthday dinner is quite different than just going out and eating out with friends. I see no problem in distinguishing those.

[Style31]

interesting post!! I enjoyed reading your opinions

[tripods68]

If you didn't want to pay up more, you should have said something either you let them know or let the waitress ahead of time you all splitting the bills. I'm sure some would have agreed with you and join the same approach you did. But that's what usually happen in the group dinner. Someone usually overpaid their dinner. Been there done that myself.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

It's so difficult. The biggest problem? Being invited to a birthday dinner and not knowing anyone else there so then the obligation starts. Then not wanting to pony up the bill.

Ugh, it's so frustrating. I too have worked as a waitress, but in some restaurants they won't split the bill. It's a mom and pop place that takes only cash AND won't even give you a receipt for writing off if you were out on company's tab. Arrgh, if the food wasn't awesome.

And when you ask the wait staff, often times they won't do it.

Although I will say this, one way to do it? Show up late. I am usually on time, but once I was late, told the waitress on the way in, sorry that people already ordered, can you do mine separately? She said she'd have to since some food already started coming out. Turned into the best thing EVER. I didn't have to split the bill with coworkers celebrating another coworkers meal, and I think most of them were miffed. Especially since they had "split" appetizers, but since I had come late I wasn't going to chip in.

[myrdale]

I can more than understand splitting the birthday girls check between everyone, but the idea of splitting the total bill between everyone is a completely foreign idea to me.

Honestly I am quite put off by this idea. I could swing the thought of splitting an appetizer between the table. But even then that just does not feel right.

Now I do love picking up the tab. People tend to really appreciate it and are ususally pleasantly surprized when I do this. In the case of the B-day, I have picked up the tab of a friend who's birthday it was before, someone else insisted on paying for his beer, so I just took the meal.

My point is, don't be afraid of jumping out there and buying someone elses lunch, they will love you for it. But at the same time, dont think that you can run up a $$ bill then expect someone else to carry it for you. A one time thing, I might grit my teeth and pay, but it would not happen a second time.