Dining dilemma: How do you split the check?

re: Dining dilemma: How do you split the check?

Vel — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:22:06 GMT

When you order far less than everyone else, it's already preconcieved by the others that you don't want to split the bill. If you don't want to share the bill equally, then you shouldn't go.

Why not go to a restuarant that serves buffet meals. The price per person is already determined, and everyone can eat whatever and as much of it as they want at no extra cost. The alcoholic beverage bill should be devided amongst those that drank them.

re: Dining dilemma: How do you split the check?

Guest1 — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 12:59:45 GMT

We make it clear in advance to guests & waiter that the checks will be separate so there is no uncomforatable pause when the check comes. Better to make it clear up front then try to figure it out after guests are drinking, some may leave early, etc. We just pay for our own meals, a good tip & if extra is expected for a special guest then we pay our portion...other than that pay your own bill. Many of our friends prefer to know in advance how the check will be split. If they can count...there is no shortage at the end.

re: Dining dilemma: How do you split the check?

diane — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 02:58:11 GMT

Many of you have obviously never worked as a server!

When separate checks are requested for large parties, EACH order must be rung-in separately requiring much more time and leading to the possibility that the food will arrive at different times (teeing-off these already cheap and usually "hard to please" customers).

Lighten-up...enjoy the evening and split the check!

HHow many time does this happen anyway??? Not many, I'm guessing.

re: Dining dilemma: How do you split the check?

Joan Robinson — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:57:01 GMT

God, I hate people who do this. The time to scrimp and save on meals is when you are eating at home, not out at a restaurant with friends, and especially if it involves a dinner honoring a guest. You were mad because you ordered some cheap dish and drank water. Well, that was just stupid. Have a nice meal and drinks and pay for what you ate, and a portion of the honored guest's meal. You only go round once in this world. If you really can't afford to eat decently in the restaurant chosen, then make your excuses and don't go. You would look better doing that. You can bet people are talking behind your back about your unbelievable cheapness. I can't believe your female companion or wife felt good about your behavior, even though she went along with it. Men are supposed to be generous and magnanimous, at least in public, where it matters. Cheap out on your own personal stuff.

Joan in CT

re: Dining dilemma: How do you split the check?

nome — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 04:56:59 GMT

why should anyone be concerned about the servers having to do a little extra work

by doing separate checks.. after all that is his or her job. they are there to make your dining enjoyable not the other way around. I think the cheap skates are the ones who order big and want to put a lot of the cost of their meal on someone else.

re: Dining dilemma: How do you split the check?

Diana — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:18:28 GMT

I'm disturbed about all the counsel to people to avoid going out because they "can't afford it" or are "cheap." Who is really cheap here?..I think it's the person who expects others to pay for part of their meal. People should not feel they have to subsidize others in order to attend a function, nor should they be penalized because they choose not to drink or are more moderate in their appetites. I agree with John that I would feel guilty asking others to do this on the occasions when I splurge.

re: Dining dilemma: How do you split the check?

George Hudson — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:45:09 GMT

If you eat in excess of others, you should be liable for your fair share. To say I am cheap because I choose not to pay for someone elses meal is coming from someone who takes advantage of "splitting" the check. I attended a retirement party, and the waitress made out two checks...one for each side of the table. Well since the retired husband and wife were on opposite side, my sister and I agreed to pick up their checks...well guess what happened, everyone got up and left after, and no one even chipped in since the waitress brought us both checks. We ended up paying for everyone (20 people) and the tip! Never again will I agree to "split the check" with gluts!

re: Dining dilemma: How do you split the check?

Sue Larson — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 21:44:41 GMT

My husband and I enjoy going out with a group of friends. However in the past few months our income has suffered due to the real estate market. I have declined the last couple of get togethers due to the splitting of the check with this group. They order drinks and desserts. We order sodas and limit ourselves on the cost of our meal. The last time I asked for a seperate check (my husband was embarrassed). Well the guy dividing up the bill decided we should buy dinner for one of the people since it was his birthday. We have never bought dinner for anyone and the guy we had to buy dinner for is a million-are. So our $30.00 meal ended up costing $65.00.

re: Dining dilemma: How do you split the check?

Toby Radloff — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:54:01 GMT

I always ask for a separate check if I am eating at a restaurant among a group of people. It is unfair to divvy the check evenly among everyone in the party, especially if one person only orders a $5 salad while another person orders a $15 sirloin steak dinner. Separate checks help avoid squabbling over who owes what when it comes to a large group eating at a restaurant. While some waiters/waitresses balk at issuing separate checks, I have had no problems with separate checks whenever I visit restaurants as part of a group.

re: Dining dilemma: How do you split the check?

kitty — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 02:26:08 GMT

As people said - this is something that should be agreed beforehand. I only eat out occasionally, and I've been in situations where we split the bill as well as where we get separate bills. When we split the bill, the difference between individual bills is usually small. I normally pay attention to what I order in these situations to be "in the middle".

One time I was eating out with the group of people where 3 people had drinks and 3 had water. The person who was counting and splitting the bill separated the drinks from the bill, split the rest then said - this is the amount for those who had water, this is the amount for those who had drinks. But with a lot of people it may be difficult to keep truck of who had what.

I haven't read the original post, so I don't know how many people were there at the party and who had what. But they really should've agreed beforehand. If they had known the bill would be split, they should've ordered a complete dinner too.

It's perfectly fine to have separate bills to, even with large groups. I used to attend gatherings in our local "language club" - where a group of people who are interested in foreign languages are getting together to practice. There usually over 20 people with separate tables for different languages. They always ask for separate bills, and it works out fine. A few times when they had a special party and dinner, the cost was listed in the invitation. And we aren't poor people, I'd imagine that some of the people in the group are pretty well off. Once we went to a pretty nice place in Brooklyn on a boardwalk, and it was still separate bills. It was actually easier this way because this way some people could leave earlier if they had some plans for later.

But... If I were out with friends and my friends only had salads while I have dinner there is no way I'd let them subsidize me. It really depends on how many people were at that party and how easy or difficult it was to see who ate what. If it was obvious their friends shouldn't have split the bill evenly.