Split the bill equally or just pay for what you&#x27;ve eaten?

It depends, but usually, I prefer to pay for my food and let the other person pay for their own. However, there are cases in which splitting evenly is better; for example, my flatmate and I ordered pizza two days ago and we qualified for a deal that gave us a total price, meaning it was pretty much impossible to pay for our food individually, so we just split the bill evenly. :smile:

Reply 22

3121

Since I'd probably order more or things that cost more I'd go for paying for what i ate or evenly plus a little extra. I couldn't do 50/50 knowing she's paying for my stuff lol

Reply 23

loveleest

Neither- The guy is paying :smile:

pay separately.

I just pay for my own stuff. I don't buy rounds in pubs because I usually only have a coke or a bottle of blue WKD while everybody else has the most expensive drinks.

If somebody invitied me out for a meal. Unless, It was a date I would assume I was paying for myself so in that case I'd pay for my own food. I wouldn't even need to calculate how much I owe as I always look at the price before ordering as I am a tight wad.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 26

Retired_Messiah

If I'm out with my mates we usually just pay for what we actually ate unless one of us happens to be poor that day (in which case one of us will offer for poor boy 'cause it's probably the rest of us that have dragged him out). Tends to be rough amounts rather than exact because nobody cares. Takeaway usually is equal split 'cause everybody eats everybody's ****.

On a date idk, can't say I've ever had one.

Overall tho none of it's worth getting too fussed about, I don't really put hard and fast rules on it. There's more important things to be worrying about seeing as I'm not on the breadline.

Reply 27

bones-mccoy

If everyone's had pretty much the same i.e main and a drink or main/drink/pud, then I'm not bothered, but if some people have had 3 courses and multiple drinks, it's not fair to ask for the bill to be split evenly. If you're willing to order that much food, you should be willing to pay for it.

Reply 28

Really depends on the situation. Such as who you're with, where you are and what everyone's financial situation is like.

At the moment I am not doing remotely well financially, so if I go out to eat I have to budget it carefully. So I will only pay for what I am getting. If someone gets annoyed at me over something like that, I'd tell them to sod off :lol:

. And in the same respect I wouldn't order a 3 course meal and expect to split the bill evenly if the person I was with only got a main.

Reply 29

TimmonaPortella

Original post by discobish

I came across an article on The Sun (no judgement pls it was a one off) that claims a woman on Mumsnet has been branded 'joyless' when she refused to pay more than her share of the bill when having a meal out.

Err, well yeah.

In general, when you're with friends, if you can't afford to just have what you want and split the bill then go somewhere cheaper. Don't get your calculator out at the end of the meal. It looks tightfisted and kind of kills any sense of a relaxing evening if you have to stop what you're doing to be an accountant for five minutes when the bill comes.

Reply 30

bones-mccoy

Original post by UWS

Just don't do this...

[video="youtube;aSKbDTig42Q"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSKbDTig42Q[/video]

What an absolute tool. So much second hand embarrassment.

Reply 31

Original post by TimmonaPortella

Err, well yeah.

In general, when you're with friends, if you can't afford to just have what you want and split the bill then go somewhere cheaper. Don't get your calculator out at the end of the meal. It looks tightfisted and kind of kills any sense of a relaxing evening if you have to stop what you're doing to be an accountant for five minutes when the bill comes.

What if you're already at a budget place? Some people are on a very strict budgets.

This also doesn't address the fact that sometimes when out to eat people may order vastly different things.

If 1 person orders a standard main meal and one drink, and someone else order a main, a side and dessert and a drink. And then someone else order all 3 courses + a bottle of wine....the price for the first person has gone up dramatically if you split the bill equally.

And In my experience (and me and my friends have done this every time we have gone out). It is not hard or time consuming to add a few numbers together.

I just think expecting an even split, without taking these things into account just shows a lack of empathy for others.

Not to say even splits doesn't sometimes work/ isn't appropriate. Obviously sometimes it is.

But to call someone "tightfisted" or tell them they're ruining the relaxation of the night because they want to only pay for their order....I think it's a bit cruel. You may not know their financial situation. Going out at all may be a big stress cause for them, attitudes like this can just make it worse.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 32

Original post by bones-mccoy

What an absolute tool. So much second hand embarrassment.

Lol, what a mess. That was proper awkward. That's why you look at prices before ordering.

I do however agree with him that you don't "have" to tip. We pay servers minimum wage in this country. I don't really understand why we'd tip someone in a restaurant but not at say McDonald for example. They're both being paid by the hour. I just find it an odd concept.

Reply 33

Devify

It depends on the pricing. If, for example, everyone got a pizza that was £10-£12 each then I would just split between everyone. If people got the pizza and then some had a side and others had a couple drinks. Then I'd ask to pay for our own

Edit. Just to add. Basically, I don't mind giving a couple of pounds to help a friend pay but I don't see why I would have to pay for someone else's meal. I'm not rich and if I'm short on money so limit myself to a £10 meal while others spend £30, I don't see why I should be paying for them.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 34

TimmonaPortella

Original post by SophieSmall

What if you're already at a budget place? Some people are on a very strict budgets.

This also doesn't address the fact that sometimes when out to eat people may order vastly different things.

If I order a standard main meal and one drink, and someone else order a main, a side and dessert and a drink. And then someone else order all 3 courses + a bottle of wine....the price for the first person has gone up dramatically if you split the bill equally.

And In my experience (and me and my friends have done this every time we have gone out). It is not hard or time consuming to add a few numbers together.

I just think expecting an even split, without taking these things into account just shows a lack of empathy for others.

Not to say even splits doesn't sometimes work/ isn't appropriate. Obviously sometimes it is.

But to call someone "tightfisted" or tell them they're ruining the relaxation of the night because they want to only pay for their order....I think it's a bit cruel. You may not know their financial situation. Going out at all may be a big stress cause for them, attitudes like this can just make it worse.

Look I get that most on here are students and relatively hard up, so it's a bit different, but the woman in OP was a fully grown, married woman with kids.

I'd always offer to cover the difference if I'd had noticeably but not ridiculously more than someone else, but particularly in groups where it's going to be a hassle I'd sort of expect the others to decline the offer and just split the bill, and if the roles were reversed I'd decline and just offer to split the bill. If it were at the point where you'd only had a main and one drink when others were having starters and desserts and coffees and wine I'd probably assume you were having budgeting difficulties and wouldn't expect you to pay an even split.

On the other hand if you're with the sort of people who would try to take advantage by intentionally ordering more and having you pay towards it I'd suggesting finding different friends tbh.

Reply 35

Original post by TimmonaPortella

Look I get that most on here are students and relatively hard up, so it's a bit different, but the woman in OP was a fully grown, married woman with kids.

I'd always offer to cover the difference if I'd had noticeably but not ridiculously more than someone else, but particularly in groups where it's going to be a hassle I'd sort of expect the others to decline the offer and just split the bill, and if the roles were reversed I'd decline and just offer to split the bill. If it were at the point where you'd only had a main and one drink when others were having starters and desserts and coffees and wine I'd probably assume you were having budgeting difficulties and wouldn't expect you to pay an even split.

On the other hand if you're with the sort of people who would try to take advantage by intentionally ordering more and having you pay towards it I'd suggesting finding different friends tbh.

Well yeah, this is a student forum lol :lol:

so opinions are going to largely air on the side of budgetting.

Also I will admit, I did not fully read the article. However being married and with kids does not automatically mean rolling in money and not having to budget carefully.

From the sounds of it, you seem to be pretty reasonable when in that situation. If you see someone only having a main and realising they might be budgeting. And I appreciate that. But some people can be very oblivious.

Agreed, if you have those kinds of people in your life...should get rid.

Reply 36

moopmeen