How do you split the dinner bill?

[joats]

When you go out for dinner with another couple/person, how do you divide up the bill? Do you split it? Add up what you personally ate? What if one person had 3 alcoholic drinks and a steak and you only had a soft drink and a salad?

Maybe I am just being cheap, but I'm so sick of having to split the bill 50/50 when I've only spent 20% of it!

What's your method of paying when dining out with others?

 

[nativetxn]

My husband just usually grabs the check and pays it

 

[Kallison]

We just split it no matter what we eat or drink. I'm the non-drinker, salad eater also. To me it's not worth quibbling over a few dollars.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Split it among the people or couples, total, divded by the number.

 

[KathyTX]

Depends on who we're with... If it's a group, we usually get separate checks.

If it's another couple, especially one we socialize with repeatedly, we'll either split the check evenly or take turns picking up the tab.

Usually whatever makes our tablemates the most comfortable!

 

[helenabear]

We divide it up per what you buy... that way if someone eats less they aren't stuck paying tons for the little food they ate. A lot of the time though, we just grab the check and one pays for it.

 

[mommytotwo]

When we go out with my friends, we usually pay for it or we split the check according to what each person orders, and everyone leaves a tip.

 

[Mishetta]

I voted "other" only because if we go out with friends & they order basically the same stuff we have (no alcohol) then we just split the bill. I don't mind if their dinner bill is a few dollars more. If we go out with friends who order drinks (alcohol) & appetizers & then something sweet after dinner or fancy coffees, we ask the waitress to figure out a separate bill for us. (Or we do the figuring.) I don't think it's fair if you order $35 worth of food between you & your spouse & the other couple orders $50/60 worth of food, for you to split it. Just as, if I had ordered all the extra stuff, I wouldn't want my friends to pay for that either.

 

[Pin Wizard]

We always figure our individual parts of the bill. Not fair for a light eater to split it.

 

[joshsmom]

I voted other. For the few people I do dine with--other that DS8, we take turns picking up the tab. If I'm out with my mom and dad, my dad EXPECTS me (or anyone else he's dining with) to pick up the tab (don't get me STARTED!!!) If I am in a large group--usually people from work--and the restaurant won't split the check (HATE that!), my coworkers give me the bill, ask me to figure out how much each person owes, give them the figures. They then give me the cash and I make change out of what everyone gives me. If there's no way I can make change, I have the server break a $20. Don't ASK me why I am in charge of this--I guess it's because I let myself be!!! Maybe I should stop doing that! I'm a social worker, not an accountant!!!!!!

 

[Gupsmom]

For the most part, we prefer to just divide the bill in half. If we ordered less, it doesn't bother us at all. If we ordered more then we offer to kick in more...even if the other couple has suggested splitting the bill. It's just easier this way. Of course, if the other couple has a problem then we divide it up . For us, that's a pest...esp if the other couple is literally figuring out EXACT amounts.

Jess

 

[KJo719]

We just split the bill unless the other couple wants to do otherwise. For us it seems to even out in the end- sometimes you pay a little more than you should and sometimes you pay a little less.

 

[IloveDMB]

We just split the bill evenly. I figure it all works out in the end. Sometimes I eat more, sometimes I eat less.

Plus, it's so much easier to do it this way.

 

[PhotobearSam]

I don't drink...ever. So we divide the check up per couple that way I am not paying for someone else's booze. If there is no booze, we pick up the check or split it equally...


P.S. I don't fret about a few dollars but I don't want to pay for someones drinks since I don't drink and don't agree with drinking. I don't make people feel bad about having a drink around me but I just don't want MY money paying for it. I'm not cheap...but opinionated!

 

[princesstommi]

Depends on the situation, who we are with, and where we are.

I have found though, that as we have gotten older, and our financial situations have changed, it's become easier for everyone to split the check. 2-3 years ago with me still being a college student, and going out with other just graduated couples, getting separate checks was the way to go. That extra $10-$15 would make a difference between being able to have dinner with friends or staying home...sometimes on our part, sometimes on theirs. Even though some see it as *cheap* or *picky*, I would have rather had everyone pick what they wanted and could pay for than to have skipped the entertainment of just being out with friends.

I will say though, I'm much more likely to split the bill evenly if I know we didn't spend more than the other couple. It always makes me kind of uncomfortable to know that our portion was larger than theirs.

With really good friends that we see a lot, we take turns picking up the whole tab.

 

[ibouncetoo]

Originally posted by nativetxn
My husband just usually grabs the check and pays it

And he's VERY FAST! Thanks for lunch, Wilgus!

 

[CourtasanSatine]

when I'm with DBf he usually pays but I have treated a few times(but we pay for our own drinks at karaoke)

 

[DocRafiki]

with most people, I pay for what I eat

w/my cousins, we usually split it equally. do this now & then w/friends if bills were fairly equal.

 

[kadaten]

With our standing Saturday date dinner companions we take turns picking it up.

If we invite someone out for a reason we pick up the tab.

Just going out with anyone else, we get separate checks if possible or figure out each couple's bill and pay accordingly. I don't want to be on the receiving end of a large bill that wasn't my doing, but also don't want to stick someone with one that was my doing! Plus, since we don't get out a whole lot other than our standing Saturday date, it wouldn't end up "working out in the end," and I'm not yet to that point where every little bit doesn't count when we're talking about money!!

Katie

 

[Pooh67_68]

They always take the bill and pay, so I will invite them to homemade dinners.