Split Checks?

[Skip2MyLou]

Spin off from the miffed SIL thread....


Hypothetically, say you go out to dinner with 4 friends. How do you pay?

And out of curiosity, could you comment as to your regional area.

I am honestly shocked to find out that I would be considered "cheap" because I won't pay for someone else's meals/beverages. (Disclaimer, this does not include inviting someone out to eat or offering to pay for someone's meal)

I grew up in Metropolitan Detroit area as well as rural northern Michigan. I currently live in Nashville, TN (also considered Metro, although not as large). I have never heard of splitting checks evenly. Either we pay our own way or pay the entire check.

Last year I visited a cousin for a weekend, who lives in Chicago. She invited another friend out to dinner. They chose the restaurant (I'm not familiar with the area). It was extremely spicy cuisine. I had limited choices due to health issues. I drank water. They ordered multiple appetizers, entrees, desserts, as well as multiple bottles of wine. They expected the check to be split 3 ways. I expected to pay for my meal, and portion of the tip.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Spin off from the miffed SIL thread....


Hypothetically, say you go out to dinner with 4 friends. How do you pay?

And out of curiosity, could you comment as to your regional area.

I am honestly shocked to find out that I would be considered "cheap" because I won't pay for someone else's meals/beverages. (Disclaimer, this does not include inviting someone out to eat or offering to pay for someone's meal)

I grew up in Metropolitan Detroit area as well as rural northern Michigan. I currently live in Nashville, TN (also considered Metro, although not as large). I have never heard of splitting checks evenly. Either we pay our own way or pay the entire check.

Last year I visited a cousin for a weekend, who lives in Chicago. She invited another friend out to dinner. They chose the restaurant (I'm not familiar with the area). It was extremely spicy cuisine. I had limited choices due to health issues. I drank water. They ordered multiple appetizers, entrees, desserts, as well as multiple bottles of wine. They expected the check to be split 3 ways. I expected to pay for my meal, and portion of the tip.

I don't think it is a regional thing. I live in Houston. I have friends who assume we'll divide it evenly and others who divide the bill up to the penny based on what you actually order. Personally I hate dividing it evenly unless everyone would owe about the same anyway.

 

[sam_gordon]

Spin off from the miffed SIL thread....


Hypothetically, say you go out to dinner with 4 friends. How do you pay?

And out of curiosity, could you comment as to your regional area.

I am honestly shocked to find out that I would be considered "cheap" because I won't pay for someone else's meals/beverages. (Disclaimer, this does not include inviting someone out to eat or offering to pay for someone's meal)

I grew up in Metropolitan Detroit area as well as rural northern Michigan. I currently live in Nashville, TN (also considered Metro, although not as large). I have never heard of splitting checks evenly. Either we pay our own way or pay the entire check.

Last year I visited a cousin for a weekend, who lives in Chicago. She invited another friend out to dinner. They chose the restaurant (I'm not familiar with the area). It was extremely spicy cuisine. I had limited choices due to health issues. I drank water. They ordered multiple appetizers, entrees, desserts, as well as multiple bottles of wine. They expected the check to be split 3 ways. I expected to pay for my meal, and portion of the tip.

I'm with you. I wouldn't want to pay for my friends filet mignon if I'm having chicken pasta, and I don't want him paying for my bar drinks if he's having water.

Yes, it MIGHT even out if you continue to go out to eat with the same people.

The whole "even split" thing to me is too easy for one person to take advantage of, and therefore ruin a friendship.

ETA: I'm in Central Kentucky.

 

[Hannathy]

We always paid what we owed, give or take a few dollars. Would usually round up. When we were younger (pre-kids) there was one couple we went out to eat with almost weekly and with them we often just split it in half BUT we had similar eating and drinking orders. With others everyone just figured out what they owed in their head and threw it in.

This was on the East Coast and in 2 areas of the Midwest.

 

[Mokat76]

Simple solution: Ask for separate checks if it concerns you.

 

[mnrose]

Separate checks is how we roll, unless we have specifically invited someone to be our guest.

I've lived on the East Coast, the West Coast and the midwest....always the same.

 

[sam_gordon]

Simple solution: Ask for separate checks if it concerns you.

Right. And the question came up on which was "normal". So OP decided to find out.

 

[Janepod]

We usually go out with the same people so we tend to just take turns picking up the entire tab.

If not this, we just split it.

I've never asked for separate checks. I can't ever remember being out with anyone who's done this. It would just be weird.

 

[design_mom]

I don't mind dividing the check evenly if everyone's getting roughly the same thing, but at a restaurant, I prefer separate checks.

For instance, if we "split a pizza" with another couple, I certainly wouldn't want to divide the cost based on how many pieces each couple eats. But if it's a restaurant where one couple orders expensive items and drinks, and another couple orders less expensive items and no drinks, then I'd rather have separate checks. Then everyone can order what's right for them, and pay for them.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

We usually go out with the same people so we tend to just take turns picking up the entire tab.

If not this, we just split it.

I've never asked for separate checks. I can't ever remember being out with anyone who's done this. It would just be weird.

I didn't vote because we have done it different ways. But I prefer the above. We usually just pay the whole bill and someone will speak up and pick up the next.

If we do a split, it's a per person, not per item thing. There are no hard feelings. We do keep a separate bar tab (not regular soda's or shared bottles of wines though).

I am glad we all have been doing this the same way for a long time. It is confusing as I type it.

NorthEast region.

 

[SC Minnie]

If I'm out with a group of friends we get separate checks. If we are just going out for drinks someone will usually pick up the tab then next time someone else. I've never had someone suggest dividing it even no matter what everyone ordered. I'm in SC but have friends and family from all over the country.

 

[SaraJayne]

Simple solution: Ask for separate checks if it concerns you.

Oh, but according to another poster in the thread this spun off from, separate checks is "unheard of" and makes one incredibly cheap.

 

[Kae]

I go out with the girls alot & around here the places we go don't even ask anymore the checks are just split. My friend who is a server says she does better(tips) when the checks are split.

Kae

 

[EMHDad]

It really depends on the person.

If we are out with casual acquaintances, we will just pay for our portion of the bill. However, if we are out with friends or family, we either split the check or just pick up the entire bill. Now, we are not wealthy by any means. We are a lower middle income family. However, we just take turns picking up the bill. We pay one time. Our close friends pay another time.

Also, we practice the rule of paying down in age. When we were younger, and even to this day, my wife's parents/grandparents paid. Early in adulthood and marriage we were treated to A LOT of meals and activities because we had little money. Now that we are getting older we pay that attitude forward to our younger family and close friends.

However, bottom line, if everyone is sensitive to the situation and respectful, there is never a problem. We have close friends and family who can barely pay rent. We have some who are quite rich. We understand the other's situation and never put a person in a bad situation.

Our family took a Disney vacation in June (Video link in signature). I am from Florida and invited both sisters' families, my mom and her significant other and his daughter and granddaughter over. (It was a five bedroom house) We invited everyone so we footed the bill of the house. We however expected sisters to pay their way in the parks. My mom has little money, so we paid her way completely. No one felt left out. No one felt taken advantage of, and we had one of the best Disney experiences of my life.

 

[pat fan]

When my mom, sister and I go out, we each pay for what we ate/drank. Used to make my DSIL nuts when she came too and we were figuring out who put in what % of the tip etc...Waitress usually made out good because we all threw more $$ in the tip than we should have

If we go somewhere as couples in a group we get separate checks.

Western Ma. here.

 

[dismichelle]

Separate, even though I will sometimes pay the entire tab.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

Oh, but according to another poster in the thread this spun off from, separate checks is "unheard of" and makes one incredibly cheap.

There are a number of establishments that will not split checks here - even printed on their menu.

We just always split bills evenly. It works for us and people we know.

 

[Buckalew11]

Separate checks. I'm paying my own way. If not separate, I'll chip in the money I owe for what I ate and drank.

If it happened the other way, it'd be my last time out with them.

We do girl's night out often and we always do separate checks.

 

[sam_gordon]

There are a number of establishments that will not split checks here - even printed on their menu.

We just always split bills evenly. It works for us and people we know.

Good for you. I don't think anyone's saying you MUST split the checks. But there have been numerous posters who said if you want to split a check, you're "cheap".

 

[disneychic2]

We usually split the checks unless we've invited people, then we pick up the whole thing. If it's our children and their families, we pay. If we are at a place that doesn't split, we divide according to what we ordered unless it is similar, then we split evenly. I go out frequently with friends for lunch and we always pay our own.

ETA: I'm in the midwest area