Split Checks?

[JennaDeeDooDah]

And now I'm wondering if we don't need another poll to see who carries Cash, who uses debit/credit, or Both???

Cause I know my daughter is lucky if she finds 7-cents in the bottom of my wallet. I never have cash on me, unless there is a reason for it that I know ahead of time....like going on vacation or the going to the farmers market or something.

I would like to see that poll. I read a study that said that people are more likely to spend more money and more likely to buy something if they use plastic as opposed to cash. I guess that makes me an odd duck, though, because I am much more likely to buy something if I am using cash. I check my bank account daily, so I think that my warped brain rationalizes that since I can't see the cash in my wallet when I check my bank account, it's more like free money. Odd duck with a warped brain - that's me.

 

[mjkacmom]

The big klassy cities split the check evenly. The country bumpkins are all penny-pinching seperatists.

Well, if the shoe fits - don't know of any country bumpkins here! Seems like those who need to ask for separate checks dine with people who would short-change the pot. I've never had that experience here - usually the server ends up with a huge tip instead.

I guess you could ask for separate checks here, although I don't know if you will get your wish.

 

[sam_gordon]

It was how I got an $18 hamburger & coke for lunch once.

I thought that was just Chicago pricing.

 

[sam_gordon]

Well, if the shoe fits - don't know of any country bumpkins here! Seems like those who need to ask for separate checks dine with people who would short-change the pot. I've never had that experience here - usually the server ends up with a huge tip instead.

I guess you could ask for separate checks here, although I don't know if you will get your wish.

Just curious... I notice you have 7 in your family. If my wife and I are visiting and we go out to dinner with your entire family, how would the bill be split? 50/50 between the families? 11% for each person (so DW & I pay 22%, you pay 77%)? Something else?

 

[phorsenuf]

I go out with groups of women all the time. Everywhere we go the waitress asks if we want separate checks. We've always done it that way.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Very rare for people to have cash up here. I usually have less than $10 on me. Often just couple loonies or twoonies and that's it.

We don't have newstands (online access or home delivery), only food carts are in downtown during the summer and I don't work there, and perhaps the ice cream truck. But I make the kids break open the piggy bank when he goes by.

Everywhere else I can think of takes debit or credit. I put everything on credit to earn points. Including my newspaper subscription. Hmmm now I think about it I can think of one ice cream stand that takes cash only.

Often if I'm out with a friend I will take some cash out ahead of time but usually pay with credit.

Again I think it's very regional. I live in a smaller prairie city in Canada and we rarely eat out with a large group. I tend to go out with a girlfriend and the server always offers separate checks. Most restaurants can even separate the bills right at the till for you. We don't really go to fine dining establishments much especially with kids. Tends to be chain restaurants or local eateries.

 

[mhsjax]

Listen, NYC has the highest COL in the entire nation. The suburbs with the highest COL/housing prices are outside the cities with the highest COL. NONE are anywhere near Florida. Sure, there are multimillion dollar homes everywhere, and many here. I'm talking about your basic 3 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath, less than 2000 square foot starter home.

There aren't that many areas with 5 figure property taxes on little bungalows.

Well there you go, I never said we were more expensive than NYC. You said "basic homes cost close to 500,000. My point is I know lots of people in this price home. You implied that because houses where you are are over 500,000 that people didn't care about a little extra on the bill. I simply stated that we did have houses in that price range, tons of them 5 years ago and it still didn't matter, we split the check. The type of house you live in or how much money you have, has NOTHING to do with asking for a separate bill. I just see at as obnoxious bragging about how "rich" people or your definition of rich people don't need to do that, You couldn't be more wrong.

I also wasn't talking about a 3 bedroom starter home. the people we hang with don't have those, we are beyond that point in our lives and can afford more beacause we aren't up there. And we NEVER talked about property taxes, you commented on the costs of houses, not taxes.

 

[Bob NC]

I'm in a far west suburb of Chicago ......

I know a couple of my co-workers & I will go out occassionally and we all get seperate checks.

What are you trying to pull? We ALL heard that never happens in Chicago.

 

[Skip2MyLou]

I would like to see that poll. I read a study that said that people are more likely to spend more money and more likely to buy something if they use plastic as opposed to cash. I guess that makes me an odd duck, though, because I am much more likely to buy something if I am using cash. I check my bank account daily, so I think that my warped brain rationalizes that since I can't see the cash in my wallet when I check my bank account, it's more like free money. Odd duck with a warped brain - that's me.

Thats me too. Perhaps its out of sight, out of mind? If I have cash on me , I am more likely to spend it.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

What are you trying to pull? We ALL heard that never happens in Chicago.

As usual, you sir are mistaken.

But that is ok!

I cannot believe this thread is still going. Really at the end of the day what works for you and your friends is great. May not be the same throughout all social classes or parts of the country - but so what? I find separate checks odd, others do not.

I am more surprised about the number of people who never carry cash!

 

[SaraJayne]

Ahem. I believe what you meant to say was, "The snobby areas expect other people to pick up the slack for them not paying for the things that they consume while the gentler, friendlier areas believe in paying their own way."

 

[mjkacmom]

Just curious... I notice you have 7 in your family. If my wife and I are visiting and we go out to dinner with your entire family, how would the bill be split? 50/50 between the families? 11% for each person (so DW & I pay 22%, you pay 77%)? Something else?

We'd probably treat. If we go out with kids and families, it's usually just pizza for the kids (and very rarely all of them). The only people we go out to with our kids, who don't have kids, are my parents, and there is NO WAY my dad would ever let us pay.

 

[RunningGirl]

We usually do separate checks. The only people I can think that we just split down the middle with is my sister and her family. Grew up in the Midwest and now live in the southeast.

 

[CdnCarrie]

As usual, you sir are mistaken.

But that is ok!

I cannot believe this thread is still going. Really at the end of the day what works for you and your friends is great. May not be the same throughout all social classes or parts of the country - but so what? I find separate checks odd, others do not.

I am more surprised about the number of people who never carry cash!

It surprises me that it surprises you. I'm always hearing how we are moving towards a cashless society. Heard a local talk radio show the other day and they were discussing how it's so rare to carry cash these days.

I get 1 Airmile for every $ I put on my mastercard so I put EVERYTHING on it (and pay it off ASAP) including small purchases. Everyone I know does something similar to maximize their loyalty points.

Even today on the local news they were talking about buses going cashless next year where you will pay online.

 

[mjkacmom]

I also wasn't talking about a 3 bedroom starter home. the people we hang with don't have those, we are beyond that point in our lives and can afford more beacause we aren't up there. And we NEVER talked about property taxes, you commented on the costs of houses, not taxes.

Well, my circle isn't in the 3 bedroom starter houses, either, and therefore their homes are worth more than $500,000. I'm equating the cost of a starter home here to nicer homes in other areas. You seemed to imply that a $500,000 here was the same as a $500,000 in Florida.

And when it comes to morgages here, if you are paying close to $4000 a month, about half is for property taxes.

 

[mjkacmom]

Psst - we are also smarter, taller, and better looking!!!!

 

[Acklander]

So, someone is cheap for wanting separate bills when they do not want to pay what could possibly be 2-3 times their meal if it was split evenly?

It's not that I think it should be split evenly if my share was 2 to 3 times more, if it was that big of a gap, I'd probably just pick up the entire check as the easier thing to do. It's just that I probably wouldn't be going out to dinner with friends who just ordered water, no app, looking for a low cost entree type experience. When I go out to dinner with friends I think of it more of a get together celebration where we all share wine, great food and have fun. Sitting over a glass of water and eating the early bird chicken special is not a fun dining experience, and I would be very uncomfortable ordering 2 to 3 times worth of dinner.
It's not that I think a person is cheap for wanting a low cost dining experience, it's the experience itself that I would think as cheap.
Has it happened before? Sure, but usually we just don't go out together for dinner again, unless it's someone like my grandmother or a few good friends that i want to see and in that case I would just pay the whole thing so they wouldn't have to worry about the cost when ordering.

 

[cornflake]

It surprises me that it surprises you. I'm always hearing how we are moving towards a cashless society. Heard a local talk radio show the other day and they were discussing how it's so rare to carry cash these days.

I get 1 Airmile for every $ I put on my mastercard so I put EVERYTHING on it (and pay it off ASAP) including small purchases. Everyone I know does something similar to maximize their loyalty points.

Even today on the local news they were talking about buses going cashless next year where you will pay online.

I hear the same and wonder where they live, heh. It'd just be near impossible here to not use cash. I mean it'd be technically possible, but you couldn't buy a LOT of stuff.

I went out the other day, planning just to go to the market, and grabbed a cc to stick in my pocket and then hesitated and thought well... I might pass the pizza place and think a slice looks good, or get thirsty and want a drink, as it's hot, or stop at the newsstand, or see something random, or maybe I'll pick up some flowers ... and grabbed a bill too.

 

[KayTom]

Over here in the UK, my family and friends nearly always split the check evenly, unless someone has very obviously had a lot more or a lot less than everyone else. Then we would take that person's cost out and divide the rest evenly xx

 

[mhsjax]

Well, my circle isn't in the 3 bedroom starter houses, either, and therefore their homes are worth more than $500,000. I'm equating the cost of a starter home here to nicer homes in other areas. You seemed to imply that a $500,000 here was the same as a $500,000 in Florida.

And when it comes to morgages here, if you are paying close to $4000 a month, about half is for property taxes.

YOu just keep upping the ante don't you. Who cares. YOu are the one who brought up the price of housing SO WHAT. What does that have to do with dinner and the splitting up or asking for separate checks.

You simply stated the cost of houses, I simply stated what some of our's are, you want to argue, I am so done. I don't care what your house costs, I am thankful I don't have those insane property taxes. We will continue to ask for separate checks, some of us live in moderate homes some us live in million dollar homes, it doesn't matter when it comes to eating out and checks.