Who pays for dinner?

[AndreaDM]

Say you are visiting family or friends out of town and staying at their home for a few days. You visit these people several times a year, alternating who travels to the other's home, say every six months. You all go out to dinner, does the host family pay? The visiting family? Everyone pay their own? Just curious.

 

[Orreed]

Usually in my family when we go out to eat each family pays for their own meal.

 

[ccgirl]

Say you are visiting family or friends out of town and staying at their home for a few days. You visit these people several times a year, alternating who travels to the other's home, say every six months. You all go out to dinner, does the host family pay? The visiting family? Everyone pay their own? Just curious.

Depends. When we visit most family in Florida, they pay. Other than the in laws then we end up just paying for what we ate to the penny. When we host, we usually pay.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

We rarely stay with another group in their home (I prefer my space), but when we do, we typically will pay for whatever we can (dinner, food, etc.) as a courtesy for allowing us to stay with them.

 

[akhenaten]

We rarely stay with another group in their home (I prefer my space), but when we do, we typically will pay for whatever we can (dinner, food, etc.) as a courtesy for allowing us to stay with them.

Same here but ironically when we have guests we usually insist on paying....

 

[AndreaDM]

Does it matter if one person is better off financially compared to the other?

 

[happygirl]

Does it matter if one person is better off financially compared to the other?

Nope, We pay for our own.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Say you are visiting family or friends out of town and staying at their home for a few days. You visit these people several times a year, alternating who travels to the other's home, say every six months. You all go out to dinner, does the host family pay? The visiting family? Everyone pay their own? Just curious.

Pay for your own food, no matter the "financial circumstances". If you can't afford to travel and pay for your food then stay home.

 

[Handbag Lady]

We have friends that we travel with often. Sometimes, they come to our house to stay for work or family weddings. They insist to pay for one meal and/or bring hostess gifts.

When were are at their home, we insist to pay for dinner and we give their boy a host gift.

When we travel together, there is usually a fight for who pays the bill. I've won a few times because I am sneaky. If it is a birthday, then the birthday person eats and drinks for free.

I think it should be that USUALLY the travelling people pay for dinner as you are staying in someone's home for free instead of paying a hotel bill.

 

[cluvsdisney]

If by some chance we were staying in someone's house, we would be sure to pay for the meal. But the only place I really stay over is when I go to visit my mother - it probably works out to be even.

If someone was visiting us but not staying with us, we would pick up the check.

I try not to have expectations of what other people would do but we are always prepared to pay for our own meal.


If we were in the OPs situation, I think we would pay in our hometown and the other family would pay in their hometown. The back and forth makes me think it's all pretty much even and this way the family with the travelling expense gets a bit of a break.

 

[marmalade]

Unless we are with my dad, we pay our own share. My dad insists on taking care of us when we are with him.

 

[SaraJayne]

Say you are visiting family or friends out of town and staying at their home for a few days. You visit these people several times a year, alternating who travels to the other's home, say every six months. You all go out to dinner, does the host family pay? The visiting family? Everyone pay their own? Just curious.

When we visit family (in different places), we pay for everyone.

 

[Coconut36]

We rarely stay with another group in their home (I prefer my space), but when we do, we typically will pay for whatever we can (dinner, food, etc.) as a courtesy for allowing us to stay with them.

Same here (right down to rarely staying with people). I don't know if there is a right or wrong but if I was a guest and out with my hosting family I would offer to pay for dinner as a courtesy/thank you for allowing us to stay.

 

[AndreaDM]

Just wondered because my in-laws gladly "let" us pay whether we stay there or they come to our home. When the server asks how we want the check, they don't say anything and I feel like an idiot asking for separate checks, so DH ends up saying "put it all on one, we'll take it". It's only a few times a year, so no big deal, but I guess I can't see myself allowing my children to pay for us all the time like that. Our incomes are probably comparable, but they don't have a mortgage, etc. and DH is their only child. DH's uncle on the other hand will sneak a trip to the restroom and pay the entire check before we have a chance to grab it.

The in-laws just visited this past weekend, and well, family can be weird.

 

[AndreaDM]

Pay for your own food, no matter the "financial circumstances". If you can't afford to travel and pay for your food then stay home.

Is this directed at me? Because I certainly never gave the impression I can't or won't pay for my own food. I just asked what is commonly done, I know things like this can vary by region or by family, but thanks for the advice!

 

[rockawaybeachgirl]

Say you are visiting family or friends out of town and staying at their home for a few days. You visit these people several times a year, alternating who travels to the other's home, say every six months. You all go out to dinner, does the host family pay? The visiting family? Everyone pay their own? Just curious.

If we're staying with them, we pay as a 'thank you' for their hospitality. I mean, they're saving us the cost of a hotel, after all.

Generally, in our circle of 'couple' friends, we don;t do the 'split the check to the dollar' thing. It's just a cultural thing I guess.

And no, I don;t think who is better off should play a role. It's not a charity event....

 

[Maytrix]

Personally, I'd be annoyed if anyone expected I was going to pay. If you go out to eat, the assumption should be that you split the bill. I rarely ask for separate checks, we just split it. But if its a problem, you could always start off by saying "Could you put this on two separate checks?" - That way its clear from the start.

 

[AndreaDM]

If we're staying with them, we pay as a 'thank you' for their hospitality. I mean, they're saving us the cost of a hotel, after all.

Generally, in our circle of 'couple' friends, we don;t do the 'split the check to the dollar' thing. It's just a cultural thing I guess.

And no, I don;t think who is better off should play a role. It's not a charity event....

I agree with this, but I wonder if it's why DH's very well to do uncle always grabs the check, we certainly never expect him to, but I think the rest of the family feels, o he can afford it, it's just peanuts to him.

 

[Art 1]

The visiting family should offer to pay.

 

[WDW Obsessed]

I say it depends on the people visiting and who it is. When I go to visit my in-laws in AZ, they pay for food out, we buy food to cook at their place in return.

If I visit my parents we pay for food since we have a higher income. I'd say we pay 70% of the time, they pay 30%. As a son I feel since I'm in a "better" situation financially we help them out.

We as a family never split bills unless it's with friends. No matter what we order it's a 50/50 split.