Dining out with friends: How to handle the check

In fact, these problems have surfaced with the same people before, I've been told. According to Boing-Boing, Ling-Ling always orders something expensive like steak and sides and on and on, and has the best wine, and actually makes a lot more money than Boing-Boing. This may or may not be accurate, as I'm only getting one side of the story. I have noticed that Ling-Ling does seem to flaunt her relative affluence a bit.

On the night in question, I can tell you that it looked like Ling-Ling was acting a bit snooty about the whole thing, and it wasn't only one couple that suggested that everyone pay for only their portion of the bill. She also tossed a five-dollar bill across the table at the people who were lobbying against splitting the bill equally, and called them both ridiculous.

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Mr and Mrs Boing Boing need to speak up BEFORE the meal, otherwise they have to go with the mob.

Joe(beenthere )Nation

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Ahhh, may life pay her back...

No, I didn't really say that.

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I'm reconsidering.. about the speaking up. It only needs to be to the waitstaff when ordering, not the table as a whole. That's what I should have done all that long time ago as Ms. Small Salad.

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kickycan wrote:

On the night in question, I can tell you that it looked like Ling-Ling was acting a bit snooty about the whole thing, and it wasn't only one couple that suggested that everyone pay for only their portion of the bill. She also tossed a five-dollar bill across the table at the people who were lobbying against splitting the bill equally, and called them both ridiculous.

Drunk and rude.

As if a mere $5 was going to make any difference to the cost disparities! Laughing

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kickycan wrote:

In fact, these problems have surfaced with the same people before, I've been told. According to Boing-Boing, Ling-Ling always orders something expensive like steak and sides and on and on, and has the best wine, and actually makes a lot more money than Boing-Boing. This may or may not be accurate, as I'm only getting one side of the story. I have noticed that Ling-Ling does seem to flaunt her relative affluence a bit.

On the night in question, I can tell you that it looked like Ling-Ling was acting a bit snooty about the whole thing, and it wasn't only one couple that suggested that everyone pay for only their portion of the bill. She also tossed a five-dollar bill across the table at the people who were lobbying against splitting the bill equally, and called them both ridiculous.

Sounds like someone throwing a fit because they got caught taking advantage of friendships and trying to cover it up with indignation.

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dlowan wrote:

These ####'s argued and haggled down to the last cent...took over half an hour....I found it utterly disgusting. I never wanted to see them again. I made way less than them at that time, and I got so sick of the bitching I quietly put an extra twenty in (they were going over the bill for the n'th time because we were $15 short) just to be able to get away!

oh god....exactly.

here's some money, now shut up!

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I used to go for the split evenly but have changed my mind after being stung too many times. This is fine if everybody orders middle of the road and everybody has a drink or two. Some, knowing that it will be split take advantage and order expensive meals with extra sides and lots of drinks.

Other times, I think it is ok to split the food bill but everybody buy their own drinks. It really should be simple, but is usually much more complex than it should be.

We once had a order in Chinese meal for 4 couples. It was hosted by the couple with the newest, largest and most expensive house. Before ordering they suggested that we split the bill four ways. We all agreed since it was a total order and would be served family style.

Well, it did not work out that way. The host couple ordered extras on the side just for them. They also ordered for their grown daughter and her boyfriend who were downstairs in the family room all night. Boyfriend also ended up with lunch for the next day.

The rest of us were not impressed and vowed never to do that again. Host couple suggested that we do that again since it worked out so well. Sure it did...for them.

Sometimes I have looked at the total bill and noted what the breakdown might be. Then, suggest that we split the bill and person/couple A look after the tip.

As Ehbeth said near the beginning of the thread...decide beforehand. However, we did this in the senario stated and got surprised anyhow. Separate checks is probably the best way to go.

It is not worth an argument and spoiled friendships. Having said that one would wonder what kind of relationship Ling-Ling and Boing-Boing had in the first place.

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I'm not much of a drinker any more, so I've been stung by the even-split routine many times. One beer vs five mai-tais, for instance.

So I'm all for separate checks, or if it's a large group and the restaurant won't split the check, then we pass the bill around and everyone pitches in what they think is reasonable. I stopped playing treasurer a few years ago, though, because I found that I was consistently paying more than my share rather than asking my friends to cough up some more money. (How can anyone remember how many drinks they've had after three or four?)

Another issue has come up lately. Someone will wait until everyone has pitched in cash, then say "I'll just put this on my credit card because I don't have any cash." I've never done the math, but I'm pretty sure that the cash-short "friend" is making a profit on my generosity. Did they tip what I would have tipped? What are the chances of that working out fairly - for the group or the waiter?

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Exactly, mac11! I wonder about the tip thing, too.

I'm all for separate cheques if there's that much discrepancy in the food/drinks consumed because contrary to popular opinion, I'm not always the biggest drinker (heh heh)... also, I feel about the tip thing.

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Interesting, this separate check thing. You mean restaurants will actually oblige? In Oz many (most?) restaurants now refuse to do this. There are signs at the cash register telling us so. If you want to divide up the the bill between you, you do so with your dining companions from the one bill.

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Many restaurants here in Canada also frown on separate checks.

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Intrepid wrote:

Many restaurants here in Canada also frown on separate checks.

Many larger US restaurants have an electronic system that will process a separate check for everyone at the table. Servers will ask when they take your order if you want one check for the table or how you want it divided up.
They punch the order into a little handheld device that feeds the information back to the kitchen and later spits out the necessary tickets/bill.

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For two people, no problem... For more, maybe. For a lot, I've never seen them do it.

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Hmm, I guess I haven't been to larger restaurants lately. but I can imagine the electronically up to date ones doing that. Still something of a burden on the waitstaff...

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Green Witch wrote:

They punch the order into a little handheld device that feeds the information back to the kitchen and later spits out the necessary tickets/bill.

Wow, that sounds very flash! Surprised

Never seen such a device here!

But then, my dining experiencing aren't exactly flash! :wink:

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msolga wrote:

Green Witch wrote:
They punch the order into a little handheld device that feeds the information back to the kitchen and later spits out the necessary tickets/bill.

Wow, that sounds very flash! Never seen such a device here!

But then, my dining experiencing aren't exactly flash! :wink:

And where exactly are you 'dining'? lol McDonald's (flash... wink!)

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Mame wrote:

msolga wrote:
Green Witch wrote:
They punch the order into a little handheld device that feeds the information back to the kitchen and later spits out the necessary tickets/bill.

Wow, that sounds very flash! Never seen such a device here!

But then, my dining experiencing aren't exactly flash! :wink:

And where exactly are you 'dining'? lol McDonald's (flash... wink!)

<sniff>

Never!!!!! (Absolutely never!) You better believe it! I like real food.

No, various different places, usually with either an ethnic or semi-vegetarian bent. These just happen to be my foods of addiction. :wink:

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Here is something though that I've seen from time to time. When people pay just for their portion of the bill, sometimes they forget that they have to add the TAX and tip on their food. A lot of people will only add their total up and then what they think is the appropriate tip. They are actually light by about ten percent or so, which is also unfair.

So here's a tip for you people who find yourselves in the situation of being in a group and having to figure out your own portion of the bill.

You should add the appropriate tax to your order and then figure the tip according to THAT total. I know some say you don't tip on the tax, but nobody follows that, so that's the way you should figure it if you are going to just pay for your own share.

There you go. My tip of the day. Please remember it the next time you are in this situation. Ya cheap sonofabitch.

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You've go me thinking now, Mame. Where have I eaten dinner in the past year?" Let's see: Vietnamese, Indian, Sri Lankan, Greek, Russian, Ukrainian, (Eastern European) Jewish, African (various), Turkish, Greek, Italian, Cambodian, Pakistani, Arabic/Lebanese & various vego/semi-vego places .... One of the joys of living in a very multi-cultural country. We're very lucky. Very Happy

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Dining out with friends: How to handle the check

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