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#Post#: 33059--------------------------------------------------
How should the bill be divvied up?
DIR By: Isisnin
Date: June 18, 2019, 8:13 pm
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My aunt and her husband are coming to town on the way to a
cruise. They asked me to join them and 2 of her college friends
for lunch. I'm happy to. One friend called and we'll all meet at
her apartment then go the restaurant. A delicious fish place.
$13 to $20 lunch entrees. Probably more for lobster which my
aunt loves.
Trying to figure out how to handle the bill. To me it feels like
just split it evenly. Hopefully since it's just friends (with me
the honorary one), that'll happen easily.
Anyone been in this kind of ambiguous situation? How to handle?
Thanks
#Post#: 33061--------------------------------------------------
Re: How should the bill be divvied up?
DIR By: mathcat
Date: June 18, 2019, 8:34 pm
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Personally I would not want to just take a bill and divide by
the number of people when the specific orders would vary. I
want to pay specifically my portion although I would go with the
group if clearly everyone had the expectation of splitting
evenly. I would not like it at all but I would stay silent to
go with the group. My preference is no better or worse than
yours though. It is simply my preference.
My suggestion is to go with plenty of cash, especially ones, so
that you can easily pay your portion with tax and tip after just
a bit of calculation. As to dealing with the bill, begin the
communication ahead of time as to the question of separate
checks (I find separate checks easiest, if the restaurant
allows), a single check but with each person contributing their
specific purchases, or dividing the check by the number of
people.
#Post#: 33063--------------------------------------------------
Re: How should the bill be divvied up?
DIR By: Lilac
Date: June 18, 2019, 8:54 pm
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I’d just casually mention “I’ll take a separate check, please,”
to the server, when your order is taken. If your relatives want
to overrule you & treat, they can, but otherwise you can enjoy
the meal knowing there’s no uncertainty.
#Post#: 33064--------------------------------------------------
Re: How should the bill be divvied up?
DIR By: NFPwife
Date: June 18, 2019, 8:56 pm
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I'm with mathcat, I prefer to just pay my check. Sometimes I'm
in the mood for something extravagant and if the check is being
split evenly, I'll refrain. Other times, I don't feel like
covering alcohol I didn't drink.
I always have a variety of bills in these situations and, if
separate checks aren't possible, I toss in my share, rounded up
slightly.
#Post#: 33067--------------------------------------------------
Re: How should the bill be divvied up?
DIR By: pierrotlunaire0
Date: June 18, 2019, 9:28 pm
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I would ask for a separate check. No hard feelings, and
everyone is responsible for what they order. Thinking about it,
I don't remember ever being in a group and just dividing evenly
by the number of people.
#Post#: 33072--------------------------------------------------
Re: How should the bill be divvied up?
DIR By: AnnaT
Date: June 19, 2019, 1:13 am
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It's hard to find a restaurant in Australia that will let you
split the check more than three ways so when I go out to eat it
normally goes one of two ways:
* you keep track of what you had to eat and when the bill comes,
you pay your portion
* we split the bill evenly between us
The split it evenly is only for close friends where we're all
kinda eating the same thing anyway (shared entrée/dessert and a
main - given we're all eating in the same place, the main prices
are generally ballpark of each other).
#Post#: 33110--------------------------------------------------
Re: How should the bill be divvied up?
DIR By: Hanna
Date: June 19, 2019, 1:55 pm
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--- Quote from: Isisnin link ---
>
> My aunt and her husband are coming to town on the way to a
cruise. They asked me to join them and 2 of her college friends
for lunch. I'm happy to. One friend called and we'll all meet at
her apartment then go the restaurant. A delicious fish place.
$13 to $20 lunch entrees. Probably more for lobster which my
aunt loves.
>
> Trying to figure out how to handle the bill. To me it feels
like just split it evenly. Hopefully since it's just friends
(with me the honorary one), that'll happen easily.
>
> Anyone been in this kind of ambiguous situation? How to
handle?
> Thanks
>
--- End Quote ---
Are you comfortable asking your aunt ahead of time, “how do your
friends normally handle the check in a group situation?”
If I were your aunt I would be covering you since I invited you.
#Post#: 33111--------------------------------------------------
Re: How should the bill be divvied up?
DIR By: NyaChan
Date: June 19, 2019, 1:59 pm
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I wouldn’t worry about it and I think it’s a little odd to call
the aunt to ask about something that isn’t really a primary part
of meeting your aunt. Bring enough cash that you can cover your
meal and tip and round up so have some cushion. That way you can
cover your own bill which is all you are responsible for. If
something unexpected happens just approach it calmly “I’m sorry,
I didn’t realize your group does X. I’ve brought enough cash to
cover my own meal and contribute tot he tip of course” That
should be the end of the matter.
#Post#: 33117--------------------------------------------------
Re: How should the bill be divvied up?
DIR By: Hmmm
Date: June 19, 2019, 2:27 pm
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I would just go with whatever is the norm for the group. If
there are 5 people and 4 of them go with a middle of the road
price of $18 main and one goes with the $30 lobster, your really
only going to be on the hook for a few dollars more.
Paying on your own with a $18 main, $1.50 tax and $5 tip around
$25.
Subsidizing the $30 lobster would be 1/5th of $102 so $20 + $2
tax and still a $5 tip so total of $27. I'd be fine with
subsidizing the $2.
Now if you get there and they are going to town with the wine
list and I wasn't imbibing then I'd speak up saying that you
weren't drinking today and make a point of asking for a separate
check.
#Post#: 33132--------------------------------------------------
Re: How should the bill be divvied up?
DIR By: Isisnin
Date: June 19, 2019, 7:42 pm
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I'll bring lots of cash and see how it goes.
Hopefully they are the separate checks kind or equally divvy it
up kind. I'm even up to joining the college friends in hosting
aunt and uncle since they are the ones who have the cost of
flying in and staying over. But I'll leave it up to them.
Mary is the college friend who seems to be organizing
everything. When she called she seemed quite friendly and
amiable so this should go smoothly.
Thanks
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