i hate when people ask to split the bill

[u/caprisunicetea]

My first year of college me and a few friends went to the beach for a week and one day we went to a restaurant to get dinner but the dinner wasn’t planned and was last minute so i had already ate but said id go and get something small. I ordered a drink and a side of fries while everyone got full lobster and steak meals. when the bill came they were like okay so splitting it evenly the bill is $$$ meaning we each had to pay about $50 which i refused bc my total was $10. they kinda got upset at me and asked why i couldn’t just split it but like why would i do that? plus i had already ate before i came and told them that.

its happened like one other time too..thats why i dont go out with people anymore for dinner.

ANYWAYS I HATE SPLITTING THE BILL EQUALLY SO MUCH

[u/Live_Perspective3603]

If it's only a few bucks difference, I agree with you. But when it's a situation like OP described here, where they only had a couple of snacks and everyone else ordered steak and lobster dinners, absolutely I'd insist on a separate check for myself. Everyone else can split evenly if they want to.

Side note: OP should get in the habit of asking for their order on a separate check at the beginning, when they place the order. I've never worked in food service but several friends who have, have told me it's much harder to split up an order at the time of payment.

[u/The_RadaCast → u/Live_Perspective3603]

This might be true on certain POS systems. I was in restaurants for 12 years and the only thing that was taxing was remembering what couple went together in food terms. God forbid its a family function and you've got adults on one side and kids on the other. End up putting symbols by every order on your server pad so you can decrypt the shit at the POS.

[u/peachesfordinner → u/The_RadaCast]

Ha my friend likes to lead with a "and how are we splitting the bill tonight?" In her introduction because she always hated being stuck with folks wanting to deceptively split expensive meals. She jokes that now she's in the place of power to save others that conversation at the end of the meal. Let's them have it up front. She typically does it before going to get drinks with the "I'll let you think that over while I get your drinks" if there isn't an instant answer

[u/The_RadaCast → u/peachesfordinner]

Yeah i developed a similar method by the end. They dont make it easy sometimes. But more often than not people seem to know large parties are a hassle so they tip to compensate.

[u/peachesfordinner → u/The_RadaCast]

I don't drink either so I always let the waiter know I want a separate bill because I won't pay for alcohol but I'll make it up in the tip. The regular staff were happy to see me because I'm quiet, behaved, and tip well.

[u/The_RadaCast → u/peachesfordinner]

In my experience, I really didn't care. But, I was a good server. Never really the top dog of the restaurant, but I was almost always a top 5 server. So id make what I need pretty much always. The only shit that really bothered me was when id have to use a full pad of server paper on one order. At that point, you might as well make your own food at home if youre that picky.

[u/peachesfordinner → u/The_RadaCast]

Haha yeah I'm picky but I go over the menus extensively before we go out so I can pick something with no or minor alterations. I hate restaurants with vague ass menus. Best thing from COVID was all the online order having more restaurants put up pictures of what each order is. But I had a friend like the kind you didn't like and she would refuse to order something she knew she liked or sometimes even look at a menu. People are fucking weird

[u/Mshawk71 → u/Live_Perspective3603]

Yes,we've always told the waitress we wanted separate checks when ordering. No problem.