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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be annoyed about this attempt at splitting the bill

229 replies

SpottyPotties · 17/02/2025 00:14

We went out for a family meal today, which we do maybe 6/7 times a year. Myself, DH and DS (18), DB1, DPs and DB2, SIL and their DC (10 & 15).

When the DC were younger and eating kids meals, we used to split the bill per adult. Everyone has always been more than happy splitting a £6.99 kids meal amongst the adults.

As the DCs are getting older, we have started to split per person, based on who has had an adult meal. As our DC are the eldest, we have led this.

Today, my niece and nephew both had adult meals, a few drinks each and hot chocolates after. DS had a poke bowl which cost less than everyone else’s and a jug of water (his choice - he’s in to the gym and nutrition).

The bill came and DB picked it up and declared we were splitting per adult, so counting my DS as an adult, and not including his DC. I was more than happy to split per person, even though ours would have cost less overall, but I wasn’t happy with having to pay more in total than DB who had an extra person to us.

I said that wasn’t really fair and we did eventually end up splitting per person, but he and SIL were obviously annoyed about it, so AIBU in wanting to split per person, rather than per adult?

DB definitely does not have money worries so this isn’t his reasoning. If he was struggling, I’d be more than happy to put a bit extra in to help him out.

OP posts:
Original poster
SpottyPotties · 17/02/2025 00:26

Thanks for your replies. I was beginning to wonder if I’d missed something, but I really can’t see any logic where his family consuming 4 adult meals should only pay for 2 of them.

OP posts:
PullTheBricksDown · 17/02/2025 00:25

Of course they were annoyed. They thought they could make their bill cheaper. Sometimes the thing a situation looks like is exactly what it is. You'll be prepared next time.

healthybychristmas · 17/02/2025 00:19

The problem is that when someone like him starts to insist on doing it in particular way, it nearly always advantages them

MolkosTeenageAngst · 17/02/2025 00:18

Not unreasonable to split per person if everybody has had an adult’s meal and eaten a similar amount, even if some in the group are children or teens. Obviously in a case where there is a cheap kids menu and they haven’t ordered an adults meal it would be different, but in your scenario you were not being unreasonable.

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