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Original poster

She ordered a Curry and hasn’t paid me

792 replies

OnePeachA · 22/03/2025 20:51

Friend came to my house

I was going to cook but she asked if I fancied a curry. I said that would be really nice actually

Her JustEat app wasn’t working so I said have a look on mine for places that are open. She picked Indian.

I put everything I wanted in and she added hers. Total came to £52ish. Over 65% of that cost was hers.

I said I could just check out and sort it later. I have messaged to ask if she had the money today as a gentle reminder, and she said she thought it was my treat?

I said oh, we must have got crossed wires then. She said ‘I did cover the shop’

She went to the corner shop for wine and snacks. I got a Grape Fanta!

Where do I go from here? Leave it? Was it reasonable for her to assume it was in fact my treat?

OP posts:
Cloudyvibes · 23/03/2025 13:05

This thread has been very interesting in regards to what people think should be ordered and what shouldn’t be at a Indian😂

I am intrigued that someone thinks it’s either rice or naan! We have both and so do a lot of people I know when we have been out for an Indian meal. Don’t think I could eat my Indian without a naan bread covered in mint sauce dipped in my rice😂😂

BunnyLake · 23/03/2025 13:05

springisspringing1 · 23/03/2025 12:55

Interesting that she manages to use the JustEat app (has it on her phone), but doesn't have access to online banking??? Don't most apps link to your online bank?!

I was doing online purchases long before I got a banking app.

BunnyLake · 23/03/2025 13:03

ItsaWarmWindfromtheWest · 23/03/2025 12:59

Because it sounds excessive when they are also having rice and curry etc.

Edited
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There are no rules though. 😁

BunnyLake · 23/03/2025 13:03

ExpatMum41 · 23/03/2025 12:49

Op hasn't said where she lives, though. Getting mine and my husband's usual order from my local Chinese (in a village on the GM-Cheshire border) came in at least 10 pounds cheaper than when we ordered it from my friend's local in Waltham Abbey, but similar to the price we paid to another takeaway in Leicester.

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I stopped doing takeaways because they are just too expensive where I am now now.

ItsaWarmWindfromtheWest · 23/03/2025 12:59

MarkWithaC · 23/03/2025 12:56

Why not?

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Because it sounds excessive when they are also having rice and curry etc.

ItsaWarmWindfromtheWest · 23/03/2025 12:59

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe · 23/03/2025 12:48

Messy, OP. You said you were going to cook. Presumably you weren't going to charge her for that?

Your friend suggested a takeaway - that was your cue to say, 'Great, let's pay halves' or 'pay for what we order' - before that order was made.

Make a point of being upfront and clear so that no wine or grape fantas will be purchased to further muddy this friendship.

Why would an adult with half a brain think that a takeaway was a freebie compared to something rustled up at home?

MarkWithaC · 23/03/2025 12:56

LuckySantangelo35 · 23/03/2025 12:54

Why three naans?? @OnePeachA

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Why not?

springisspringing1 · 23/03/2025 12:55

Interesting that she manages to use the JustEat app (has it on her phone), but doesn't have access to online banking??? Don't most apps link to your online bank?!

LuckySantangelo35 · 23/03/2025 12:54

OnePeachA · 22/03/2025 21:38

On the list was

Butter chicken
Sweet Naan x3
Rice
Vindaloo and rice
Coke 1Ltr
Delivery fee £5

Why three naans?? @OnePeachA

HellDorado · 23/03/2025 12:50

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe · 23/03/2025 12:48

Messy, OP. You said you were going to cook. Presumably you weren't going to charge her for that?

Your friend suggested a takeaway - that was your cue to say, 'Great, let's pay halves' or 'pay for what we order' - before that order was made.

Make a point of being upfront and clear so that no wine or grape fantas will be purchased to further muddy this friendship.

If someone is turning down the food you’ve offered to cook them, you don’t need to specify that they’ll have to pay for their takeaway.

ExpatMum41 · 23/03/2025 12:49

BunnyLake · 23/03/2025 12:43

I’ve also done a check and it’s around £44 including delivery fee. I’ve assumed single servings unless stated.

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Op hasn't said where she lives, though. Getting mine and my husband's usual order from my local Chinese (in a village on the GM-Cheshire border) came in at least 10 pounds cheaper than when we ordered it from my friend's local in Waltham Abbey, but similar to the price we paid to another takeaway in Leicester.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe · 23/03/2025 12:48

Messy, OP. You said you were going to cook. Presumably you weren't going to charge her for that?

Your friend suggested a takeaway - that was your cue to say, 'Great, let's pay halves' or 'pay for what we order' - before that order was made.

Make a point of being upfront and clear so that no wine or grape fantas will be purchased to further muddy this friendship.

bigkahunaburger · 23/03/2025 12:47

I just wouldnt be friends anymore. Not saying Im right, but bringing it up and her sending the money, would just have me cringing inside out and be annoyed, so I wouldnt want to be friends anyway. And her doing this would just sour it completely. I just cant abide tight people.

BunnyLake · 23/03/2025 12:43

BatchCookBabe · 22/03/2025 21:49

Just checked my local Indian takeaway. All of this food comes to around £24. Would be £29 with the fiver delivery fee.

Where the F are they getting £52 from?! Shock

Also, this woman sounds like a shit friend. I'm sure you can do better!

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I’ve also done a check and it’s around £44 including delivery fee. I’ve assumed single servings unless stated.

BarneyRonson · 23/03/2025 12:37

Maybe OP has quite a bit more money than the guest so it would seem natural to buy her a meal. Maybe the guest spent money just to get to OP’s house so it seemed a fair distribution of finances for the weekend overall. Maybe the guest is always with her bloke who pays for stuff, and she’s not used to paying. Maybe OP’s cooking is dire and the guest is broke.
the main take away from this - apart from the huge amount of sweet Nan - is that communication is key: if you are puzzled as to how to speak clearly about a financial glitch you are in a pickle bigger than the current one.

Smittenkitchen · 23/03/2025 12:36

What a total CF!!! Re. her latest reply. Absolute cheek and further attempts to wriggle out of paying because it will be "oh so tricky" to organise. Think she's still hoping you'll say to forget it. The bill seems huge for what you had! But that's beside the point.

MarkWithaC · 23/03/2025 12:31

MidnightMeltdown · 22/03/2025 22:55

Surely if you’re ordering a rice each you don’t need naan? You’re supposed to order one or the other 😂. No wonder it was expensive!

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'supposed to'? What happens if you don't? Do the food police come round?
Have you never heard of half rice half chips?

ExpatMum41 · 23/03/2025 12:27

TheGhostOfPatButcher · 22/03/2025 21:35

But then, I stopped ordering them when it got to £40 for four of us!! 😂

Christ, I remember my favourite Indian (well, Bangladeshi really) used to charge £6.50 for lamb curries and £6 for chicken, but that was of course, "back in the day". In fact, if the student loan was stretching a bit thin, we used to get biryanis since they were much cheaper as they already had the rice in 🤣

I have to say though, Indian meals are still significantly cheaper back in the UK than over here (Slovakia), 2 meat mains, 1 starter, 1 rice and 1 naan costs around 35 EUR on average. Will have to cut down on the starters once the kids start eating curries too 😁

ChampagneLassie · 23/03/2025 12:26

Agapornis · 22/03/2025 22:03

Don't do online banking my arse.

Do you use Paypal? You can email/text her a Paypal request, and she doesn't need an account, just her card. She should select 'friends & family' though otherwise you end up paying a fee.

Do this, eliminate her excuses

OnePerkyRedDog · 23/03/2025 12:25

MidnightMeltdown · 22/03/2025 22:55

Surely if you’re ordering a rice each you don’t need naan? You’re supposed to order one or the other 😂. No wonder it was expensive!

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Says who?

We share a rice and a large chips and get a naan each 🤷🏼‍♀️

Thursa · 23/03/2025 12:21

TheShadowOfTheWizard · 23/03/2025 03:08

Peshwari nan. Made with coconut and sometimes raisins. And almonds. If you get a good one, it's magnifico.

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Thank you, sounds really tasty!

ChampagneLassie · 23/03/2025 12:21

arcticpandas · 22/03/2025 21:05

CF! Remind her you were going to cook but she said she wanted to order a curry so you thought it would be her treat but you're willing to split the Bill with her even though she ordered more than you.

This is what you should say. She is a massive CF so be blunt

user1471538283 · 23/03/2025 12:21

Didn't realise? Nah she knew alright. People are very clear when they are treating. All this rubbish about going into a branch means I doubt you'll see the money.

Judgejudysno1fan · 23/03/2025 12:18

stillwaitingtobepaid · 22/03/2025 21:02

This has made me laugh 😆

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Haha I thought it was a dry joke ! It was a good one

thankyounextplease · 23/03/2025 12:15

Happyspendingthedayinthegarden · 22/03/2025 20:58

£52 for 2 Indian meals?!!!😨

All the places on JustEat, Deliveroo etc charge more for each item than they do in-house/direct to cover the costs of being on the platforms, and then there's the delivery fee as well.

I went to Wagamama in person the other week and was genuinely shocked at how cheap it was, it must have been half the price vs ordering on Deliveroo.

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