To think you don’t get out of paying the bill because you don’t drink?

You either split the bill or you don't. If you do, you suck up any kind of discrepancy with prices between who had what.

There's nothing wrong with either option - just make sure you make it clear before you start, so everyone knows where they stand.

I'm British, but have lived in the US for 18 years. Over here, it's easy to get separate bills and only pay for what you have, but you MUST tell the server at the start. It's something to do with the restaurant-industry software. It's much more difficult to separate it out by what people consumed later in the process. But doing individual bills from the start is very easy.

Years ago, when going out in groups in the UK, I remember it was very difficult, if not impossible, for restaurants to separate out what everyone had. My question is, has that changed? Can you be billed individually if you ask at the start? It's been about 20 years since I've been out for a group meal in the UK that wasn't family, with my dad usually paying for everyone!

I apologise humbly for that typo. Well done to you for spotting it.

I certainly should have checked my typing. I should have, indeed.

Why are people not understanding the OP? Is it because they are so quick to jump in with the ‘I’m not subsidising anyone’s booze’ - this isn’t what happened…. She made them split her cokes which were about £1 less. Petty.

Next time this happens, loudly jump in with “I’ll go first because I know what I had and then she’ll go second because hers was also cheaper and she knows what she had”

We all need a repertoire of stock responses to prepare for these cfs.

Serves her right for not tipping.

I think 3 classical colas is a lot. She might have won out on the bill but I doubt she got a good night's sleep?

maybe she was being unreasonable because she was on a sugar high😂
I don't understand why you didn't say X's is (cost of her food + classic coke + her portion of service if there was any, then split the bill three ways between the rest of you.

That's cheap for alcohol! Maybe she just assumed there would be a much bigger difference between alcohol and Coke. I would!

We play our cards right we could earn a place in Mumsnet Classicals.

OP you’re giving me the ick saying classical cokes all the time 😂😂😂

I also read the posts! Maybe OP and her friends should of thought of it at the time 🤷‍♀️ then there’d be no need for the thread.

You’ve tried so hard to write your post well, whilst also trying to be condescending yet you can’t even spell the word because?….

I'm a non drinker and would absolutely not expect others to pay for my non alcoholic drinks.
You made a mistake splitting the bill - she should have paid for her own drinks, I don't see what difference it makes if they were alcoholic or not - still drinks with a cost and she drank them! She sounds like a cf. Live and learn as pps have said!|

I genuinely hate when people just 'split the bill'. I do drink, but not really if I'm eating, I prefer soft drinks. I also might be on a budget, so I'll be damned if I'm subbing 5 wines Wendy when I've just had a coke.

YANBU - I think a lot of people are not understanding that you ended up paying for her drinks.

Totally fair enough that she didn’t want to pay for your alcohol but she should have paid for her own drinks. You should he just calculated her bit (including the cokes) for her to pay, then split the rest between the alcohol drinkers. She possibly didn’t realise that someone had calculated it incorrectly but otherwise she’s a CF.

The way it was split wasn’t right. It should have been just everyone pay for what they had. You sound judgmental.

I fear ‘classical cola’ might actually catch on after this thread 😆

YANBU - you’re talking about a couple of quid. She sounds tight. And people on here are spectacularly missing the point she didn’t even pay for her drinks or tip…

Since there was so little difference you either spit the bill or all just pay for what you have had. But she has got you to subsidise her meal by saying ‘I’m not paying for your booze’. Why should you pay for her 3 cokes?

Classical copses

No I would obviously pay for all of my drinks and my food too. Maybe I misread, sorry.

I assumed that PP was deliberately taking the piss, since no-one could be that stupid.

Surely no one thinks that this woman’s three copses should be paid for by her fellow diners because they don’t contain alcohol?

The number of people who are utterly missing the point, this late into the thread when that initial misconception has been corrected over and over again, is staggering to me.
It's the lack of comprehension that aggrieves me, not a £2 drinks bill.

Often when I go out I order steak or wine and always calculate for what I had and pay that and now all my friends do the same.
No arguing. You eat and drink to your budget and no one else has to pick up the bill.
it seems unfair you had to pick up her drinks. I would have suggested you all just paid for what you had.

She sounds like a right penny pincher. The sort to chip in "I only had a tap water and a grain of rice" and the sort to run off early to catch the train conveniently before the bill comes in avoiding paying their share of the tip/service charge. I would understand if one person had multiple cocktails and she had water but come on, life is really too short. If there's a few pounds difference, save everyone and the waiting staff the ballache and just split the bill. If you have to quibble over a few quid, perhaps you should prioritise things other than going out.