How would you split this meal costs?

[SplitTheMeal]

3 adults, 1 child. All related.

A (60s) orders main no starters or puddings. Cost £12.

B (late 20s) orders a starter, and a main and pinched a bit of Ds pudding. Starter was £6, Main £12 so total without the bit of Ds pudding was £18.

C (early 30s) orders a starter and a pudding. Starter was £6, pudding was £5. Total was £11.

D (under 7, Cs DC) has a childrens main and a childrens pudding. Main and pudding were on a deal for £8.

Everyone got one drink free with their meal apart from B who paid a bit more to have an alcoholic drink which added a £. C and D had an extra drink each which where £2 each.

Total meal cost was around £54. I’ve rounded meals up to nearest £.

So how would you split it?

A says adults pay for their own meals and drinks, all put in £3ish for Ds meal and drinks. So A pays £15, B pays £22 and C pays £16.

B says we split it between 3 adults and all pay £18.

C says we split it as per own meals; so A pays £12, B £19, and C £23 (as they pay for Ds meal).

We did resolve this and I am one of the adults. But not saying which or who we went with. I am curious to see how you'd split the meal.

Life is too short! I'd pay somewhere between £0 and £54 according to what I was told.

Definitely C

I couldn't be arsed with that. I'd just pay it all tbh and other adult/ s can pay next time

C. Or A depending on feeling

If I liked them then I'd say my treat, and one off the others would pay next time. We don't keep tally of whose turn but works our fairly evenly over a year. Appreciate I am in a fortunate position to a) afford it and b) like most of my family and my in laws!

C

C.

or I'd just pay for the lot, my treat

B

God is just pay the lot if i was out with family. Someone else would pay another time.

B but if you drip feed and go in to tell us that one of the adults is destitute or tight then I'm prepared to change my mind

C.

B sounds a bit cheeky and was trying to get everyone to subsidise their dinner.

Depends on who it was. If it was me my mum and sister. My sister and I might offer to split in for my mum and half it. Or my mum might say i will get it u can get it next time. If it was colleagues I would each pay our own. Its a few quid difference if its under a tenner difference if price nothing wrong with just splitting it equally.

I would personally prefer A but I do think B is easiest option as less faffing around.

Added context, A is the parent of B and C and Ds grandparent. Retired but has a good income.

B and C both work and have a good income but C is a single parent to D.

C

It's not enough of a difference surely not to just split it 3 ways?

To be honest if I think it was generous of A to offer money towards the child’s meal. If I was the parent I’d feel bad that someone was potentially adding an extra 50% to their meal if you just split it 3 ways

I think if anyone suggests they want to pay for only their consumption, then that's what they should cover. It's not for other people to decide what people should or shouldn't pay for.

If the other parties decide to split the remainder that's up to them.

I would spilt it between the three adults as it's family.

That sounds painful. I'd pay it all not to have to go through that calculating again!

I don't think I have ever been for a meal with family where we would be splitting a bill like this

B.
C and A are too much of a carry on.

If a few pounds matter so much I would go with C.

If family amd friends I would just pay they entire bill and next time someone else can pay. IMO splitting bills and counting pennies is a bit rude and unnecessary

In my family we tend to have one person offer to pay for everyone. When we go on holiday together DH and I pay for accommodation and the single people contribute a share that they decide and DM likes to pay for a big day out and a meal out. No-one is financially struggling though.

In my household A would insist on paying. Otherwise I expect the only acceptable solution to all would be splitting three ways between adults. I’m confused about the dynamics, A seems intent on subsidizing C’s child at the expense of B?