Splitting the meal bill with a large group

[BrassicaBabe]

So, going out with work colleagues for the first time since Covid. There wi be over 20 of us for a curry. Mostly drinkers. But a good chunk of non drinkers too.

Without sharpening a pencil and working out 20 x individual bills is there a fair and logical way of splitting the bill that folks have had success with?

Ffs! If there's someone not eating much or getting a special dish they might pay separately.

Then everyone pays for their own drinks. I've been at too many meals where the drinks have either cost non-drinkers lots of money or the organizer is stuck with a big bill.

Surely for 20 though, you'll be pre-ordering or choosing from a set menu?

People will be less up for this with the col crisis... I've seen it recently....people choosing cheaper options then wanting to just pay for what they've had....I can't blame them

Unless there was a huge discrepancy in incomes, I have never done anything but simply divide the bill. I understand some people don’t drink alcohol but it’s too much faff to do otherwise. Drinkers can put cash tip down.
Obviously if it’s a group of two generations, the parent generation just settles.

Have had this before ended up paying a lot more. Recently I have paid for my drinks at the bar. Left earlier if this is possible put my money on the table rounded up and then left a tip. Some people clearly haven’t liked it. But why should I pay for all their starters desserts and coffee plus lots of bottles of wine when I only want one glass or a soft drink.

I don't mind splitting food but I don't like paying for others' drinks when they've had several alcoholic beverages and I've had one orange juice and water.

agree separate food and drinks bills is a good idea

as organiser you get to choose!

I'd suggest everyone take cash and put it into the kitty as they order so nobody gets away with paying for less than they've actually had.

All these methods work well if youre with friends or people who have the same ideas re settling up, paying for what theyve had, being honest and beiing decent to the waiter. You just need one person who's an asshole to mess it up for everyone and leave some other poor eejit with the bill or havign to cough up extra to chip in. I would suggest, circulating the menu beforehand and asking people to pre-order and pay upfront for their meals + tip. Then on the night, to please just pay for their drinks and top up the tip jar. Much easier to keep track of and less place for the shirkers to hide. This is a cynical post but Ive been caught out several times with these big groups!

Separate drinks from food

Your parents pay the bill every time?

This is definitely not normal in my world

I don't drink but I can EAT. My food bill often exceeds that of my fellow eaters so I ALWAYS insist on paying for what I've ordered because I don't want other people paying for my food, especially as I eat more.

I do this with everyone except DH who is 6ft 2 and 12 stones, I'm 5ft 2 and 8stones 7lbs and I eat more than he does but obviously we just pay our one bill.

Equally, I always object to paying for other people's alcohol. I'll drink 1 lemonade, I'm not paying for your booze.
I'm the diner who, when people sit around looking blank and assuming it will all just be split, speak up and ask that the bill is given based on what everyone has eaten and drunk invidually and when it's a big group, I make a point of saying it to the restaurant, in front of everyone else, right at the beginning when they come to ask you what you want to drink.

I do not want other people paying for my massive food bill and I do not want to pay for your alcohol.

I have NEVER seen a couple of glasses of fizzy soft drinks cost more than a 'glass or two' of wine.

What a joke!

Just say no. Why should you pay more!? No point feeling affrieved after the event. Just pay for what you eat and drink.

I would ask for 3 bills.

1. Food
2. Soft Drinks
3. Alcohol

Bill 1 split between everyone, bill 2 split between the non-drinkers and bill 3 split between alcohol drinkers.

Bet the glass of wine was at least double that though.

huh?

My parents don't settle the bill. In fact it's normally me that pays when my parents are with us.

Do your parents pay for every meal you have with them?

One person can pay the whole bill. Take a screen shot. Then ask each person to transfer over what they had by looking at the bill.

nobody will complain because believe me nobody wants to pay for other peoples food and drinks!!!

you’d need to set up a WhatsApp group with everyone in then you screen shot the bill and put it in.

if some people pay cash no issue just deduct that from what you pay on your card

The bill will have the food as one total and drinks as another before the final total. Split the food equally and drinks between the drinkers with a donation from the non drinkers.

I would tell people in advance if you are going to split the bill into drinkers and non - if I had a half a lager I'd be pissed off if I was then having to pay for those who were drinking heavily all night.

Three people sharing one bottle of wine between them isn't the same as someone downing multiple cocktails either.

Don't most places get big groups to order (and usually pay) in advance so you can work out how much food will be before you go?

Any time I've got out with a group we've always just paid what we've individually spent, it's not hard.

Maybe get the bill just for food and ask people to order their drinks and pay at the bar separately?

Don't think drinkers/non-drinkers always works. Among drinkers there's always someone who just has one glass of wine from a shared bottle, while others will share the rest of that bottle then share one or two more (and different people will order the next bottle so everyone loses track of how many were ordered and who shared what proportion of them). The beer drinkers never keep track of how many they've ordered either.

Separate bills rarely works in curry houses either because there are so many shareable starters and mains.

Really the best method I've found is for anyone who's ordered significantly less (food or drink) to simply announce first that they'll be paying X because they only ordered Y, then the rest of the bill is divided between the rest of the party. Among friends and decent people this isn't an issue.

Our works meal is at a place where you bring your own booze. It saves I cannot tell you how much hassle.

But yeah otherwise make sure everyone is clear AT THE START OF THE MEAL what the process will be.

Meh. I spent years going to work meals with a colleague who insisted on paying for only her share when she was on one course and one soft drink but was happy to split evenly when she was on 3 courses and wine/cocktails.

People like this will always take the piss, expecting non-drinkers/folk on a budget to contribute to their expensive boozy night out. These days I pay for only my share whether I'm budgeting or binging.

As the organiser I'd put it out in advance that you expect that everyone will pay for their own food/drink plus tip, that way the only folk who will (and should) be embarrassed about not stumping up are those that were intending to take the piss.

It's not a biggie to ask for a split bill, and if you declare now that that's your plan then it get the awkwardness out of the way.

Seriously? I would not have the money to do this and most people I know wouldn't either!

And @runninglikewater you'll still get the cf who 'forgot' they had 3 not 2 drinks, they had the dish with a supplement etc!

You can pay the £800+ then, thanks.

I'll definitely pay you back on Monday. Yep.

Yes, definitely don’t do this unless you want to spend months chasing everyone up for payment. Utter madness!