Paying for a meal

[Wheresmemum]

I'm organising a meal for a group of people who don't know each other very well. I don't know the others that well either. The aim is to arrange regular meals in a social setting, get to know each other and make friends etc. I've usually only ever gone out for meals with family or friends I know really well and the bill has always been shared between whoever is there, no problems. But what do people do in a social situation/meal where they don't know the other people that well? Do we share the bill or just pay for what we've eaten individually?

I'd say everyone pay for their own, or go somewhere with a set menu, so the costs are the same for all. People to buy their own drinks at the bar, if there is one.

Oh and make it clear beforehand. Send a message like "I have booked x, the menu is £y per person, excluding drinks. To keep things simple, let's all just pay for our own" and share a link to menu if you have it

I do this kind of thing regularly. You each pay for what you've had. We pass the bill round at the end and calculate our share.

Definitely don't split the bill as it just invites cheeky fuckers who have steak and cocktails to foist most of the cost onto the person who had a pizza and a coke because they're on a tight budget this month.

Agree at the beginning of the event and stick to the agreement. Splitting bills equally when someone hasn't drunk, one person had three courses and everyone else had two, yadda, yadda, yadda builds resentment and will quickly kill off the arrangement. On holiday in the States a few years ago we are at a restaurant where a group of female friends on a nearby table each got an individual bill. A bit more work for the restaurant, but so much easier for everyone. I have no idea if restaurant billing software allows for this easily or not.

Everyone pay for what they’ve had and remind them to tip towards the service charge that is customary with big groups.

Thanks for the great advice! Which I've taken, I've booked the restaurant and told everyone the simplest way to sort the bill is everyone pay individually for what they have, plus share the tip. Thanks again 💐