Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Splitting restaurant bill

974 replies

idontwanttodothisanymore · 06/11/2017 14:37

I’m one of those people who like to pay for just my meal. I hate splitting the bill by how many people there are.

Me and DH went out with his friend and his OH the other day.

Mine and DH meal came to: £31.57
I had pizza and water, he had chicken and one coke.
DH friend and OH meal came to: £49.78
They had ribs, lasagne, chips and 3 drinks.

Final bill was £81.75
DH friend had two vouchers for £20 off, so they both used that.

Then the OH said we could pay the rest. So we ended up paying £41.75 - £10 more than our meal!!!

I had never met her before and was completely shocked that she wanted us to split by 4 when our meal was cheaper.
She was very intimidating anyway so I didn’t want to say anything.

We were going to do 2 bills but the waiter was all flustered so we said don’t bother. Regretting it now!

I know it’s only £10 but our circumstances are so different. They both work and she has one child - he works full time and she works part time. Whereas DH works part time (and overtime if there is any) but I don’t (I had to leave my job due to medically issues), and we have 2 children.

DH doesn’t think I should be annoyed but I really am!
AIBU to be annoyed?

I don’t think I’ll ever see her again anyway, I didn’t get a good vibe from her and she’s just not my kind of person at all.

OP posts:
Rebeccaslicker · 09/11/2017 11:06

I'm laughing at a poster who thinks it's ok to use language that's demeaning to women.

Also why on earth would you always go to the same Italian restaurant and then always order the same thing??? That really does blow my mind. You're here for a good time, not for a long time.

BarbaraofSevillle · 09/11/2017 11:07

McTufty But why don't you order steak and then when the bill comes, say 'I'll stick in an extra £10/12 because I had steak?

Do people really make their choices based on what they see others ordering or expect them to order? Confused

I honestly thought people looked at the menu, made their choice based on what they wanted, how much they planned to spent and how hungry they were and asked for that?

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 09/11/2017 11:10

I’m usually a pig when I eat out except for when I was very heavily pregnant with DS (in December so A LOT of Xmas meals happening with various groups) I was the size of a house, and had a very small appetite. I couldn’t drink booze obviously and pop flared my heartburn up so I’d stick to (mineral) water and usually a small pizza/pasta dish while others had 3 courses and wine (no we didn’t split equally because my friends/colleagues aren’t cunts and wouldn’t hear of me paying what they paid).

Should I text them now and apologise for being an awkward bastard? And say I should’ve kept my pregnant arse indoors if I wasn’t going to “join in” and create more food waste in a world where we already waste too much? It would never have occurred to me that I wasn’t joining in!

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 09/11/2017 11:11

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 09/11/2017 11:12

Also why on earth would you always go to the same Italian restaurant and then always order the same thing??? That really does blow my mind. You're here for a good time, not for a long time.

Maybe because they like the food there and they get a good service?

You’re very intolerant and judgemental, why do you care if a stranger goes to the same place to eat?

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 09/11/2017 11:15

I honestly thought people looked at the menu, made their choice based on what they wanted, how much they planned to spent and how hungry they were and asked for that?

Me too, until this thread. Oh well every day is a school day.

It’s weird that the same people who say they feel awkward when others order cheap food and drink are the same who earlier claimed ‘we’re too busy having and uh-mazing time to notice what everyone eats, so we just split the bill equally.’

Rebeccaslicker · 09/11/2017 11:18

Well let's hope your DS has a better feminist influence, eh? I can take whatever a cheapskate wants to chuck at me. The opinion of a few angry words on the internet means sod all. But if YOU think that word is ok, you should educate yourself.

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 09/11/2017 11:21

But it’s fine to be rude, judgemental, insulting, patronising and generally twattish for the whole thread? Not to mention the obligatory making up bullshit.

And massive LOL to someone who expects others to subsidise her meal to call ME a cheapskate. If you want to believe I am, like I say, knock yourself out, it still doesn’t make it true. I’ll sleep tonight anyway. (Well not really, I have a baby).

Honestly folks, if you can’t afford a lavish meal, without others subbing you, I implore you not to order one and then get pissy that you have to pay for what you eat.

packofshunts · 09/11/2017 11:22

Either make your position clear before bill comes in (or as last resort when when paying)

OR

Suck it up.

This is precisely how CFs get away with what they do!

McTufty · 09/11/2017 11:24

@barbaraofseville

Because my friends won’t hear of it. I do offer and they always say don’t be ridiculous. It’s my issue, I know.

@cherrychasingdotmuncher

Was that aimed at me because I don’t think I have said that I’m too busy having an uh-mazing time to notice what people eat? I do notice but I reverse, in other words conscious if I’m having a lot more as opposed to if other people are.

I don’t feel awkward if someone orders cheap food per se, I feel awkward ordering something a lot more expensive. I am also happy to split or pay for our own as the other people on the table prefer, although I know very few people who want to pay for their own. I don’t have strong feelings about this either way.

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 09/11/2017 11:28

McTufty not at all, just at the few with a bit of cognitive dissonance going on!

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 09/11/2017 11:30

I also agree and have said before that, if we were splitting equally, I’d feel restricted in what I can order. It doesn’t really make for a fun evening if you don’t feel you can eat what you want!

Bluntness100 · 09/11/2017 11:31

Cherry any little credibility you had is totally lost by the fact you’re on a thread about bill splitting of all things calling people the c word, which is totally mysogynistic, and calling another poster it too.

Will you whisper it in your babies ear? Guess what mummy did today, she was online calling people cunts. Go mummy. Or will you wait till they are a bit older and explain how you spend uour time as part of sharing your day, over the dinner table ?

Rebeccaslicker · 09/11/2017 11:32

Well you clearly think it's fine to behave like that, cherry. Your posts are an absolute treat to read!

If you're incapable of reading the numerous examples I've given of my own behaviour, right down to the veggie tapas situation - which must be the only comment of mine you haven't leapt on like it's an extra item on your bill - then I really can't help you.

Best get down boots quick. Those 3 for 2 Christmas offers aren't going to buy themselves Grin

Rebeccaslicker · 09/11/2017 11:33

Thank you bluntness. For a woman directly to call another woman that word is woefully ignorant IMO.

BatShite · 09/11/2017 11:33

It’s weird that the same people who say they feel awkward when others order cheap food and drink are the same who earlier claimed ‘we’re too busy having and uh-mazing time to notice what everyone eats, so we just split the bill equally.’

I know this was a while ago now, but the same posters (unsure if they are still here as it was days ago now) who were saying that they did not total up what everyone has spent as that was silly and nitpicky and tight and everyone should just split equally, were also saying that people who only want to pay for their own stuff tend to miss off a drink when adding up their share Hmm How would you know they missed off a drink if you weren't studying the bill yourself, and even if they did miss off a drink, surely its just being tight to not want to put in for that drink yourself?

Some of the reasoning has been pretty bizarre and hard to follow. But how to split the bill always seems to draw out very strong reactions from people on both sides.

Bluntness100 · 09/11/2017 11:35

For a woman directly to call another woman that word is woefully ignorant IMO

I agree, and to do so over something as ridiculous as how to pay for a restaurant bill is a new low.

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 09/11/2017 11:36

Will you whisper it in your babies ear?

😂😂😂😂

MN is the gift that keeps on giving. Yes I repeat all my internet posts to my children.

I don’t really care what you think TBH, I’m very Hmm about people who let persistent nasty behaviour slide but then throw a shit for at one word. Whatever suits your agenda though!

Rebeccaslicker · 09/11/2017 11:38

There's bad language, which doesn't bother me in the least - and there's demeaning women. If you can't see the difference, more fool you for continuing to propagate it.

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 09/11/2017 11:38

Best get down boots quick. Those 3 for 2 Christmas offers aren't going to buy themselves

Ugh you really are the most vile judgemental snob.

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 09/11/2017 11:40

Oh fuck off with your ‘I only care about the women’ - you’re a nasty piece of work, as your snobbish and patronising posts have shown you to be the lowest of human beings.

Not very ‘feminist’ to attack people for what you believe to not be spending enough money on others? I suspect there’s a bit of champagne lifestyle on a lemonade wage going on here

GinUnicorn · 09/11/2017 11:40

TBH with my friends sometimes we throw in roughly what we all had and sometimes split equally. We always have more than enough for a decent tip. Can't say I care if my friend is poor and orders soup and water and of course then they should just pay what they had. It's just nice seeing people i care about.

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 09/11/2017 11:41

I agree, and to do so over something as ridiculous as how to pay for a restaurant bill is a new low.

Actually it was over nasty and judgemental comments to myself and others. The term is more than fitting but I can find another one for her if you prefer?

Bluntness100 · 09/11/2017 11:43

Cherry, in this instance the person being the nastiest, by a clear mile. is without doubt you. There was no reason to be so deeply offensive as to call another woman this word.

There is bad language and there is bad language and I also find it unacceptable for a woman to call another woman this word, in fact I find it unacceptable for anyone to call anyone it. But to do it over something as daft as how to pay your restaurant bill is shameful.

And yes, I hope you teach your child to do differently than you do.

Rebeccaslicker · 09/11/2017 11:45

Keep frothing, cherry. You're like a human cappuccino. Plenty of posters agreeing with me, but hey, don't let that stop you and your 1970's builder's bum crack name calling. Also lol at you calling me a snob but going on to make huge assumptions about other people's wages and lifestyles. You're blissfully unselfaware aren't you?!