Help settle a restaurant debate.

[IcedTeaForMe]

I wasn't one of the people in this scenario but I was having this discussion with a friend who was.

There are five people out to dinner and they're splitting the billl. One person(my Friend) Karen has a gift card for the restaurant given to her by her employer. The gift card more than covers her share so she generously says that the rest of the gift card can be used to deduct from the bill for the other diners meaning that they'd pay around ten pounds less than they would have without Karen's gift card. One diner objects and says that the remaining bill should be split between all five(including Karen) and not the remaining four because she hasn't actually contributed any money to the bill, only a gift card that she didn't pay for.

It seems pretty clear cut to me who was in the wrong, but I'm curious to know what MN thinks?

Ian's objection was that my friend, Karen, hadn't actually contributed to the billl(according to him) because she used a gift card that was given to her by her employer, therefore in his eyes she hadn't paid a penny towards the actual bill.

The gift card is no different to Karen having been given that amount in cash by her employer, or in her salary. It's still a form of payment that belongs to Karen. So Ian is a twat.

Jeezo of course it's not like a credit card.

Say my employer gave me a £50 voucher for Frankie and Benny's and me and my 5 friends went. The bill comes to £300 so its £50 each. I'd put the £50 in so the bill is now £250 split between 6. All my friends would do the same because the GC has been a present. Technically I'm not out any money. I honestly can't understand why everyone wouldn't do this.

If I used my credit card I'd just be buying everyone's dinner with my own money, so I would be losing money in that scenario. So no it's not the same.

So ian wouldn't have minded the voucher not being used towards his meal at all, would he, seeing as it didn't count.

What a cunt.

Do you donate all the gifts you receive? If someone gives you cash would you do the same?

Nope but in this particular situation I'd use the gift card to benefit the group every time.

Say I have a gift card for a hairdresser, I'd use that on myself.

Say I have one for the cinema and we are booking to see a film as a group of 3, I'd use it for the group.

@Morgan12 its a hobby club's first and last meal out, they're not close friends, and the voucher was gifted to an individual, not the group. If you want to share a gift to you with your friends that's very generous of you (and btw Karen did share it) but not necessary and if you choose to use it to pay for your meal only or half and half, your friends shouldn't be being twatty about it to you because it is YOUR gift voucher.

Karen and Ian are only acquaintances!

In Karen's situation I wouldn't have used the voucher if I wasn't willing to share it.

I'm not saying she wasn't generous. I'm just saying what I would do. And what everyone I know would do.

In Karen's situation I wouldn't have used the voucher if I wasn't willing to share it

It's not a voucher though.

Of course you’re losing money Morgan - you are losing the cash gift

It was her money in gift card form.

And actually if this is a sort of bonus everyone at work gets then it's just her money. The company will have budgeted it and it will be seen as part of salary and benefits. Limited money because she can only spend it in one place.

She did share it.

Blimey, this is going round in circles!!
Well done to Karen and Boo to Ian!

Wow Ian is a top class cunt.
Karen is lovely

@QueeniesPotOfRouge that’s what going Dutch means, paying just for your own.

If I used my credit card I'd just be buying everyone's dinner with my own money, so I would be losing money in that scenario. So no it's not the same.*

But you are because your gift card was part of your remuneration for work..... the employer likely for tax purposes gives gift cards rather than cash. But it's still remuneration.

because the GC has been a present.

If someone gave you cash as a present, would you think you should deduct that from the total bill before also paying an equal share? A present of a gift card is like a present of cash.

that’s what going Dutch means, paying just for your own.

No it really doesn’t, it means splitting the bill evenly amongst everyone.

Source: am Dutch It’s what we do here.

I’ve just googled it and was surprised to see that it means both of those things (how confusing), so it turns out we’re both right

www.google.nl/amp/s/dictionary.cambridge.org/amp/english/go-dutch

Karen is generously offering to share a gift. The objector is being ungracious.
I would thank Karen and keep an eye out for an opportunity to buy her a drink or a coffee at a later date.

I’ve always understood it to mean sharing the bill equally.

I don’t like Ian.

Karen’s employee gave her the gift card to use. They didn’t give it to the group. Karen is very nice and I want a friend like Karen.

@QueeniesPotOfRouge language, eh? :)

PS I don't think Karen is in the wrong, but let's face it, most people would find this socially unacceptable to say "I have a gift card, no bill for me, woo hoo".

No they wouldn't. If someone had given her cash as a gift and she'd used that as payment, no one would say anything, they wouldn't even know. She also used her gift to pay for others. "Karen" is in the right here, the friend is an arse and he can pay his full bill.

Karen had better not tell Ian when he birthday is or he will be nipping round to claim a share of all her birthday gifts too.

What’s the club OP?