Be honest, who has ever done this?

[Moomin8]

I've seen this happen soooo many times. Just why do people think it's ok? To clarify, it does not happen with good friends usually. It's usually when there's a 'party' of some kind or meal made up of either work colleagues or mums from some kind of school or hobby group.

Everyone goes out, some people know each other better than others and earlier on in the evening a sizeable number of people slink off leaving others to foot the bill. Quite often it's those who can easily afford to pay!

Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever done it? Because it seems to happen quite a lot ime!

No, that has never happened to me. What Cheeky fuckerery though

December / pre-Christmas is the prime time for it!

No, this has never happened to me, and I don't know anyone who would do this or has experienced it.

December / pre-Christmas is the prime time for it!

I don't go out alot in big groups like that though (thankfully by the sounds of it!)

Never happened to me, never heard of it happening to anyone I know.

I’ve never experienced this.

But I only tend to go out for meals with friends.

My experience of work meals is management tends to pay.

We usually all eat and leave together after meals are paid for.

I’ve honestly never done this - if I was on a group outing and had to leave early I’d leave enough money to cover my share and a bit extra for tip.

It has happened to me in the dim and distant past, as you say, usually as part of work dinners/drinks. Most of the time it’s because people have got too drunk and have just wandered off, totally forgetting about the bill and have been mortified the next day, paying the person who bailed them out.

Nope never happened to me.

DH has a large group of men he's known since school; they're all scattered about the world now but try to get together each year for a night out. A few years ago I drove over to collect DH and as he got into the car (very, very drunk) he announced "I've had to foot the whole thing, everyone scarpered" and produced a bar and food bill for almost £2000.

Since then he's not allowed to play with those friends any more.

When i went travelling with a big group of people some members of the party would purposely underpay knowing that our tips would cover there part of the bill as well, meaning the waitress missed out. Took us a while to realise but once we did we ensured those particular people paid their fair share

I’m self employed now, but when I worked in NHS and we had nights out, we regularly had cheeky fuckers who would order drinks and then say nothing when the bill was being added up, or put nothing in the tip kitty. I’m actually going out on a catch up night with some of the old staff soon and it’s great because we’ve all looked at the menu, ordered our food and paid the organiser online. We’ll all pay for our own drinks when we order. Saves any hassle and I can order a nice expensive bottle of wine without having to explain why I do t want the house wine or insist that I should pay more towards the bill. After many years of being the vegan that could only eat a stir fry or pasta dish, with no starter or dessert options, but putting money towards everyone else’s three course meals, I’m glad things have improved.

Nope. Never happened to me. Heard a few moans about, "But I only had ..." when splitting the bill is suggested.

Another one in the category "never happened to me".

If you all gathered for a meal, how could someone leave with no one else noticing?

Holy shit FudgeBrownie2019! Did he pull the cheeky fuckers up on it?

I wish I’d had the balls to say “but I only had the shitty stir fry”, when I was younger, DriftingLeaves.

Haha yes, they were all mortified when they realised over the next few days that none of them had paid; they're good guys and I think everyone just got so hammered they forgot the concept of money!

No it’s never happened to me, but only because I’m seriously sharp about making sure I have lots of cash on me, in varying denominations, for any group event. That way I can always pay my share and not have others owe me, or have to put my card in.

It has happened to me, but the person remembered a few days later (by which time I'd forgotten about it) and paid me back. I always stay until the bill is settled.

I see it sometimes.
If there is a 'tab' I do not get involved, I go to the bar and buy my own for whomever. I also make it clear to the person that set up the tab, that I'm not apart of it.
I've still have received texts after events where I've followed my own advice asking me did I buy any of the following drinks..... err no!

It has happened, but when I was a student and with a big group of people, some I didn't know well.

Christ @FudgeBrownie2019 he'd definitely still be allowed to play with them - just make sure he leaves his wallet at home every single time, his meal and drinks are on them for life!!

I was once the person who left without paying my share . I had to rush off early to catch a train and completely forgot to hand over the cash. However, I emailed the organiser once I got home and transferred the money.

I can go one better (or rather worse).

FIL's birthday - MIL invited and generously paid for all of us (we didn't expect her to).

MIL's birthday a couple of weeks later - FIL asks DH to let him pay for everyone on the day but to transfer him our share later.

But then I've always known he was a tight git, now I can add liar to the list.

I've had people who 'had to leave early' just leave a tenner and say, "that should cover my bill," when it really doesn't and that's before adding in a tip. I don't eat out with them anymore.

I do get a bit annoyed with splitting the bill, when the group is made up of people with vastly differing incomes. The richer ones are ordering bottles of wine and starters and the poorer ones are being more frugal and end up subsidising the richer ones.

No if people have to leave early they leave money and often too much. I have become unofficially in charge of money on works nights out so no body would dare.

I have no embarrassment about approaching people the next day and sorting out money, don’t leave it too long - first thing next working day.