Was he unreasonable?

[ButterflyBailey]

I have never posted in AIBU before but need an honest opinion.
So, I went for lunch with a friend. I had a meal that was cheaper than my friend's. He had Steak and a dessert whereas I had no dessert and a reasonably priced meal. I suggested to my friend that we pay for what we had to eat. My meal after a misunderstanding was on the house. I insisted I pay for my meal but the restaurant wouldn't let me. He then said we would go halves. What we were going halves on was just his meal. I felt this unfair as he was the one ordering expensive things from a restaurant which isn't exactly cheap. In the end we did go halves but I feel the he was unreasonable to say that to the waiting staff. I would have paid for the drinks and felt he should have paid for himself since that was originally the idea. Who is unreasonable? What should I do?

I'm with you. He should have paid for himself but like you, I would have paid for the drinks. I'm assuming you were a bit disadvantaged by the mix up so that's why you got your meal free. I wouldn't have paid it though

I wouldn't have paid for half his meal.

Did you not say anything to him?

He then said we would go halves.

Hope you laughter and said " dream on" or "worth a try". If you didn't (haven't RTFT yet), why not?

Did you actually pay it? Is anyone this much of a push over 😱

I would have gone halves as one meal was free.

I wouldn’t have paid. His meal his responsibility. I might have paid for drinks

Lesson learnt, tell him next time you will be asking for separate bills

Amazing CFery for him but honestly, why did you let him get away with this?

It really just encourages people to try it on. If everyone held firm, this nonsense would stop. They only do it because it works.

Please don't let someone push you around like this.

How much was the meal

How much was your "free" meal

He was unreasonable to ask you to pay half...but you were somewhat unreasonable not to offer.
He was more so though

If I got a meal on the house unexpectedly I would definitely offer to go halves on a friend's meal. Would feel a bit uncomfortable watching them pay full price while I didn't need to put my hand in my pocket. Share the good fortune and all that.

The fact that he ordered a steak is immaterial. Half of his meal surely can't be more than your whole meal so you're still within budget.

Wow I'm surprised so many would pay for someone else's meal if they got theirs free, I use to go to dinner with my sister and she would often have vouchers for free meals she never offered to pay half for mine because of this and I would never have expected it, I didn't realise it was a "thing"

@gannett

If I got a meal on the house unexpectedly I would definitely offer to go halves on a friend's meal. Would feel a bit uncomfortable watching them pay full price while I didn't need to put my hand in my pocket. Share the good fortune and all that.

The fact that he ordered a steak is immaterial. Half of his meal surely can't be more than your whole meal so you're still within budget.

This is me also.

What was the "misunderstanding"? If you couldn't eat or didn't enjoy your meal and you weren't charged because of that, I don't think you should split the costs with your friend.

If it was something that had very little impact on you, like they brought the wrong dish and you had to wait while they cooked the correct one or they had got your reservation wrong, I would probably split the cost of the meal with the friend.

@Ashitaka My meal would have been £12.95
Which I insisted I pay.

Also feel a bit uncomfortable thinking of friends as CFs or "trying it on". I'm not a mug and have decent bullshit radar for actual CFs but with my friends, people who I respect and like, I err on the side of generosity. If I feel someone has CF tendencies they don't become my friend!

how much was his?

Why didn’t you say no? He’s a teat.

How much was the half bill? And did "your" £12.95 include your share of drinks or would it have been more?

If it's about the same or less than you would have paid then YABU.
If you ended up paying significantly more then YANBU and he is cheeky.

I left the ball in his court originally to go halves or pay for what we ate. I paid first the waiting staff when she asked how we were paying. I suggested both. It was after we were out of the restaurant I was having second thoughts. Two people in my life have said I shouldn't have paid for his meal. This is why I ask here.

If have paid for drinks and the top and left him to pay for his own dinner.you're not his parent.

If I like someone enough to go out for a meal with just them rather than a group then I am perfectly happy to split 50-50.

I would have paid for how much my meal was or half whichever was cheaper.

I use to go to dinner with my sister and she would often have vouchers for free meals she never offered to pay half for mine because of this

This is different because the sister is going out to somewhere with the intent of not paying (or using vouchers/coupons), whereas getting a meal comped you were intending to pay x amount

How much was half his meal + dessert?

He was really rude to suggest it. You should have said no. He’s not a nice friend.