Your birthday, your shout? AIBU?

[EdenFlower]

If you invite a friend out for a drink for your birthday do you pay, expect them to pay or split it?

Usually we would split it.

I would pay for the birthday person or happily split.

I would expect to buy rounds whenever I go out with friends. I don’t expect anyone to pay for me.

Split as normal! I'd buy my friend a drink if we were out on their birthday, but wouldn't bat an eyelid if nobody got me one on mine. I'd usually take a gift and card anyway so the meal would just be normal set up.

One drink, I don’t think it matters. I would expect both people to offer to pay, and the birthday person to accept their friend’s generosity, but if it doesn’t work out like that, I’d not think much about it unless one of them is a notorious parasite. More than one, I’d expect turn-taking.

If its the birthday person who has done the inviting I would expect it to be split. Though I would buy the first round if it was someone's birthday.

Seems a bit ridiculous to say 'hey, it my birthday fancy going for a drink?' And the turning up expecting to be paid for all night.

If it's meeting in a pub I'd generally buy the birthday person 1 or 2 drinks.

If it's a meal with several people then everyone pays for themselves.

I'd probably pay for the birthday person, definitely wouldn't expect them to pay for me!

Oh also my brother and his mates have a weird thing that if it's their birthday, they have to buy the first round. So it would be different again there

Split.

Just two normal friends going out for a birthday drink? I’d expect to split it. Most people wouldn’t dream of asking someone out for a drink, for any occasion, and then expect the other person to pay in full.

Split it and probably buy a drink for the person who is having their birthday.

I'd expect us to pay for our own or do rounds

Just split it. Although I might offer to buy the first drink

FIL always invites people out for dinner for his birthday and pays for everyone.

Buy the birthday person a drink and thereafter split between you.

but I think it's some cultural thing from a country where he spent a long time

If, as you say, it were my birthday, and I'd invited someone for a drink, then I would pay.

Of course things might develop on from that, more drinks, a meal etc, so I'd play that by ear, but still be ready to pay.

Depends how many drinks.
Whoever invites pays first drink and split after that.

This is a cultural thing. Here your birthday and you invite means you pay, like first round or something

Hmm, thanks for the replies- when I invite someone out I always buy the first drink and then split if more than one round. I would never expect anyone to buy me a drink because it was my birthday. Maybe I'm resentful because friend I'm thinking of is generally a leech- so when it's their birthday they seem to expect everyone else to pay for them but never reciprocate on my birthday!

Usually just split or rounds as usual

If birthday person feels generous or can afford it they may pay for everyone. Never does the birthday person invite everyone out and expect to be paid for, however if it’s a pub situation people might by them a drink (but then they would also buy drinks for others)

Can you just stop doing it then? Until you stand up for yourself, the dynamic won’t change.

If they are a bit of a leech it would annoy me too. Had, I won't say friend but acquaintance like that years ago. I eventually told him to go home and get his wallet after "he forgot it" one too many times! It was a short walk back to his btw. It is so annoying!
With most people I would usually buy them a birthday drink though.

@EdenFlower

Hmm, thanks for the replies- when I invite someone out I always buy the first drink and then split if more than one round. I would never expect anyone to buy me a drink because it was my birthday. Maybe I'm resentful because friend I'm thinking of is generally a leech- so when it's their birthday they seem to expect everyone else to pay for them but never reciprocate on my birthday!

Well in that case, take their lead and do the same.

Not a problem, surely?