Bill splitter karma

[Payforyourowndinner]

I wanted to share this as often read stories on here of people getting stung by people insisting on splitting the bill when they’ve gone all out on cocktails and steak.

I went out with work tonight, and don’t go often. I was driving so no drink but did have a starter, main, and dessert.

There is a person who works for the company but not on my team who often hears about meals out and adds himself on. No one ever stops him. He does get on with some of the men on my team so all good, but he does go for the steak, wine, sides etc and insists on splitting and folks are too scared to challenge him for some reason. Now as he’s not on my team he’s not on my team WhatsApp group so I put it out there on the chat I wouldn’t be splitting, just paying for my own. A few added that they’d much prefer to do that (and a few of the newer staff are on a lower wage). No one updated the other man (why would they?) so out we went, all ordered. Some preferred one course with water, others the same as me. Some shared wine. He ordered- (I made a note as it was crazy)
bread and oil
A starter
bottle of Rioja
main (steak and chicken)
two sides
dessert
2 pints.
Now, I’m all for going for it, fill your boots, but pay for it.
The bill came, he said “usual is it?”, I said what do you mean, he said well spilt like always. I took so much delight in telling him that we had all decided to pay for our own, times are hard and we have junior members etc. Oh the face, the face!! He said he would never have ordered what he did if he knew we weren’t splitting and I took great delight in saying “you wouldn’t have ordered what you did if you knew you’d have to pay for it all yourself? Didn’t you see some had one meal and a glass of water?”
As we paid the bill I also made sure that they took our payments before his so he couldn’t wangle. He was so red, he paid and left without saying a word.

I can’t believe the cheek of some people.
hope it will make him think twice. I understand friends splitting bills but why would he assume colleagues from other teams would want to pay for his dinner.

I wanted to share the little win. When I was a junior I wouldn’t have stood up to him either, but menopause does things to a woman.

What bothers me about these cunts is, they're not taking advantage of folks on a similarly salary and scale, they actively take advantage of juniors on half their salary, and these tend to be less able to speak up.

Not just a tight wad, a cunt.

I like this response - no ‘sorry’ in there. He needs to account for his attitude. I can’t believe people are actually like this. I work in a very formal workplace but he’d have his arse handed to him with the piss taking forever more.

In a social group, one guy got really annoyed with me, asked for a copy of the menu to check the price of my diet Coke, and then had the nerve to ask if I could give him a lift home.

I hope you laughed in his face!

Absolutely brilliant op.Well done 😃😃😃

Stunningly entitled.

I think it’s brilliant you stood up for your team last night but I’m actually shocked that he would message that and on a works platform too! He knew fine well what he was doing and was hoping other people would pay for him. Surely he should be embarrassed and keeping a low profile instead of wanting to start an argument! I have no idea what he thinks will come of that message.

yes, agreed. This is perfect.

Another vote for thumbs up and no other reply, or maybe just thumbs up and ok, it will leave him spinning in the wind and infuriate him!

Aww bless her. You've done your team a power of good and they'll trust you to have their backs in other scenarios too. 🌹

‘Morning Freeloader. Sorry you feel that way. You’re on a different team so you wouldn’t have been copied in to our own team WhatsApp where it was agreed that because of financial constraints everyone would order and pay individually according to their budget. Apologies - that was a oversight on our part, but by ‘put on the spot’ I take it you mean that on this occasion you didn’t manage to pull off your customary greedy overspend on the assumption that everyone else will shoulder the cost. Happy to hear that you won’t be doing that again. See you next time.xxxx’

The cheek, the nerve, the gall, the audacity and the gumption!

Me too! 😆

Nomorenomores

I’d say, ‘You weren’t put on the spot. You were expected to pay for the food and drink you ordered for yourself, as was everyone’

This is perfect for me. Short and to the point. Please update us op! This is the best thread ever.

I'd have my dinner and water - at home, not on a night out!

No, I wouldn't have coffee WITH my main but after (I rarely have dessert). It feel feels pretty dull and anti-social. I'm obviously in the minority!

And no, I'm not advocating being greedy and expecting everyone else to cover you, but IME it's more typical to have bread and oil or olives etc for the table, a glass of wine, coke, soda water with lime etc, a main and coffee or a port to follow?

£83 for one person 😮 😮 and he wanted people spending £25 to subsidise him. Just wow!! This is exactly why DH and I always ask for a separate bill when out in a group. Then we can go all out if feeling flush or economise if necessary 🤷‍♀️

Oh dear, now poor dinner has to plough through all the posts bickering about posters menu choices 😂

People are just so horrible, wicked and greedy 😒

What an AWFUL man!
Greedy pig of a man expecting others to pay.

I don't drink or eat much so never want to split.
Far better for everyone to pay their own way.

Well done @Payforyourowndinner 👍 👏

This is the answer!!! 😂

Say this.

I've worked more in central government (and private companies) for the past few years. You could even add in a little snippy "you invited yourself along to this team meal out..." (not sure what else to put here). I really would be tempted not to invite him along again at all, because he might choose to escalate to HR based on being forced to split the bill or something else.

If he comes back to you then go straight to your LM or if necessary HR and detail exactly what he's done in the past (do you have previous receipts?) and evidence from now and state clearly, that you are all happy to split a bill, but only when this is done fairly and not to the detriment of other colleagues' funds. I've had Deputy Directors and Directors in government for god's sake say to me and other colleagues in the past more than once, that they pay the bill for a leaving party, for extra bottles of prosecco/wine because they've stated they earn much more than e.g. an EO.

Exactly!

What a cheeky bastard. Can't stand that type of behaviour

Yep, definitely this. He wants a response. The brass neck of him actually messaging OP about this!

Hahaha. What a tool.
I'm sure you've had some great suggestions for a reply op.... But whatever you send back, please don't include the words 'sorry' or 'apologise' in any form.
You can be polite without that.

He put himself on the spot when he assumed others would give the cost of his splurge in a way that puts them on the spot as it's hard for junior staff to push back on senior staff!
I'd be very tempted to point that out.

I’d reply…

You weren’t put on the spot, you simply had to pay for what you had. Whenever you come to these meals, you always order a lot whilst others have far less. My team had been planning this meal for sometime and many said in our WhatsApp group (which you aren’t privy to) that they would rather pay for themselves as splitting the bill only works in favour of those that have a lot. You asked to come, it wasn’t a compulsory work event, surely you realise that in these current times, junior members who had a lasagne and a glass of water shouldn’t pay for your…wait for it…

2 pints of lager
bread and olives
starter
steak and chicken
sweet potatoes
another side which escapes me
a dessert
a bottle of riocha
And a partridge in a peeeeaaar treeeeee!

Come on Mike! I won’t put you down for our next meal, which is scheduled for May 16th? Or are you happy to come if little 21 year old Emily in accounts who is on 18k a year subsides your penchant for riocha?

OP - you are a rockstar. 👌
You are the manager I wish I'd had years ago when in a similar situation as your junior colleagues.

May you prosper. May you be surrounded by good things every day. 💪