If a friend is paying the restaurant bill, are you conscious of the price of menu items? (husband, neighborhood)

[fleetiebelle]

Originally Posted by luzianne

But still, $33 is not much for four people. Now if you ordered a grilled cheese and they ordered steak and lobster, that would be rude!

I was gonna say. $40 for four people including tip, apps and drinks is super cheap.

[FromChicagotoSeattle]

Yes, I do, but in your example you ordered such a cheap and simple dish, it would be hard to match that unless I ordered the exact meal you did. How do you expect for them to order a $4-5 meal when even you admit it was the cheapest on the menu? Yes they may have gone a little overboard (I probably would've kept it around $7ish given the circumstance) but you know your friends. When you say you're paying, some friends will be more careful not to order pricier foods and some will splurge when it's not their money. Know when to offer to pay and when not to.

When I offer, I expect and want my friends to order apps, main dish, dessert and drinks. I definitely don't want them to order the minimum because I'm covering and they're trying to be "nice". I'm offering because I want them to enjoy and I can afford it.

[easternerDC]

I normally try to be more on the conservative side when someone offers to treat, unless they say,please order anything you like. But even then, I would never go crazy.

However, if I were in your friends shoes, I would feel odd, since your order was so basic and simple, I can't imagine there were many options in that range. What your friends ordered does not seem over the top.

[old_cold]

My meal is almost always less than anybody I am 'treating' so I wouldn't expect them to try to match me and in a diner it's going to be fairly well limited anyway but what fries me (pun intended?) is when several extras are ordered and then hardly eaten.
As an aside....on the choice of wings, etc ...brunch is word concocted to combine breakfast and lunch so any combination of the two menus should be expected.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by cheryjohns

Greed. No doggie bag - she ordered the most expensive things she could order. Even had it been need - out-spending me 1:9 was crossing the line. I ordered a typical lunch. She ordered lobster, with the crab add-ons, etc. Also the most expensive wine on the menu, although she doesn't normally drink wine - just went for the money. Like I said, I felt like I was in a sit-com.

Well, I was trying to give her the benefit of the doubt but that ears it. You were right to warn-off your friend and coworkers.

[Dayton Sux]

do you try to keep the cost of your meal roughly in the same ball-park as the friend's meal? P

I do, or order a low-cost item or something like a dinner salad. Part of this is about weight watching, part is not to be rude and take advantage.

[progmac]

i try to. but i would consider the OPs example of contrasting meals in the same ballpark.

[cpg35223]

Yes. Just because they're buying doesn't mean you order the most expensive thing on the menu.

[mondayafternoons]

Yes, I am...not to the extent that I wont order a beverage ,I enjoy tea or coffee with my meal and when friends have taken me.to eat I usually do order a basic beverage and.then one of the less expensive items on the menu...no alcohol or famcy appetizers unless THEY say " hey, wanna split some cheese sticks" or something...same for dessert, i wont order it unless the friend says " wanna get some dessert?".....so my rule for myself is order one of the lesser expensive items along with a beverage, no alcohol, appetizers or dessert unless friend invites me too

[progmac]

if i was taking friends out, i would order a little more than usual (including a soda even though i barely drink it) so they felt comfortable getting whatever.