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Doesn’t anyone have a calculator on their phone? I also have an app that calculates the tip. I mainly use it because I like to tip fairly and more if I so choose and because I just really hate it when my friends want to tip just the opposite way. I like to pay my share and ONLY my share (unless it is understood that I am treating someone), and I want to leave the tip that I want to leave.
There shouldn’t be any disputes about what is owed by anyone since the bills are itemized. Or am I missing something?
OP said “no one else wanted to figure out their bill”. Not your problem. I wouldn’t worry about the possibility of the one couple getting one over on the other.
One of the couple's 2 college aged sons left early, and no one paid for their meals. They were trying to divvy it up by 6 even though 8 people were there. and no one felt like calculating apparently. They all acted like they didn't know what was going on.
It reminds me of Jerry Seinfeld's dad Morty arguing with his buddy/nemiesis Jacl Klompus "Don't tell me you didn't have a soda!" I can't find the video,lol.
OP I feel for you, that's a nerve. I would be tempted to get in touch with that couple and say "oh, you must have forgotten your sons had a meal, and it wasn't accounted for when we paid the bill".
Your friends with the kids knew exactly what they were doing. If you could figure out the bill so could they. It's unbelievable when people do that, I just don't go to dinner anymore with people like that.
Location: Stuck on the East Coast, hoping to head West
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I think it was an honest mistake all the way around. I wouldn't make an issue of it, especially since you didn't cover the shortage, right?
We insist on separate checks for large groups. I call in advance to make sure that is an option. If it isn't we skip the restaurant. I live in the DC metro area and there are still some places that won't do separate checks.
Were you clear that you weren't hosting when you issued the invite? When we invite another couple to celebrate with us, we foot the bill. If we don't intend to split the bill, we use different language.
It's over and done. It's not worth talking about or dwelling on. Make different choices next time. Also note that YOU are included in those that didn't want to figure out the bill. Own YOUR part in this.
The couple with 4 diners knew exactly what they were doing AND your friend(s) who picked up the extra $50 is a class act.
In future, I would avoid that older couple---they are moochers. I have no time in my life for moochers.
And when you are not so strapped for cash, take the nice ones out to dinner and pay for it all...or if you are not going be cashy in near future, invite them to your place for a home cooked meal or a fun pizza night. Spend your time with quality folks & never with people who truly are not your friends.
this is exactly why my husband and I only dine with one other couple and we always ask for separate checks , even though they try to pay the whole bill . No I would never let that happen at all and I hate that when people try and do that . my brother in law used to try and pay the whole bill and tell everyone boy that was a meal worth paying for . I got tired of hearing that so we always declined all their future invitations . Yes before you order make sure you say separate checks please .
My wife and I went to dinner to celebrate our new born daughter with some friends. It was an older couple and their 2 grown sons. We had a couple other friends join as well. So we had 8 people total.
We finished eating and the 2 sons left. They were college age and had better things to do and probably were looking for a free meal from their parents. The bill then came and the couple who was responsible for 4 people short changed the bill by 50 bucks!
What happened was no one asked for separate checks so the bill came as 1. No one felt like doing the math. One of my friends said theirs 6 people here, so let's slit it by 6. I said no since it was for 8 people, was an expensive restaurant and not everyone ordered drinks. I figured out exactly what my wife and I owed. We paid that portion.
What happened next was no one else wanted to figure out their bill. There was back and forth and the couple told my friends is what they are putting down good enough? They asked if they could more down on a debit card. The friend said its good enough and no need for the card. But the couple short changed by 50 bucks. They left before the waiter picked up the bill and my 2 friends had to pay the difference of 50 bucks. Basically they paid for 1 of the 4 people. So that's alot.
I hate to say this but i think the couple pulled a fast one by taking advantage of the chaos. No one was drunk and how hard is it to figure out a bill. Bizarre What do others think?
As a matter of etiquette those that drink should "fess up" and offer to pay some arbitrary amount over their share. I really hate "small change" calculations that then have to account for tax and tip.
I dined out with a very large group one time and everyone paid their share of the bill. One of the women in our group asked the waiter what his total tip came to, he told her; and she said it probably wasn't a good enough tip. Since she works in the service industry also, she's very aware of the tipping issue. So she went around asking everyone what they tipped, which was kind of embarrassing, as we'd all left the table by then and had made our way over to the bar to get drinks. Since my husband had paid the bill, I didn't know how much he tipped and didn't know what to tell her. I also felt like she was demanding people pull more money out of their wallet for a bigger tip for the waiter. Her behavior made me very uncomfortable.
I dined out with a very large group one time and everyone paid their share of the bill. One of the women in our group asked the waiter what his total tip came to, he told her; and she said it probably wasn't a good enough tip. Since she works in the service industry also, she's very aware of the tipping issue. So she went around asking everyone what they tipped, which was kind of embarrassing, as we'd all left the table by then and had made our way over to the bar to get drinks. Since my husband had paid the bill, I didn't know how much he tipped and didn't know what to tell her. I also felt like she was demanding people pull more money out of their wallet for a bigger tip for the waiter. Her behavior made me very uncomfortable.
I have had the misfortune of dining with people who I KNEW were notoriously bad tippers. I would never do what she did. I would just add an extra amount to my tip.
I have had the misfortune of dining with people who I KNEW were notoriously bad tippers. I would never do what she did. I would just add an extra amount to my tip.
That's what I've done, too. But this woman was going around wanting to know how much everyone put in for a tip, so she could "find" the person who didn't tip enough. It's actually none of her business how much people tipped because the checks were all separate. She wanted me to get the receipt from my husband and look at it to see how much he tipped, and I didn't want to pester him about it. At that point, dinner was over and we were in the bar socializing and having cocktails. She proceeded to pester other people, too. She was so tacky about it.
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