How do you handle paying when eating out in a group?

[MrSquished]

Of multiple sizes.

I've lately been tending to split the bill evenly between all parties. Whether I go out with two buddies or we are in a group of 8. I figure sometimes you end up a little behind and sometimes you end up a little ahead.

If it's a small group of 3 and one person really went to town getting the most expensive dishes and drinking far more than anyone, running up a bill like $50+ more than the next, then I'd hopefully have cash and calculate my share and pay that way.

In a party of say 8+, it's just a pain to pay individually, so my vote is to just split it evenly 8 ways and take the hit if you have to.

It's probably a good idea when going out with just a few people is to make sure you have a decent amount of cash on you of multiple denominations just in case you do get into a scenario where 1 person just outspent the rest dramatically. Otherwise split as stated above

What say you?

 

[lxskllr]

Figure it out in the end. Depends on how dinner played out. It'll be some variation on one of your models.

 

[Exterous]

Around here quite a few places will split bills 8+ ways if necessary. I pretty much always have cash on me so I can pay my share pretty easily although I won't stick one or two people with a big deficit if it comes to it. If its just for drinks I'll try and get my own from the bar and start my own tab

 

[ponyo]

One person pays. We don't split it up or pay the person afterwards. It's expected one person to pickup the tab for the group.

 

[olds]

Bill+tip/#people

 

[Red Squirrel]

It depends, usually everyone pays their own tab, at least by default. With family typically each family unit will pay for it's own tab. Like say I go eat somewhere with my parents and sister/husband/kids, my parents pay theirs, I pay my own, and my sister/husband pays their own and the kids. But usually someone offers to pay for everyone and it usually turns into a friendly argument of "nonono I'll pay". etc.

 

[MrSquished]

It depends, usually everyone pays their own tab, at least by default. With family typically each family unit will pay for it's own tab. Like say I go eat somewhere with my parents and sister/husband/kids, my parents pay theirs, I pay my own, and my sister/husband pays their own and the kids. But usually someone offers to pay for everyone and it usually turns into a friendly argument of "nonono I'll pay". etc.

And this is from one check?

You will go down the check and break down what each person had from each family and then calculate it?

 

[Carson Dyle]

If we get one check, we look at it, divvy it up, add tip, see if we have enough. If not, we toss in money as need to get it up to to snuff. I often go out late with service industry people (bartenders, servers, cooks) and it's not unusual for them to tip 50% or more. There's always one guy with the check, counting a pile of money in front him, then saying "The total is $50. We're only leaving $20 on that? No way. Cough it up."

But seems to me that I see less and less resistance in the last 10 or 15 years to separate checks, and that's how we usually go. It's become so common that many servers accept it as standard now and you don't even have to ask them.

 

[TallBill]

Typically people throw in what they should. If it's short, people keep throwing in until it is good. If it's over, someone gets money back. It has never been an issue.

 

[Captante]

Alligator-arms?

 

[iroast]

Everyone should throw in their credit cards and tip 20%. Ask waiter/waitress first. Check bill to make sure 20% hasn't already been added.

 

[RLGL]

even split

 

[Sonikku]

How do you handle paying when eating out in a group?

I quickly rollover when people start playfully arguing about which of them "gets" to pay.

 

[SKORPI0]

even split whenever possible.

 

[Linux23]

How do you pay if everyone has a credit card?

 

[Rumpltzer]

If everyone has a credit card, ask the wait staff to split the bill evenly among the cards given.

 

[MrSquished]

Was with a large group last weekend for Hibachi and the staff split the checks into groups of 7 or 8.

So this one lady started tabulating everything on the check that was her and her husband's. I said we should just split it 7 ways. She protested. I was like just add a 20% tip and split it. She said no way to 20%. I'll concede she was right about that, the service was friendly but some of the slowest service I've ever gotten. She then says well some of you had drinks. That was true, but they only billed one drink for me and two drinks for the guy next to me. And she had the lobster, the most expensive thing on the menu. 10 bucks more than my sirloin. Internally I'm like wtf this is a pretty even situation. Couple bucks here, few bucks there.

At that point I just said look, we'll do a 15% tip and split it 7 ways. And they agreed. I was like finally.

 

[RossMAN]

I usually offer to pay so I can earn miles/points and we settle up afterwards.

 

[Ns1]

credit card roulette like a fucking man.

 

[Red Squirrel]

And this is from one check?

You will go down the check and break down what each person had from each family and then calculate it?

Normally, each "paying unit" will just have their own bill. Ex: if I'm paying my own I will get my own bill, if my parents pay their own they get their own etc.

 

[Cappuccino]

I don't know if this is a UK thing, but everyone pays what they order. However, when I went to Hong Kong, there is always that 1 person will pay all. Fighting and shooting happen when the bill is served in HK you see it almost guarantee when you in a restaurant. Anyone could agree with me if you been to Hong Kong. It's quite a funny scene actually LOL. Same in Sweden everyone pays what they order. OBVIOUSLY unless its a special occasion.

 

[Cappuccino]

How do you pay if everyone has a credit card?

you must be a 100k elitist who pays with a credit card you rich ***************

 

[Kaido]

Even split, unless someone goes crazy on food individually, we make them throw in a fat tip haha. Back in my college days it was every man for himself because we were all making minimum wage & ever dollar counted. Having a decent job as an adult is great because it removes some of the hassle of life by being able to cover non-exorbitant expenses relatively stress-free.

 

[Red Squirrel]

It's interesting how lot of people even split, first time I ever hear of that TBH.

 

[Kaido]

It's interesting how lot of people even split, first time I ever hear of that TBH.

It works best if you're all adults who aren't financially strapped. I just had dinner with a couple of my college buddies the other day & we were talking about that...we were all super broke back in the day & it was nice to have real jobs and just be able to grab lunch without worrying about the bill. I guess I don't have a high bar for a luxury lifestyle, haha.