Group Lunches
So, today I went to lunch with 12 other people from work. The occassion...August Birthdays. So it's not a big deal...we go out, have some food and have fun. Well, the bill comes and of course it's a headache. There were 13 of us and 3 birthday people. We looked at the bill and they tried to calculate out what everyone owes. Then someone says, it's easier to just split it by 10. $16...not a problem. That's always the easiest way to do it. Plus, it's lunch...not like everyone's meal was that different. Anyways, here comes the complaining..."my meal was cheaper (yah by $1), I didn't have a soda (split by 10?), someone had a dessert (split by 10 again?)". God, it's $16. That only makes your portion cheaper by the most $2. What's the big deal. There are 10 people and yes some people are getting a little better deal but it's two freakin dollars. Anyways, in the end we only ended up with $157 (and this included an extra $4 one of the guys threw in). How the hell does the bill still come out short? People are cheap asses and shouldn't come out to eat if they are really going to short the bill by that much. Even if they shorted it by the $2, it wouldn't have been a big deal but apparently, they shorted it by more than that for us to come out short still. OK, I can understand if you went out for dinner and you only had an appetizer or salad that came out to $10 and everyone else had drinks, appetizers, salad, entree and dessert. And you had to put in like $50. Even $20 would be kinda much since it's like double your own bill...I've done that before and didn't really care cause it's $10...but if it happens often, shit that stuff adds up. But come on....we're talking about $2. What can you possibly do with $2? I guess Sushifly can use it towards his AOL subscription that he wanted to cancel cause it cost him like $10/year...or something like that. Where do you draw the line? When is it ridiculous to split the bill evenly and when is it ok?
7 Comments:
Alison from Bermuda here: Shirl, did you know that in Bermuda, if you go out to eat with a group, it is almost always commonly assumed the bill will just be split evenly among your party. Regardless of whether you had wine, dessert, appetizers, whatever, and trust me everything is EXPENSIVE here. It's fine with me actually, it's just easier this way. But it's funny cuz the Canadians who don't know the tradition and who try to point out that they shouldn't have to pay as much, they get called TACS, that's what they call us here, Tight Ass Canadians, apparently we're famous for being cheap. Oh well, I could think of worse things to be famous for. Bye for now!
Alison, I've heard that Canadians are known to be cheap on the tips as well. Can't argue with that; I have a different philosophy on when tip is warranted. (I'm not a tight-ass, but 15% is not granted to the server "just because".)
In any case, you might get to the point where people can take advantage of the "everyone splits the differences" concept. So I can go ahead and order that more expensive meal ($10 more), but really, I only take $1 brunt of it; everybody else gets the hit for the premium meal I ordered?
And no matter what, the bill always comes short. It always does, even if you ask around and everyone has paid "their share". That's why I don't bother being the one to calculate anymore -- I let someone else do it, and I just figure out my part. As long as it's close to my estimates, I'm good, and I leave.
here in taiwan, the "adults" always make a scene fighting for the bill ... sometimes its almost embarrassing. nobody even falls for the i'm-going-to-the-restroom fake during dessert anymore. they'll all be: "wait, i'm coming too" - just to make sure nobody is actually sneaking off to pay the bill first. it might seem weird to have grown men insist on going to the restroom together, but its all just part of the fight-for-the-bill custom.
now, my cousin pulled it off while at dinner with another cousin and her friends. but i guess these ABCs (and maybe CBCs) haven't been indoctrinated by their parents as to the custom of fighting for the bill. now they all call my pick-up-the-tab cousin the "big-brother gangster cousin." liu(2) m'an(2) da(4) ge(1) cousin. ~ jason
You owe me $2 Shirley. Pay me back with interest!!!
-TUNA
I can't quite understand how people can stand in front of a crowd and argue over a few bucks, it's embarrassing and looks really cheap, plus it's such a waste of time. What's a few bucks when you're out at a social event trying to enjoy your time. And don't people know to add tax and tips when they put in they're share even when it's not evenly split?
Where's that $2??? - TUNA
Tuna - were you at the lunch? That's funny how you can be here and Van at the same time.
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