Retirees,group restaurant tab: split even or math out what each eats??

[old_cold]

Originally Posted by Teacher Terry

I always make sure I have plenty of change so I can put in whatever I owe plus tax and tip. Sometimes we have a bottle of wine and we don’t expect anyone to pay for ours. I have noticed that most places here will do separate checks.

change??

[Mightyqueen801]

Originally Posted by old_cold

change??

Well, you don't want to end up paying 15.55 if your share actually only comes out to $15.52...

I suspect she meant singles, fives, tens, and the like. The problem with getting our money from ATMs is that everyone is carrying a bunch of 20s.

I like to do the same--keep some singles and whatnot handy, especially since I travel every month. A major first world problem is wanting a candy bar late at night from the hotel vending machine, finding out the credit card option isn't working, and not having any singles. There's a Rice Krispy treat and a Snickers bar INCHES away and you can't get at them. It's just awful.

[Vacanegro]

Done lots of work group luncheons in my life and as many times as not someone doesn't put in what they owe when splitting evenly. I was recently visiting a very large and packed Mexican restaurant outside the Villages in FL and nearby was a table with at least 45 people eating. The waiter brought every single person there a separate check - I was impressed to say the least but I guess that goes with the territory.

[Mightyqueen801]

Originally Posted by Vacanegro

Done lots of work group luncheons in my life and as many times as not someone doesn't put in what they owe when splitting evenly. I was recently visiting a very large and packed Mexican restaurant outside the Villages in FL and nearby was a table with at least 45 people eating. The waiter brought every single person there a separate check - I was impressed to say the least but I guess that goes with the territory.

Interesting. I found it to be the opposite--that too often there is an excess. If it's really working out to a too-huge tip for the server, the person doing the check might give everyone back a buck or two. I can't remember ever going out and coming up short except for one time when a bunch of church ladies went out to a diner. These two women showed up together and ordered dinners like the rest of us, and when it came time to pay the $20 per-person split, they were rooting around in their pockets and purses and couldn't come up with $20 between the two of them. We covered them, and the women there would have gladly covered them if they'd asked upfront, but instead they went through this whole ruse of pretending that they'd both come out without any money by accident.

Another time that sticks with me as an amusing memory is when I went out for crabs with my friend who lives in the DC area and three of her friends. It was the kind of place where you order a mess of a certain number of crabs for the table, the blue ones that are served whole. I'd never had them before, but I like crabmeat so I thought I'd give it a try.

We all got a drink and some kind of appetizer. I got a bowl of cheese soup. The crabs came out along with a big plate of french fries for the table. I started picking open the crab, but I got grossed out and my throat closed up and I decided I wasn't going to eat the crabs.

Everyone else did, and when the bill came, it was to be split, which was fine because that's always fine with me, plus I did intend to eat crabs when we ordered them. One woman took the check and figured out what we all owed, put it on her credit card and took the cash from everybody.

Later, going home, my friend confided in me that the one who handles the check always volunteers to do so and that she suspects this woman pads everyone else's share and skimps on what she actually pays. I laughed and said, "That's probably why I just paid $50 for a beer, a bowl of soup, and some french fries."

My friend said, "Oh my GOD, I didn't even think of that." I assured her it was fine.

Anyway, the check-splitting woman died earlier this year, unfortunately, but my friend and I were laughing remembering the time we all went out for crabs and I paid $50 for soup and beer.

[Clemencia53]

Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801

Well, you don't want to end up paying 15.55 if your share actually only comes out to $15.52...

I suspect she meant singles, fives, tens, and the like. The problem with getting our money from ATMs is that everyone is carrying a bunch of 20s.

I like to do the same--keep some singles and whatnot handy, especially since I travel every month. A major first world problem is wanting a candy bar late at night from the hotel vending machine, finding out the credit card option isn't working, and not having any singles. There's a Rice Krispy treat and a Snickers bar INCHES away and you can't get at them. It's just awful.

yea i like to have about $100 in singles on hand.

When we go out to eat in our small town, it isn't expensive, so i like to pay with small bills. Leave a couple of singles for a tip. The restaurant likes having small bills on hand for change.

And then most of the small restaurants around here will charge a fee if you use a debit or credit card. No way am i paying a fee -

[JOinGA]

Originally Posted by Vacanegro

Done lots of work group luncheons in my life and as many times as not someone doesn't put in what they owe when splitting evenly. I was recently visiting a very large and packed Mexican restaurant outside the Villages in FL and nearby was a table with at least 45 people eating. The waiter brought every single person there a separate check - I was impressed to say the least but I guess that goes with the territory.

I often go out with a group that gets separate checks. Even if the restaurant automatically adds the tip for large groups, I always add extra because we are extra work for the server and usually occupy the tables longer.