Splitting bills in restaurant

Yourself isit

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Little demand for splitting bills? it's the subject of the thread.

It is was that simple there wouldn't be a problem.

A few people on the Internet is not indicative of any form of demand.

Yourself isit

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

I wish I only ate out with small groups of friends. In reality eating out is a social activity. We eat out with all kinds of friends, family, colleagues, friends of friends etc.

And you call for seperate bills on all these occasions?

El_Duderino 09

Yourself isit wrote:

A few people on the Internet is not indicative of any form of demand.

Ah here. Why bother taking part in any boards discussions so?

Yourself isit wrote:

And you call for seperate bills on all these occasions?

No. Not always. Sometimes social pressure within the group means it's not appropriate.

If I know I'm cutting my cloth to measure, I will say in advance that I'll pay for my own and everyone else else can do as they please.

If someone else has plenty of money it doesn't mean they have to support a single bill. A small bit of self awareness will mean considering other people and their circumstances.

Yourself isit

The solution for the "I want to pay exactly what I paid for" people is to go to pay up front eateries. Most cafes, caverys, fast food and some pubs.

it is pay later then work out the split amongst the table.

Senator Palpatine

Bebe344 wrote: »

Hi all.

Can anyone help me with a question I have on splitting a bill in a restaurant.
I was in a restaurant in Dublin recently with a friend and as we were going to pay we asked to split the bill. The waitress told us that the restaurant doesn't allow customers to split the bill.
Does any one know if this is legal?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

It's outrageous in this day and age, and an example of the inferior service generally provided in Ireland.

In London, when you go to split a bill, the staff typically come over with a few card machines and sort things quickly and efficiently, no questions asked.

In Ireland, there's often sighing and a feeling that you're putting the staff out.

The facility to split bills should be standard stuff.

Yourself isit

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Ah here. Why bother taking part in any boards discussions so?

Discuss away. But you are complaining that customers are being short changed in general.

No. Not always. Sometimes social pressure within the group means it's not appropriate.

If I know I'm cutting my cloth to measure, I will say in advance that I'll pay for my own and everyone else else can do as they please.

If someone else has plenty of money it doesn't mean they have to support a single bill. A small bit of self awareness will mean considering other people and their circumstances.

The very fact that you admit social pressure admits that this is a rare demand, that most tables do not want seperate bills - which isn't the same as the table dividing the bill as it sees fit.

That's common in some circumstances. A birthday boy or girl may be encouraged not to pay, if someare drinking and others not then the drinkers often sub -divide the drinks cost separately (but evenly, not counting how much each had of the wine).

But one bill per table.

Yourself isit

Senator Palpatine wrote: »

It's outrageous in this day and age, and an example of the inferior service generally provided in Ireland.

In London, when you go to split a bill, the staff typically come over with a few card machines and sort things quickly and efficiently, no questions asked.

In Ireland, there's often sighing and a feeling that you're putting the staff out.

The facility to split bills should be standard stuff.

I never noticed it in London. Splits are even.

Senator Palpatine

I don't see why bills can't be split.

8 of us went somewhere recently and the waitress happily took €200 by card from the four lads.

L'prof

I don't have any real issue with restaurants not splitting bills. Generally I'd suggest everyone shares the bill and tip evenly. If I know I've gotten more than others, e.g. starter, steak & beer/wine I'll work out what I owe and add a tip to that

Senator Palpatine

Yourself isit wrote: »

I never noticed it in London. Splits are even.

Even split...that's what I mean.

Any "but I only had one glass of wine and no dessert" merchants should be f..ked out through the window!

L'prof

Senator Palpatine wrote: »

Even split...that's what I mean.

Any "but I only had one glass of wine and no dessert" merchants should be f..ked out through the window!

Whatever about dessert, if you've had wine and there were 2 bottles brought to the table then you split the wine evenly. Doesn't matter if you didn't drink as much as others

El_Duderino 09

Yourself isit wrote:

The solution for the "I want to pay exactly what I paid for" people is to go to pay up front eateries. Most cafes, caverys, fast food and some pubs.

Well if everyone pays within a few quid of what they ordered and everyone rounds down. Thats a complete pigs breakfast where done peoples tip pays for other people's rounding down.

There's a Billy Big Bollocks, nouveau riche element to it too where people like to pretend money is only a small thing so, everyone should just pay the same regardless of what they had. That's not the reality for most people. Some people budget.

Yourself isit

Senator Palpatine wrote: »

I don't see why bills can't be split.

8 of us went somewhere recently and the waitress happily took €200 by card from the four lads.

That's not even now is it

riffmongous

Only ever heard of people doing an even split once in my life and then it was being used by a few girls at the table to offload the costs of their cocktails on to the non-drinking members of the party, led to a lot of bad feeling afterwards.

Yourself isit

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Well if everyone pays within a few quid of what they ordered and everyone rounds down. Thats a complete pigs breakfast where done peoples tip pays for other people's rounding down.

There's a Billy Big Bollocks, nouveau riche element to it too where people like to pretend money is only a small thing so, everyone should just pay the same regardless of what they had. That's not the reality for most people. Some people budget.

God almighty, people have been splitting bills for ever. The vast majority of tables get one bill per table. How they work it out is up to them.

Yourself isit

riffmongous wrote: »

Only ever heard of people doing an even split once in my life and then it was being used by a few girls at the table to offload the costs of their cocktails on to the non-drinking members of the party, led to a lot of bad feeling afterwards.

I must run in different circles. I doubt it though.

Also the tables internal spilt is not what is under discussion here but multiple bills per table.

El_Duderino 09

Yourself isit wrote:

Discuss away. But you are complaining that customers are being short changed in general.

Short changed us an unfortunate term in this discussion.

I'd say there's a new demand among customers and service providers are reluctant to meet it.

Yourself isit wrote:

The very fact that you admit social pressure admits that this is a rare demand, that most tables do not want seperate bills - which isn't the same as the table dividing the bill as it sees fit.

It's rare because it's a relatively new phenomenon. Cash is on the way out which means more people are paying g on cards so it's as easy to split the bill by how much everyone ordered.

From your other posts it appears you do the come across split bills. It might be an age thing.

Dial Hard

Nesser wrote:

Get what you want and pay for what you had would be far far better system.

That's exactly what she does?

El_Duderino 09

Yourself isit wrote:

God almighty, people have been splitting bills for ever. The vast majority of tables get one bill per table. How they work it out is up to them.

Yeah its up to them how they deal with it. And increasingly they want to deal with the restaurant directly.

Yourself isit wrote:

Also the tables internal spilt is not what is under discussion here but multiple bills per table.

If you're going to pay with card anyway then it's exactly you the same for the restaurant to treat each paying couple/Individual as a separate table and take the orders together. Very simple with the inclination to do it and bring upfront about it.

riffmongous

Yourself isit wrote: »

I must run in different circles. I doubt it though.

Also the tables internal spilt is not what is under discussion here but multiple bills per table.

I guess you must, but I have been living for a good while now in a different country where multiple bills are the norm, first thing the waiter does is ask if it's together or separate when it's time to pay. The even split story was from Ireland btw.

Senator Palpatine

Yourself isit wrote: »

That's not even now is it

€200 per couple...how each couple chooses to deal with that is up to them.

My own view is that when people go out in a group to eat together it's only right that the bill is split equally. If you're a light eater, a non drinker, etc, then tough. Equally, people shouldn't do the dog and start ordering the lobster (unless they always do).

El_Duderino 09

Senator Palpatine wrote:

My own view is that when people go out in a group to eat together it's only right that the bill is split equally. If you're a light eater, a non drinker, etc, then tough. Equally, people shouldn't do the dog and start ordering the lobster (unless they always do).

Everyone should order what they like. If they always order the lobster with a side of filet mignon and a bottle of champagne. Just pay for what you had and everyone will go home happy.

riffmongous

Senator Palpatine wrote: »

€200 per couple...how each couple chooses to deal with that is up to them.

My own view is that when people go out in a group to eat together it's only right that the bill is split equally. If you're a light eater, a non drinker, etc, then tough. Equally, people shouldn't do the dog and start ordering the lobster (unless they always do).

Why? Aren't you just going to end up excluding some of your friends?
Or just as bad, taking advantage of them

Senator Palpatine

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Everyone should order what they like. If they always order the lobster with a side of filet mignon and a bottle of champagne. Just pay for what you had and everyone will go home happy.

I agree more or less.

Say you and I go out for dinner and you always have two G&Ts, three courses and all of the bells and whistles whereas I'm a sparrow who doesn't.

I have no problem splitting the bill 50:50 with you, because we're out for a meal together. It is not an economic transaction...it's about having a bit of craic.

However, it is wrong for someone who doesn't go bells and whistles when they're paying to then go large in a bill splitting scenario. Unfortunately, that happens.

Which is why hanging out with like minded people makes sense.

Senator Palpatine

riffmongous wrote: »

Why? Aren't you just going to end up excluding some of your friends?
Or just as bad, taking advantage of them

Swings and roundabouts...if someone is an "I just had this and one glass of wine" merchant, they're hardly likely to be much craic.

rawn

Senator Palpatine wrote:

Swings and roundabouts...if someone is an "I just had this and one glass of wine" merchant, they're hardly likely to be much craic.

How does that make anyone less craic? It says more about you than it does about them.

Senator Palpatine

rawn wrote: »

How does that make anyone less craic? It says more about you than it does about them.

How does being mean, pedantic, and socially naive make someone less craic?

I have no idea...

€200, four people, €50 a head...end of story.

ebbsy

riffmongous wrote: »

Only ever heard of people doing an even split once in my life and then it was being used by a few girls at the table to offload the costs of their cocktails on to the non-drinking members of the party, led to a lot of bad feeling afterwards.

I heard Riffmongous had to be carried to a taxi after that session.

rawn

Senator Palpatine wrote:

How does being mean, pedantic, and socially naive make someone less craic?

How is paying your own share any of those things? Frankly being told by my friends that I must pony up for everyone else's food would be a lot less craic. It takes 30 seconds to add up my own share and add a tip, I'm not talking about counting down to the last cent but it's easily and quickly done, I have no idea how that is deemed as being stingey?

Hollister11

rawn wrote: »

How is paying your own share any of those things? Frankly being told by my friends that I must pony up for everyone else's food would be a lot less craic. It takes 30 seconds to add up my own share and add a tip, I'm not talking about counting down to the last cent but it's easily and quickly done, I have no idea how that is deemed as being stingey?

It's actually stingy on your mates expecting you to subsidise their food, because it's "easier" to divide by 4.