Bill Splitting Etiquette (Happy Hour)

[Anonymous]

I HATE the split the bill thing when it's clearly grossly imbalanced.

To your server: "hi, I would like a gin and tonic. And can I pay for my drink separately right now? I have to duck out early" and have your CC ready to hand to them.

[Anonymous]

DCUM unanimous! hardly ever happens!

Just pay get your own tab and pay for yours before you leave. If anybody has a problem with this, I wouldn't care.

I also wouldn't have paid the original $40 request. I would say I had one drink, here's my $15.

[Anonymous]

I'm not paying for drunkymegee to guzzle booze all night. Pay your share before you leave.

[Anonymous]

Either ask for a separate check when you order your drink (and tell server you’d like to go ahead and close out when s/he brings it) or bring cash and leave it on the table when you leave. Only works if you aren’t sharing the appetizers ordered for the table.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCUM unanimous! hardly ever happens!

Just pay get your own tab and pay for yours before you leave. If anybody has a problem with this, I wouldn't care.

I also wouldn't have paid the original $40 request. I would say I had one drink, here's my $15.

+1

[Anonymous]

I’d just give the organizer cash before I left or Venmo her before she requests it from me.

If you are there when appetizers are served, I would contribute to those regardless of how much you eat or don’t, if they are ordered assuming the table is sharing.

[Anonymous]

Guy here, we buy by round and close out tabs after every round when we do happy hour. Sometimes you win and don't ever buy and some times you lose. No one really cares as long as people are good about rotating

[Anonymous]

Where I’m from separate cheques are super common spice almost never ‘split’. in many other places it seems the bill splitting is more popular bc they don’t want to separate the cheques.

I’d 100% make sure to pay for your own and make sure the host doesn’t come after you for ‘splitting’ when you’ve already paid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pay the server directly for your drink (and tip!) before you leave. Tell the group you cashed out already.

This.

Or arrive early and order your drink at the bar before you sit down so you can pay directly and simply not order anything when you are seated with the group. Be sure not to snack off anyone’s plate.

I only have one drink and sometimes it’s just a ginger ale or even water. I’m not splitting the bill when I’m only drinking ginger ale. I throw down cash and remind everyone by saying, “This should more than cover my ginger ale and tip.”

If we are ordering food for ourselves or the table, then we always just split the bill. “Is everyone eating? Ok, let’s split the check evenly to make it easy for the server.”

Having said that, more places have the portable payment system that can easily split tabs.

[Anonymous]

I hate the whole "split it equally concept.

I don't drink anything harder than Diet Coke and due to severe food allergies, I rarely eat anything more than a salad when I go out to eat. One of my groups of colleagues drinks multiple drinks and eat multi-course meals when we go out. They always want to split the bill equally, which can easily be $75+/person. Usually, my portion is more like $10-$15, so even with a tip, I cost no more than $20. I resent paying an extra $50+ to subsidize them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Guy here, we buy by round and close out tabs after every round when we do happy hour. Sometimes you win and don't ever buy and some times you lose. No one really cares as long as people are good about rotating

This is why I prefer to hang out with men…no drama.

When our family dines with other families the men practically fight over who picks up the bill because it’s a pride thing. Women never do that.

[Anonymous]

If you're going to a venue with a waiter, tell them that you don't plan on staying very long so you'd like your own tab so you can close it out on your own. If you're going to a venue where you get your own drink at the bar, do a one-and-done transaction and then let the organizer know you aren't on the group tab.

I hate doing happy hour with friends because I don't drink at all. I'll chat and catch up and have some apps, but no alcohol for me, and yet some friends still think the tab should be split evenly. Uh, no. Sorry, I ate 1 potato skin and 3 potstickers, Sue. I'm not paying $40 so you can toss back overpriced bottom self mixed drinks at the "bargain" price of $5 ea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Separate check, or just get your drink at the bar and close out immediately.

OP here - but I think the problem with me getting my drink at the bar is that it won't be obvious that I've already paid if that makes sense. I think I need to do the transaction at the table so others can see "oh she already paid". Right?

No just say you paid at the bar. The server can check with the bartender.

[Anonymous]

Hold on....
I hear it!
Do you hear it?......
(Cheap...Cheap...Cheap...Cheap).
The little birdies all are calling out your names! 😂

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hate the whole "split it equally concept.

I don't drink anything harder than Diet Coke and due to severe food allergies, I rarely eat anything more than a salad when I go out to eat. One of my groups of colleagues drinks multiple drinks and eat multi-course meals when we go out. They always want to split the bill equally, which can easily be $75+/person. Usually, my portion is more like $10-$15, so even with a tip, I cost no more than $20. I resent paying an extra $50+ to subsidize them.

I get that it's annoying to pay for someone's lobster if you're ordering an appetizer, but if an adult makes bill time complicated by stating they should pay less, that person won't be invited out much longer. It reads as cheap and overly complicated. You might not want to go out with groups for dinner if you're just going to order salad and be all annoyed about it?