Splitting the Bill & Accounting for Taxes + Tip = Awesome
Posted by Cap in Even More Ramblings |
On the way home, I decided to hop by the ATM to get some cash for my el-cheapo $8 haircut when I realized that I just got some cash earlier. A quick count of the amount revealed that sure enough, the party paid for their fair share of the meal, accounting for taxes and tip – nice!
This made me realize that had the amount been off, it would have bothered me… even if it was just a few bucks here and there (probably not a good trait to have).
I’m sure everyone has experienced similar situations where you decided to split the bill but one party or person always come up short on the amount, neglecting tip, taxes, or forgetting that they ordered a drink here and there.
For whatever reason, stuff like this really bugs me (too cheap?). I’d much rather the person not pay at all, or at the very least acknowledge that they don’t have enough on them. This isn’t a big deal when you’re dinning amongst friends, but if you’re in a large party and a few people come up short, the end result isn’t too pretty and someone will get screwed over.
Solutions? Uh… don’t eat out? Make sure you have dinner with non-stingy people? *shrug*
29 Comments to “Splitting the Bill & Accounting for Taxes + Tip = Awesome”
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November 16th, 2007 at 4:26 am
Separate checks? Works for us. :)
November 16th, 2007 at 5:33 am
Haha. That’s true. I often feel bad for the waiter when the party is three or more groups though… but yeah, just saying that I appreciate it when people are considerate enough to pay the correct amount.
November 16th, 2007 at 5:36 am
The crowds I hang with usually just split the bill, tax and tip evenly. Sometimes you come out ahead and sometime behind, but it all evens out in the end. This fails miserably if one or more of the party tries to capitalize on the cost averaging (hmmm…I am really hungry…better order 2 lobster entrees). Fortunately, none of my friends is like that. I did hang out briefly with a crowd that had individuals (i.e., parasites) like that. Found a different crowd quick.
November 16th, 2007 at 6:42 am
I recently went out for dinner with my entire family (parents, 2 brothers, their wives, and total of 3 children – total of 10 people) for my father’s 70th birthday. It was decided that we’d split the bill between the 3 of us children. Keep in mind I have NO children nor did I bring a date. When the bill came my SIL split the bill THREE ways. We each ended up paying $80. That seemed sort of unfair to me since again I was heavily outnumbered in the “extra family” category. I should have paid like $35 (substracting my mom and dad from the split.) WTH? Ugh. I said nothing, but I was like – WTH? You people all have very good paying jobs AND children. Another case where the “single” one gets the crap-end of the stick.
November 16th, 2007 at 7:19 am
K:
Your best route would have been to state that you agreed to split the meal for Mom and Dad – not for everyone else’s children and spouses.
Sorry you have a rude family!
Probably would have been better off just paying for yourself and mom and dad.
November 16th, 2007 at 9:06 am
The best option is to get the check split. That way it’s done equally. If you don’t go that route it’s better to just pay the whole thing. I’m like Cap, I don’t like it when people don’t pay correct, even if it’s a little bit. I think it’s part because I’m cheap and part because I’m a little bit OCD. When combined I get annoyed too easily sometimes I guess.
November 16th, 2007 at 10:25 am
Seperate checks, dude.
November 16th, 2007 at 11:52 am
thanks for treating last night cap:)
November 16th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
The check splitting really went bad at a Wedding Reception that I went to. The restaurant wouldn’t do separate checks. Everyone put their money toward the bill and it came up a few hundred dollars short. My in-laws had to make up the difference.
I don’t know if people just couldn’t do the math or they did it on purpose. Who Knows?
November 17th, 2007 at 9:44 am
My bet is that nothing would make you happy regarding money. If this is where you’re looking to make your fortune and cut costs, good luck. If you have kids (or for you expenses) you have to pay the sitter (huge) drinks are approaching 10 bucks a glass and any place beyond a Denny’s will crush your credit card. Not to mention tips where 20% of all this puffed up $$ is expected. You can’t beat this system. why not enjoy yourself instead of worrying all night about money?
November 18th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
I’d swear that meal is from Versaille’s?
November 20th, 2007 at 4:16 am
Eww, that food looks disgusting.
Paying for friends at dinner is a joke, you lose money and they don’t even care much whether you pay or not.
And if they do actually care, they forget you paid 10 min. later. We have learned this time and time again.
Yeah, I’m not Jodi R anymore :-)
-Jodi
http://www.confessionsofarunner.com
November 20th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
It bothers me too, but I’ve learned to get over it. I’m not sure why people don’t always account for tax and tip (drinks are often forgotten too) because I always do. I always seem to be the one covering the shortfall.
My advice is to let it go. A friendship isn’t worth getting upset over a few bucks. Yes, everyone in theory would do what you suggest, but it just never happens that way.
November 21st, 2007 at 11:53 am
I usually take pride in paying at least my share and usually more but on one occasion I remember getting kind of annoyed. A friend of a friend of mine invited me to a “party” for the friend out in some overly expensive place that was really crowded and loud. We ordered overpriced drinks and food, while we dine squished-in style — and me with a bunch of people I didn’t know. They were all ordering drinks like crazy — I had two and a moderately priced entree. When the check came it was totally unbelievable, because divided by the number of people who were “splitting” (others came as “guests” somehow), we each had to pay like $90.00 a piece. My real share would have been about 35 for what I ordered (including tax and tip) and I really felt annoyed and a little used. I would never agree to this kind of thing again.
November 21st, 2007 at 12:20 pm
The solution is called the New York Split, appropriately named because it apprently only happens in New York. When the Bill comes the tax and tip are added and the total is divied up but the amount of people at the table regardless of who ate what or who drank what. The premise is that we all had a great time and enjoyed each others company./
December 2nd, 2007 at 9:14 am
There are many places that will not issue separate checks. However, I’ve found that those places will allow you to pay for your own portion at the register. If I can’t get a separate check, I pay for my own portion at the register and you can leave the tip there as well.
December 5th, 2007 at 9:30 pm
Off topic: That meal looks amazing…I love Cuban food. :)
On topic: In my city, all the local taxes come up to about 12.5% and I tip 20%, so a total of 32.5% that I round up to 35%.
So basically, I add on $3.50 for ever $10 of the menu price. I really suck at math so this system helps.
December 12th, 2007 at 7:55 am
It’s so different with Asians (in my case, Chinese). I remember whenever we ate out with my parents’ friends, when the bill comes, everybody would be fighting TO PAY the bill. It’s actually quite embarrassing to watch. Also in traditional Chinese restaurant setting, the table orders several dishes and everybody eats off all those dishes, so even if we split the bill..it is even. However a lot of times we just take turns buying the entire meal. Like somebody mentioned above, it’s all about enjoying the company of friends. If you’re really that stingy, just don’t eat out!
December 16th, 2007 at 11:09 am
First, sorry, that dish looks kind of totally repulsive. Hope you didn’t make it.
Secondly, seperate checks or cover the whole bill. I despise splitting checks. Seems to bring out the worst in people.
Mostly my friends and I trade off..I get it this time, you the next.
Works for me!
December 17th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
The food in the pic looks delish!! Is it from Versailles? They have great food!
I have dined with my share of flakes in the past and was left paying for someone else’s over-indulgence so I adopted a policy of telling the waitress up front to separate the checks, that way we can avoid those awkward uncomfortable feelings later when someone “forgets” to bring enough money for their meal.
December 20th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
Haha. I love how half the people comment on the food thinks it looks disgusting, while the other half thinks it looks great.
Yeah its from Versailles. Click on the image next time :P Brings you to the Yelp review.
January 5th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
B*&ch. Bi68h, Bi56h.
What stingy people some are. Even though I’,m on a fixed income from a disability five years ago and in no way have a lot of extra money to spend.
I just pay the bill and am grateful that I have a family to have dinner with.
Be grateful that you could afford to pay whatever part you paid.
Just remember that there are a lot of people that cannot even afford to eat out, let alone paying for part or all of someone else meal.
Be thankful for what you have and not what you spent on someone else.
January 7th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
I think splitting the bill evenly is a terrible idea. If I want something more expensive on the menu, or an extra glass of wine, I don’t want everyone else paying for my pleasure.
And if I’m short cash or not hungry, I don’t want to sweat what everybody else is eating.
How to handle the bill depends on who you are eating with. If you don’t know them or you know you dine among flakes, split the check. If you eat with good people, everyone can do their own math and round up to a decent tip.
Regardless, don’t decide to use the pile as an ATM or more typically, to pad the miles on your credit card, until you have counted the cash in the pile a made sure it adds up.
January 15th, 2008 at 11:10 am
Wow, I want to eat that dinner. Especially the maduros… yum!
To me, it’s even worse when you’re out to dinner with someone who is so minutely money conscious that they figure out the bill down to the last penny. People who want to haggle over a dollar drive me crazy.
January 16th, 2008 at 11:49 am
Why are you cheap if you worry about others stiffing you?
I have eaten with a lot of chislers in the past. Now, I get a separate check especially if I am eating with people I know to be chislers. Isn’t it funny how often the total for the check is under when people all “put in their share”. One would expect it to be over just as often as under if it were truly random.
If the check is split, everyone at the table should keep everyon else’s wallet in mind. Why should I pay for some people’s very expensive meals? Furthermore, why should I make someone else pay for mine?
If you have friends and truly enjoy their company does that mean you should expect to get shafted? I do not think so. Treat your friends like you would want to be treated. Know which people you can deal with on which level.
Yes, family and some friends are different. I will go further and say I often extend the benefit of the doubt to strangers. Often, doing so is a good way of knowing who would make a good friend.
Sadly, generosity is often taken advantage of. Therefore, be wise and think about the outcomes of your actions.
I would rather give a friend $100 dollars than lend him $1000, but the donation should not be forced on me.
January 17th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Wow, that’s some good lookin’ chicken. Wish they served it like that over here!
January 17th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Those of us that are watching their budgets can get dinged by insensitive friends, the other side of the “who’s paying” coin. We want to go out with friends, but watch what we are ordering and pay for our fair share. Our friends order bottles of wine, more numerous and expensive entres and have a big appetited child and then get miffed when we don’t split down the middle… I don’t want to haggle every penny, but it should be clear between friends where everyone’s “at” when having dinner. It is all about respect, which ever side you come down on.
January 18th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Last time my group went out for drinks, we came up so far ahead, we argued about who should take money back out! Then, we thought the waiter would just get an awesome tip – but, some of our group was unhappy with the service and stuck with our 20% (not bad, just didn’t want him to get a huge tip for mediocre service). So, no choice but to order another round!
February 10th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
I just wrote about it today.