How to handle a large bill at dinner?

[nitsuj3580]

if anything whenever we do things in large groups, we have too much money. Most people just throw in $20's and say don't worry about it when they only had to throw in $12-15. The waitress usually get a very generous tip since none of us really care to get nitpicky about it.

 

[virtuamike]

Originally posted by: intogamer
In Chinese way or my way. Always almost always 1 person pays the entire bill. If you are the one who started to get people to go out to eat you have to pay. Other times 1 person pays and then next time another person pays the entire bill:laugh:

You must be the poor chinese who never pays to even bring that up.

 

[Anonemous]

Originally posted by: nitsuj3580
if anything whenever we do things in large groups, we have too much money. Most people just throw in $20's and say don't worry about it when they only had to throw in $12-15. The waitress usually get a very generous tip since none of us really care to get nitpicky about it.

Same here. We usually overpay among my friends or if you are the host of the party, you should be footing the bill.

 

[brtspears2]

My fool proof way is to not eat out in large groups. But then from the Asian school of thought, you invited, you pay for everything.

 

[torpid]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: nwfsnake
They are going to charge you a minimum tip anyway, so make them split it up!

It is illegal to require a minimum tip. If you ask, by law, they have to take it off the bill. Then you can tip whatever you deem is appropriate for the service provided. I've done it before when service was awful. No way I was paying 18% tip (I think I left ~10%).

Its odd. In my situation, everyone always overestimates what they ate. This is with all of my friends and family (except one who uses a calculator to figure it out to the penny, no tip). Then they always round up to the nearest $1 or $5 to make change easy. By the time the bill comes to me, there is more money in there than is required and I haven't even paid. Your friends are just cheapskates.

It is illegal to require a tip, but I don't think it is illegal to levy a service charge.

Some groups that I go out with ALWAYS underpay overall. It has gotten so bad that some people in the group now always overpay by a lot in order to compensate for the underpayers. They always do so because they feel guilty for the person who is actually taking the brunt of the underpay.

Some groups are fine, and some overpay.

 

[dquan97]

Where is this party going to be? I actually work about 50yrds from the one in Sacramento

 

[GasX]

2 options:
1. It's your party, so you pay.
2. Bill / # of guests = individual contribution

Any other way is asking for trouble.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Whenever I go out with friends in a large group we usually all throw too much money in. Figure it this way though. If the bill is $500 that's $20 per person, if it's $600 that's $24 per person, $700 it's $28 per person. What's $4 among friends?

For $28 per person you'd better be eating in one of the top 50 restaurants in the world.

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: jagec
For $28 per person you'd better be eating in one of the top 50 restaurants in the world.

Is the nicest restaurant in your town a Red Lobster?

Here is a reasonable restaurant bill for one:

1 cocktail $5
1 appetizer $8
1 Entree $15
1/2 bottle of wine $10
1 Dessert $6
1 Coffee $3

Total: $47

 

[jspeicher]

cover charge.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: jagec
For $28 per person you'd better be eating in one of the top 50 restaurants in the world.

Is the nicest restaurant in your town a Red Lobster?

Here is a reasonable restaurant bill for one:

1 cocktail $5
1 appetizer $8
1 Entree $15
1/2 bottle of wine $10
1 Dessert $6
1 Coffee $3

Total: $47

Ah, you get cocktails, appetizers, and desserts...I usually just get an entree.

 

[PingSpike]

Leave first.

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Whenever I go out with friends in a large group we usually all throw too much money in. Figure it this way though. If the bill is $500 that's $20 per person, if it's $600 that's $24 per person, $700 it's $28 per person. What's $4 among friends?

For $28 per person you'd better be eating in one of the top 50 restaurants in the world.

:laugh:

$28 for an entree is the norm for an average restaurant in NYC, let alone one of "top 50 restaurants in the world".

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: MrChad
:laugh:

$28 for an entree is the norm for an average restaurant in NYC, let alone one of "top 50 restaurants in the world".

Chez Panisse in Berkeley IS a Top 50 restaurant, and it was $70 for two of us with wine and a dessert each.

Hey, it's not MY fault they rip you guys off in New York.

 

[isasir]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Whenever I go out with friends in a large group we usually all throw too much money in. Figure it this way though. If the bill is $500 that's $20 per person, if it's $600 that's $24 per person, $700 it's $28 per person. What's $4 among friends?

For $28 per person you'd better be eating in one of the top 50 restaurants in the world.

You should come to a big city some time.

 

[Nitemare]

Temporary Amnesia

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: isasir

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Whenever I go out with friends in a large group we usually all throw too much money in. Figure it this way though. If the bill is $500 that's $20 per person, if it's $600 that's $24 per person, $700 it's $28 per person. What's $4 among friends?

For $28 per person you'd better be eating in one of the top 50 restaurants in the world.

You should come to a big city some time.

/checks location
/notes that he has been in 48 of the 50 states, and has visited Seattle, San Francisco, LA, Las Vegas, Miami, New York, Chicago, and more

OK, maybe I was using a little hyperbole, but $28 can get you MUCH better food than most people realize.

 

[aceO07]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Whenever I go out with friends in a large group we usually all throw too much money in. Figure it this way though. If the bill is $500 that's $20 per person, if it's $600 that's $24 per person, $700 it's $28 per person. What's $4 among friends?

Yup, it's too much hassle. No point in ruining dinner over who didn't pay enough or who paid more. Obviously if someone paid a lot over, then that person should get it back (in cash or next dinner).

Usually, for me, people just overpay and money is given back to those who overpaid after all the money is collected.

For smaller groups, I might pay for the group and it'll come back to me the next dinner or whenever.

 

[DorkBoy]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
If you're throwing the party, shouldn't you be paying?

 

[xospec1alk]

Originally posted by: isasir

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Whenever I go out with friends in a large group we usually all throw too much money in. Figure it this way though. If the bill is $500 that's $20 per person, if it's $600 that's $24 per person, $700 it's $28 per person. What's $4 among friends?

For $28 per person you'd better be eating in one of the top 50 restaurants in the world.

You should come to a big city some time.

holy crap. for my bday we spent 400 for 2 people. at Masa at the time warner center, its $350 per person prix fixe...

and if i can pay $70 for 2 including wine and dessert, thats considered a cheap place for me...

 

[torpid]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: MrChad
:laugh:

$28 for an entree is the norm for an average restaurant in NYC, let alone one of "top 50 restaurants in the world".

Chez Panisse in Berkeley IS a Top 50 restaurant, and it was $70 for two of us with wine and a dessert each.

Hey, it's not MY fault they rip you guys off in New York.

Erm... Are you sure? Or were you referring to the cafe menu? Or did you split one menu item and leave a grossly low tip?

$28 for an entree is NOT AT ALL unusual. Most of the best restaurants here in Madison, WI (aka not that fancy of a city) charge around that, if not more.

 

[Attrox]

Originally posted by: bacon333
I looked around and i didn't see this posted so if this is a repost i apologize

I'm throwing a party on saturday at Joe's Crab Shack. There's going to be 25+ ppl there and a problem that always comes up is the check. Some ppl forget that they bought a drink and some forget to include the tip. At the end we always come up short of the bill.

Is there a fool proof way of handling this problem? I would do seperate checks but I"m not sure they do taht for such a large group.

How can they forget that they bought a drink when they just DRANK it
Some of them conveniently forget about it IMO :|
It never comes up short when I did this, we normally overtip because everyone pay a little too much for the tip.

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: MrChad
Your options are:

1. Separate checks
2. Split the check evenly among all 25 people

:thumbsup:

 

[hjo3]

Originally posted by: torpid
Erm... Are you sure?

"Celery root and endive salad with black truffles and wild watercress
Sautéed black sea bass with sorrel cream
Grilled Paine Farm squab with red wine and sweet spices, turnip purée, and
straw potato cake
Bittersweet chocolate tartlet with crème Chantilly"

(drool)

 

[lastig21]

Originally posted by: captains
split the entire food bill with all the people evenly.....If they want to drink they pay for it them selves on a seperate tab or cash

I like this idea. Food bills are usually within a few dollars of each others. Drink tabs can skyrocket for some, while others may be happy drinking water.