To split or not to split, that is the question. I'm talking about whether a restaurant will let you split the bill. I'm talking about whether you split the bill evenly with your dining companions or pay for exactly what you had.
My view, and practise on this when dining with friends is that we always just split the bill evenly after adding on the tips. There are occasions when someone either has a much more expensive meal or drinks a lot more and they will put in that extra bit of money. Also, if someone makes it clear that they would just like to pay for their own meal at any time during the night, everyone is fine with that too. Otherwise, we're all happy to just split it evenly rather than get out a calculator and start adding every single cent. My feeling is that over time, the law of averages takes effect anyway and it all evens out.
But everyone is different and some feel like they should only pay for what they had. I find it a slippery slope to count every cent all the time. For example, the next time you might share a dessert with someone else who pays for it. Do you just enjoy the dessert and thank your friend, or do you insist you divide the cost of that up as well? It all gets too messy and is at odds with the enjoyment of dining out I think.
What do you tend to do when you dine out with a medium to large group? Do you go for the even split or itemise the dishes? What are your experiences?
I try to be relaxed about it like you, Thanh! I would much rather roughly divide the bill evenly than count every cent... but perhaps I'm just lucky that my budget isn't that strict. :-)
ReplyDeleteStupid fat Do,
ReplyDeleteyou couldn't let this go.
cindy, Mr. Do is the biggest tight ass in the Southern Hemisphere so his viewpoint on this is very surprising.
i think it really is based on your budget. i remember when i was in university and everyone would pay for what they ordered - otherwise it was too expensive if you got a pasta to help subsidise other people's steaks ;)
ReplyDeletenowadays i'm the total opposite - i split with my friends because it makes it easier. especially with asian foods where everyone shares foods. none of my friends itemise down to the cent.
however, i do agree with you thanh - doing that can add an unwelcome tension to the group if one person pays to the cent.
The only thing that splits when you dine out are your pants when you sit down to eat.
ReplyDeleteThanh!!!
ReplyDeleteI would be willing to place money on that every time you eat with a group of friends, your bill would add up to a greater amount than that of your dining companions you big fatty!!!
We have a word for your type in the industry. It's "PLEB"
The other "PLEB" offence is when for example.
A group of five diners sit down for a three course meal, let's say the bill came to $350. The group were very happy with the meal and service and decide to tip generously, let's say $70. Every one agrees to split the bill 5 ways, $84 per person, however, our pleb of the day doesn't have any cash on him so he put's the entire amount of $350 (minus tip) on his credit card and pocket's every-one elses cash. Which means his three course meal cost him only $14 and the hard working staff do not recieve a tip.
This happens on a daily basis in Restaurant's
Cindy, I'm also lucky that my budget isn't so strict that I have to make each cent count.
ReplyDeleteOblivion, I've think we have already established that whatever you write is the opposite of what you mean. I know you love me and this blog. You definitely loved that sake that I bought as you kept telling us to drink it faster.
James, back at uni, we all paid for our meals separately as well. But that was usually easy to divide as we could only afford a mains and nothing else.
Anonymous, if you did place a bet, you would be losing your money.
We have a word in the blogging circle for your type "arrogant presumptious troll".
When we do decide to tip, which we do on most occasions, whoever pays the bill on the credit card pays the full amount. I've also only ever put a meal on my credit card once or twice as I always carry cash. Ask Oblivion if you don't believe me. He's the one that always puts the bill on his credit card. But he never skims the price and pays the full amount. The other night, we wanted to leave a tip but there was no place on the docket to add it, so we all reached into our pockets and pulled out as many coins as we could to leave a tip.
"What do you tend to do when you dine out with a medium to large group? Do you go for the even split or itemise the dishes? What are your experiences?"
ReplyDeleteYou ask for peoples opinions and experiences. Don't get so touchy when people give them you little girl!!!
The example of the "PLEB Offender" in no way refferred to you or your friends. I was simply pointing out a scam that occurs frequently in the industry that may interest you. If you don't value my helpful addition to this subject, I will simply go back to calling you names and vandalising your blog!!!
You're such a sensitive lad aren't you Thanh!!!
Yeah he is a bit of over-reactive and sensitive.
ReplyDeleteIf I love you so much for the sake, where the hell is my kudos for the slab of beer and your shout to Sofias. Instead you write a blog bagging how much the servings are!!!
Isn't that what you desire. QUANTITY!!!!
anonymous,
ReplyDeleteyou will learn in time that Do will be quite 'touchy' is you disagree with him in anyway or present an opinion contrary to his beliefs.
Oblivion!!!
ReplyDeleteI discovered long ago that Thanh is a little bit weak when it comes to criticism!!!
Anonymous, I would love to hear your and anyone else opinion. But you're telling me you didn't already insult me in your first response.
ReplyDeleteLet's see. First you say
"I would be willing to place money on that every time you eat with a group of friends, your bill would add up to a greater amount than that of your dining companions you big fatty!!!"
So already you assume that I would eat more than anyone else because I'm a big fatty. Sure, that's not insulting.
Next we have
"We have a word for your type in the industry. It's "PLEB""
So if the word "your" doesn't mean me, who does it mean?
If I'm an sensitive lad, then does that made you an insensitive brute?
Oblivion, I have said thanks to you for the meal and beer many times. If you want to keep saying otherwise, continue to do so. I already said that my hating of Sofia's doesn't reflect on you, but it doesn't seem to get through. Just like I don't mind if you say you hate the restaurant choices I make.
"I know you love me and this blog"
ReplyDeleteHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Oblivion loves Thanh!!!
"Anonymous, I would love to hear your and anyone else opinion. But you're telling me you didn't already insult me in your first response."
ReplyDeleteBOO-FRICKETY-HOO!!!
You are such a bloody sooky-la-la Thanh!!! Show a bit of character
I'm not an insensitive brute at actually, I'm actually quite a sensitive guy myself. I just don't like you or your bullshit blog!!!
I finally thought I'd shut you down the other day, when I couldn't access your blog for three days, but......................alas not quite. Ah well!!!
One day maybe, one day!!!
Anonymous, there you go again, changing the rules. First you didn't insult me, now you did but I'm a sooky la-la.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you show a bit of character and just go away and stop reading this blog.
The feeling is mutual. I don't like you or your bullshit words either.
Oh well, even if you shut down this blog, I can always start another. Whereas if a health inspector shut down your restaurant, that could be harder to restart.
One day maybe, one day!!
Have fun at work tonight. I'll respond to your tomorrow. :-)
"We have a word in the blogging circle for your type "arrogant presumptious troll"
ReplyDeletePresumptious isn't a word idiot!!!
Use the fuckin' spell check!!!
"Oh well, even if you shut down this blog, I can always start another. Whereas if a health inspector shut down your restaurant, that could be harder to restart"
ReplyDeleteMy kitchen and restaurant is in pristine condition unlike your shitty blog!!!
You CAN always start another, I'll shut that down too!!!
I will not go away, I am here to stay and provide my opinion whether you like it or not!!!
As for changing the rules, WHAT FUCKIN" RULES!!! Show me the rule book asshole
Anonymous Chef!!!!
"Have fun at work tonight. I'll respond to your tomorrow. :-)"
ReplyDeleteI'm not working tonight and by the way, don't you fuckin' dare smilie face me Thanh!!!
Let's go back a few months bitch!!!
ReplyDelete7/23/2008 9:25 PM
"I'd be very interested in hearing your opinions on a host of things if you do work in the industry"
You invited me to share my opinions on your bullshit blog back in July you twat!!!
Love is all around anonymous chef but my trolling never stops!!!
ReplyDeleteSee how many comments this has got.
18 in the space of 2 days (19 now!!)
anonymous Do,
ReplyDeleteSomeone cursing your blog to close is not a good thing but to retaliate for Chef's restrauant to close down that's not called for.
Think this way... your blog gets shut down, you start a new one and repost. Free of charge or very cheap. NO biggie just very inconvinient. but for someone's business to shut down (even your worst enemy) is down right wrong.... you know first hand from my experience how much financial hell it is to have a business to fail like that, and it would be tonnes worse for Chef and his family with kids and all
so let's stop cursing death and bad fortune on each other. Just troll about the lack of creativity or each other's opinions
Anonymous Chef, I have come to the conclusion that you are either highly stressed or crazy and it doesn't matter how I try to reason with you, it won't work.
ReplyDeleteYou see the problem with the English language is that if you don't have a good grasp on it, messages get lost.
By changing the rules, I mean you first said that your first comment didn't apply to myself or my friends, but yet I quoted you back and showed how you called me a pleb. Then you go and twist that around by saying I'm a sooky la la. Hence I said that you were changing the rules. Because when you say one thing one minute, and something else the next, that is called changing the rules, because you say whatever suits you.
Next.
You swearing your f*****g face off at me is ok, but me putting a smiley icon is not. Now that's just f*****g retarded.
Next.
You giving me all sorts of threats and saying I'm an a**hole and that you will shut my blog down is ok. I joke back that your restaurant should be shut down and that's not ok.
Next.
Let's go back to the comments bitch!!!!!!!! I've said a billion times that you're free to comment on the topics, but you always make it personal. And when I do take your comments personally, you go and say that I'm sooking. Now which is it? Do you want to comment seriously and for me to respect and listen to your opinions like a normal human being, or do you want to insult me for no reason and for me to think you're just a f*****g crazy idiot.
Oblivion, I know of your financial troubles and of course I wouldn't want him to really lose his restaurant. Notice how I wrote the exact same words that he used "One day maybe, one day!!" with the exclamation and even used a smiley face in the next sentence to indicate that I'm just joking. You told me that when I add a smiley face that it will be clearer that I'm joking. Obviously not everyone understands that.
So unless this f*****g rude Anonymous Chef stops being some schizophrenic manic who keeps contridicting himself and abusing me, I'm not playing in these silly games anymore.
You say how many comments this post and others have got. They're all useless comments that haven't helped me to understand anymore about food at all. They're just Anonymous abusing me, you throwing in your two cents and me having to defend myself as usual. What fun is that? I don't want to play this silly game.
All this will do is just make me take the next step like many other bloggers, comment moderation. It's silly because as adults, you should be able to make your point without resorting to abusing the other person. After all, we are only talking about food and not some important world issue.
Food is not an important world issue!!?!?!?
ReplyDeleteNO!!!! You surely don't mean that. Then the next dining out can be another Sofias type place.
anonymous, where do you work?
ReplyDeleteclearly you have an issue with thanh, and yet you don't even say who you are. you seem to be very capable of attacking him publicly, yet hind behind the anonymous name. why be so impersonal if you take his blog personally...
oblivion, if you are truly a friend of thanh's, why act like this? seems a bit petty overall, and i'm a bit over all of these negative comments.
at the end of the day, thanh is trying to convey his thoughts and opinions. good on hi for doing it - it's not easy having a blog and posting articles on a consistent basis. so you both read his blogs. rather than enjoy them, what do you do? you both attack him. anonymous, you may think that you have a valid reason as you hate his blog and himself. then you go on to say that you are sensitive as well. if you were so sensitive, wouldn't you be considerate of other's feelings? personally i think it's even worse for oblivion though. i certainly wouldn't entertain friends like you, and you'd soon be wondering why i never contacted you again.
both of you need to grow up.
Thanks James.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why people keep reading if it's so crap. Just go to other good blogs.
I've really had enough of this nonsense. It takes away from the real discussions about food that I want to happen.
James, one more thing. Anonymous won't tell us where he works, I've asked. If we knew, we might actually go there and blog about the place and judge him. Heaven forbid, he might be shown up to be all talk and no actions. I really can't see people like Shannon Bennett and Frank Camorra wasting their time trolling blogs and slagging people off. I think they're too busy trying to cook good food that people will enjoy and rave about.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind splitting the bill evenly if everyone had a meal of roughly the same value.
ReplyDeleteThe only time it REALLY bugs me is if I have something vego when everyone else orders steak/seafood/really expensive items. I mean, if my meal total is $20-$30, but I end up having to pay $40-$50, that kinda gets up my nose. I'm not saying I want to calculate down to the cent, but a rough approximation is good.
But then again I'm a single income mortgage payer: I don't count every cent, but I AM careful on the occasions I go out. So this means things just won't even out.
Maffy, I agree with your entirely. Like I said, I don't mind if people want to pay for their own meals as I understand people have mortgages. In those occasions, probably the closest couple of dollars will do I think. Sometimes when it's only a few bucks, I think it's easier to let it go rather than try to get it exact. It's only when people don't make it clear that they want to pay for their own meals and then grumble after paying the split amount. That's silly. No one will grudge you for wanting to only pay for your own meal.
ReplyDeleteI think there should be approximation if there is some variance between orders. I like dessert but I don't expect non-choc-cake-aholics to subsidise me! I also like wine but I have friends that prefer soft drink. I don't think it's right that they should pay extra for me and vice versa.
ReplyDeleteRestaurants should allow for bills to be split though. It's the hospitality industry afterall!