Splitting a Restaurant Bill

[james t kirk]

Seperate checks all the way. I've had so much trouble inthe past of being stuck with the bill because "You make good money and can afford it". If I invite you out for dinner I will pick up the tab but if it is a mutual thing then no. Here is why.

I played in a friday night hockey league and we would go for beers and wings after. Me and another buddy were the only married guy and we had kids, so we would always hang back till the end extending our time away for the family( I know not nice but I was married with kids by 23). Anyways as guys left they would drop what they owed and we would pay when we left. It was always a little light but not bad. Half way thought the year my buddy and I are now paying $100 each for 2 beers and wings (this was 20 years ago). I tell the guy next week either drop what you owe with tax and tip or order on your own bill. End up really short this time, buddies cousins weren't putting in anything.The waitress (had the same one each time) came up with the solution. She tells us to leave first. I told her that I would straighten up with her the next day. Next week we leave early but leave enough to cover our cost + tax + tip.Go to see her the next day and she says that she wished she had a camera. They were scrambling to find enough money, talked about leaving with paying, they were yelling at each other, tried to phone my buddy a home, they ended up leaving her about a $5 tip. I tried to give her more but she wouldn't take it. Only 6 guys went for beer and wings next week. I am still friends with one of these guys and I swear he waits to see if i ask for seperate checks to this day before he orders. It is actually quite fuuny to watch.

I hate cheap people who take advantage of other geneousity.

Christ man, I’ve never been in a situation like that. The problem is guys don’t realize how much they’ve had to drink and then they figure they’ve had 10 wings when they’ve had 25. Add to that the assholes trying to pull a scam.

I guess in reading some of these horror stories, I’m lucky with my friends.

 

[LazMan]

So your posts about Morton's got me intrigued to take a look. Is it better than the Keg? I would think its roughly the same cost if you were to order a full course meal at both locations, though i could be wrong.

The Keg's come down a long way from where it used to be, in my eyes... I'd put it just over a Kelsey's or Montana's. I still eat there pretty regular, but it's not a Morton's or Barbarian's... Keg you can eat pretty decent for $75 a head; not so much at the others. My favourite place, Jimmy V's, was about $300US a head, last time I went...

 

[james t kirk]

The Keg's come down a long way from where it used to be, in my eyes... I'd put it just over a Kelsey's or Montana's. ..

Agreed.

They've cut quality rather than price accordingly.

I believe Hy's is owned by the same company as owns the Keg and Hy's is their Higher End Steak House.

 

[Mister K]

It really depends on how well I know the people. I go the separate bill route if I don't know the people.

I have been out a number of times with friends who insist on paying (since they can expense the meal against their companies.)

I guesss I've been pretty lucky and have good taste in friends as I have never had a situation like some of you guys. Touch wood.

 

[RTRD]

So your posts about Morton's got me intrigued to take a look. Is it better than the Keg?

Much. No comparison.

I would think its roughly the same cost if you were to order a full course meal at both locations, though i could be wrong.

Not even close.

Dinner for two at Morton's can be kept to $100 a head if you are careful (it also helps if you are a regular / VIP...we are made aware of special dining arrangements that the general public is not) but you had better budget for $150. Once went to dinner with a special someone (you know who you are...wink) and it came to $350+, but that included a...ahem...nice...bottle of wine. That she picked. And I didn't check the price of.

Only later did I realize that my buddy Peter was trying to give me a heads up when he looked at me and started going into how that was one of their "nicer" bottles, and such a great value...LOL. Oh well... considering what this person's time typically goes for, I suppose I actually got off cheap...

 

[iprint]

It seems to me the Keg varies from location to location. I had a really nice steak at the Keg downtown, but the chef at the new one in Vaugh needs a Gordon Ramsey revelation.The new Keg downtown montreal was very Good close to Morton quality but I really don't think the buy the same level of beef. Mortons is awesome but better then that they really make sure that you a more then satisfied with the cooking of your steak. They have great customer service. Best steak I ever had The Chop House Chicago it was as close to perfect as you can get.

 

[tboy]

Christ man, I’ve never been in a situation like that. The problem is guys don’t realize how much they’ve had to drink and then they figure they’ve had 10 wings when they’ve had 25. Add to that the assholes trying to pull a scam.

I guess in reading some of these horror stories, I’m lucky with my friends.

I was having lunch at a little chinese restaurant last week (go there a lot) and 4 guys from the construction site were there and at least, oh, 2 times each? berated the waitress for charging them for too many beers. They kept saying "next time leave the bottles on the tables". The gist of it was that they didn't think they drank as much as she was charging. Well, I've been going there for 5 yrs and have NEVER seen anything like that. I trust them explicitely and frankly, for the cost of a couple of beers NO restaurant will overcharge like that.

The little female chinese manager was standing there ready if there was trouble and I was just about to pipe up when they finally piled out the door.

Since they were from the construction site 2 doors up I had to wonder if they had 3 or 4 each, and the MOL dropped by and found them to be under the influence, if they would check on where they drank and how much. I almost said to them: hey if you only had one each it'd be easy to keep track, you can count to one can't you? (but thought better of it lol for once).

 

[james t kirk]

Since they were from the construction site 2 doors up I had to wonder if they had 3 or 4 each, and the MOL dropped by and found them to be under the influence, if they would check on where they drank and how much. I almost said to them: hey if you only had one each it'd be easy to keep track, you can count to one can't you? (but thought better of it lol for once).

I hate guys who drink on the job.

For some reason, allot of guys who work construction think that beer goes part n parcel with working construction. Especially residential construction.

I don't care if you want to have a beer or two after the day is over, but not during the day. Ever. Including lunch.

A good friend of mine was doing a major reno on her house. She hired a guy to be the working General and he brought in 2 or 3 guys who were working for him by the hour. The entire job was T & M. I have no problem with T & M provided the guys are professional. Most professional trades work at a steady pace and do a good job. The problem with these guys was the BOOZE. They were all a bunch of piss-tanks. 10 a.m. at the beers were getting broken out every day. It was like building a deck at your buddy's cottage - only it was building a house. It was insane. You'd go in there and there were beer bottles everywhere, empty cases stacked up, cigarette stubs everywhere. It was stupid. Add on top of it their fucked up personal lives and the job turned into a fucking disaster.

 

[caseyx]

It always amazes me that people find it difficult to work out who owes what in a bill. It's real simple math, addition and multiplication. Yes, there are those who are bad at math, forget tax/tip or just cheapskates. My solution is just to pick up the bill and tell people what they owe.

I don't split bills evenly because, since I don't drink, in most cases I'd get screwed.

 

[Adrenaline]

It's pretty simple, just ask for seperate bills. There will ALWAYS be one or a few cheapskates, cheaters, or douches who take advantage of everyone else in the group and who don't pay their full share.

On a similar, but slightly different topic. On a first date, do you pay for you and your date, split the bill, or ask for seperate bills? The answer? If you like the girl and plan on having future dates, you pay for her, if you met off the internet and her pictures are nowhere near accurate and/or she's a bitch, you ask for seperate bills.