'AITA for ordering food to go when my friend group wanted to split the check evenly?'
"AITA for ordering food to go when my friend group wanted to split the check evenly?"
This has been an ongoing issue, I have a friends group that likes eat nicer food. Personally for me I am fine getting something cheap on the menu. The issue is they always want to split the check.
I have had the conversation so many times that I want to pay for what I ordered. It results in an argument where I have to bend or everyone is mad at me.
I also make a lot more then my friends so it always result in them basically calling me cheap. They don’t get I want to pay for my meal and that is it.
Anyways we went out to eat yesterday and they all ordered things that were around 30 dollars, I got the house salad and my total was around 12. They told the server to split the bill and I didn’t want to fight about it again.
I asked the server to add on to the bill an entree and dessert for me to take home. This resulted in my bill going up into the 30s.
So they asks me what I was doing, I told them I am getting more food, they got upset they I increased the price they needed to pay. This resulted in another argument and they think I am a jerk. AITA?
Let's see what readers thought.
superfastmomma writes:
ESH . I don't know why a group of adults would not be capable of agreeing to disagree and just have you pay your share and the rest split the bill if this is an ongoing issue.
And if everyone is digging in their heels why you still keep going out with them. That said, they are asshole for not respecting your request. You are an asshole for ordering food and making them pay for it.
If it was a matter of principle you could bring cash and be clear at the beginning you'll be paying for your amount and the rest can split the bill.
fishpaste7 writes:
YTA. If the group splits checks, don't go to a steak restaurant and order a hamburger and start arguing about only paying for hamburger. Also, don't order an extra steak to go. Just order a steak. It is that simple. The only way you should worry about it is if everyone but you drinks.
rodalsef writes:
NTA. Your friends need to chill and let you pay for your own damn salad without making a big fuss about it.
donutcremate writes:
YTA. You already know the dynamic and refuse to participate, and it results in awkwardness at the gathering. Why are you so upset over paying a little extra for your friends? Your friends, who would presumably do the same for you? Is it childhood financial trauma?
That isn't their fault. Is it just being cheap? Don't go out to dinner then, meet them for a coffee, a hike, or something else cheap/free. Are you angry that they got that extra $18 from you without working for it?
I'm honestly confused why you would continue to go out with them if it's really as big an issue to you as you say it is. Ordering togo first is not a bad option, but nothing says "I hate paying for you" like your friend already eating a paid-for meal at your gathering.
Being cheap isn't a bad inherently, but you're acting selfish. They're your FRIENDS! Not random strangers. Maybe they aren't as good of friends as you're portraying them? In which case why are you going at all?