This past year has been a LOT of fun, and especially this summer, I’ve gotten to spend time with my friends – usually in big groups.
You know the drill: Drinks and food starts getting ordered and at the end of the night, the credit cards come out.
“Split it”
What I’ve come across, more than once, is people who leave early (Which is totally fine) without leaving enough money to cover their part of the tab. I don’t mean one beer that’s $5 but a tab that includes a couple hours of drinking, maybe food and sometimes, for more than one person.
At the end of the night, when the bill comes, it’s up to the people left to cover the tab. So, not only are they splitting the tab for their own charges but now have to cover whatever it is that wasn’t paid by the ones who left early.
Look, it’s simple. If you know that you’re going to be leaving earlier than the entire group, bring cash with you to leave behind & keep track of what you eat/drink. Or if you forget the cash, then go to the register and pay your part of the tab.
It’s really simple as that and yet…
Guys, we’re all adults here. You wouldn’t skip out on the tab when you go out by yourself, so why would want to be that person in a group?
Trust me, you don’t want to be that person.
There are extreme circumstances, emergencies, etc. I get it. Just be a grown up about it and do the right thing.
You drink it, you pay for it.
It’s simple as that.
7 thoughts on “PSA: Don’t Be THAT Person”
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I did this once without realizing it and felt so terrible afterwards!
Then I found out that my friend’s ex-boyfriend, who was an asshole who nobody liked, ended up paying the tab. I felt okay after that. 😉
Anonymous
Agreed. The other caveat? Don’t suggest “splitting it down the middle” if you’re the only person to order a steak and a bottle of wine while everyone else split one appetizer and a draft. Can’t tell you how many meals I’ve subsidized.
Alison
Whats worse than paying someone else’s tab? How about leaving early, paying your tab + tip but still getting grief cause the remaining patrons don’t fork over enough or claim food/drinks they ordered and consumed, and you’re not there to defend yourself.
“Oh so and so left early and they didn’t leave enough”
“they must have had more than 3 beers”
“didn’t they order the nachos?”
Sigh.
Lesson learned: in groups of more than 3, get a separate check from the start. But then you become “the guy who always get a separate check”
Sigh.
joe frick
Totally with you! This is why I usually try and avoid group dinners or bar tabs with people I don’t know that well or have a history of being shady. And when in doubt, always have cash in hand 🙂
Michelle
Splitting checks is hard life math, man. But I agree completely. DO NOT DO. Thanks for the PSA. 🙂
Anonymous
Thank you for this PSA! I don’t understand how smart people don’t get this. Or, maybe they do get this and they’re consciously being dicks. Hmm… Great post! xoxo
City Girl