If there's a mixed group of men and women at a restaurant....?

Question

Let's say there's a group of 5 friends, 3 men and 2 women. None of them are dating, married, or interested in each other. They are just friends having dinner together.

The bill comes and it is $250, including tax. The men each earn $100,000 per year. The women each earn $30,000 per year.

Should they each pay the same? Should the men split the bill 3 ways? Should the women pay some lesser portion? (nothing was discussed ahead of time)

Answer 1

You should split it equally, though it'd be very nice for the guys to pick up the tab.

Answer 2

Ugh -- no way should the men or the richer people subsidize the others in this situation. It is condescending unless it is someone's birthday or something like that. Go to a place everyone can afford, and split the bill and tip 5 equal ways. There's nothing exactly wrong with figuring out exactly what everybody ate and tabulating their share exactly, but frankly I think it gets silly when 5 grownup friends haggle over a difference of a dollar or two and spend half an hour splitting the check -- if you often go out together, things eventually even out. The only exception I might make is if someone got, say, coffee and the rest got full meals -- in that event, the others should tell him/her to chip in less. If one person got caviar, a lobster and expensive wine by the glass and the rest got the blue plate special, I think it's good form for him/her to offer to chip in more (although if it were my friends, we'd probably turn down the offer on the "it all evens out" theory).

By the way -- the amount of your bill makes absolutely no difference to my answer. You all agreed to go to this restaurant, sat down, looked at the menus, and ordered. If it was too rich for your blood, the time to speak up and suggest going for pizza instead was before you placed your order. You're all friends, right? You should feel comfortable doing this. I mean, you didn't go out to the restaurant figuring you'd pay your own way if it was $10, but that someone would pay for you if you decided to order the foie gras. At least I hope you didn't.

Answer 3

If this happened to me I would say something like " here is the money for what I ordered and my the tip is included" Nothing more or less I would have paid for what I ordered and I would Say good night . I would not split the bill equally due to the fact that some people or myself might have ordered an expensive item.

Answer 4

Each should pay what each ate. If they did not ask for seperate checks then divide the bill by 5 and each pays 1/5 plus tip.

Answer 5

Given the scenario I would say the men should pay. $100,000 a year is a pretty decent income these days, and they're men. If the income descrepancy wasn't so big I would say each should pay for their own given there's no interest in each other.

Answer 6

I have treated lady-friends before, and female business associates. I figured it is a way to politely repay them for their company and/or time.

It is not necessary, but it would be polite if the gentlemen offered to pay. Otherwise, everyone should pay for what they got, and a tip accordingly to the price of their meal.

Answer 7

you split the bill 5 ways. Why should the men subsidise the women? If you can't afford to go out to dinner, don't go!

Answer 8

everything should be split equally right down to the penny and also chipping in on the tip. It shouldnt matter what they earn.

Answer 9

Split 5 ways.

Only exception is if someone does not drink alcohol - they pay for their own.

Answer 10

Everyone pay for their own meal, and share the service charge etc between each other.