My Father was not the Cheapest Man in the World
By DianneN
@DianneN (247186)
United States
January 19, 2023 11:45am CST
Last night we went out to dinner with 7 friends that we always get to see in Florida. We often get together in New York and in Connecticut. Hubs went to high school with the guys. One couple I met when visiting our son in law school, but since have been out to dinner with them at least 20 times.
I’ve discovered a pattern.
Only they ask for a separate check.
Only they share one salad between them for dinner.
Only they take home half that salad in a doggy bag.
They choose the least expensive steak in fabulous steak houses and do the above.
Etc……
It happened again at dinner last night.
And don’t ask if they have no money, are watching what foods they put into their bodies, or are on diets. Not true!
To each their own, but we never have a problem splitting the check with our friends. Actually, hubs often picks up the tab and our friends do the same. What’s a few bucks between friends?
What’s your take?
Photo is of Alley who is from San Antonio, Texas, and not Houston.
34 people like this
34 responses
@marguicha (223109)
• Chile
19 Jan 23
I once went out to dinner with my husband, a man friend and a couple. When the check came the couple started to look at how much each of them had eaten and even talked that one of them had eaten a greater part of the dessert than the other. My husband and the other man looked at each other and said that they would split the check between the two of them. Neither he or us went out for dinner again with this couple. And it wasn´t that they were poor or something like that.
7 people like this
@marguicha (223109)
• Chile
19 Jan 23
@DianneN My husband and the other man friend coud not bear the discussion about how many strawberries had each of them eaten.
They looked at each other a second and said at the same time that they´d both share the bill. I can understand that when people are students or earning a small amount of money. But there are things that can´t be done.
They looked at each other a second and said at the same time that they´d both share the bill. I can understand that when people are students or earning a small amount of money. But there are things that can´t be done.2 people like this
@snowy22315 (180857)
• United States
19 Jan 23
Obviously watching their pennies. As long as they aren't asking you to pay, all the timeI wouldn't worry about it. Honestly, sounds like something sis and bro in law would do. They are quite frugal. They got mad at friend for taking too much of the Tgivingg turkey for his dog .and it wasn't much!
3 people like this
@snowy22315 (180857)
• United States
19 Jan 23
@DianneN I couldn't believe it. It was a 26 pound turkey...really?? It isn't like that is the only thing they have to eat or something. Their freezers are stuffed.
2 people like this
@DianneN (247186)
• United States
19 Jan 23
@snowy22315 That is so embarrassing!!!
I guess some people are stingy with food, too.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (167026)
• Boise, Idaho
20 Jan 23
My take is that this is just one more reason I don't socialize in real-time much. If this is something you don't feel you d want to continue to have happen I would make my excuses and quit going out with them.
3 people like this
@celticeagle (167026)
• Boise, Idaho
21 Jan 23
@DianneN ........There you have it. Ignore the negative.
1 person likes this
. But there are many times we've just all taken turns to just pay the bill - no biggie. That Alley is just too cute!!!
@allknowing (136547)
• India
19 Jan 23
I had a funny experience once This friend and I went to a restaurant for lunch. I said we will go Dutch and that made her order for lots of things which I thought was not fair. I am a small eater. On second thoughts I told her why not pay for what we order for separately?
Not a happy situation for her!!!!
2 people like this
@allknowing (136547)
• India
20 Jan 23
@DianneN Even while splitting if one orders the way my friend ordered then it is best one pays for what one orders.
2 people like this
@DianneN (247186)
• United States
20 Jan 23
Oh, that was nasty of her. That was taking advantage of you.
We just got home from picking our friends up from the airport and going out for dinner. They wanted to pick up the bill, but my husband refused. So we split it right down the middle.
2 people like this
@quantum2020 (12041)
• Ciudad De Mexico, Mexico
19 Jan 23
In Mexico, when I get invited to eat and I try to pay, they get offended. The same happens when I get invited to eat at a house. They would offer more servings of food. It´s difficult to deal with money
2 people like this
@quantum2020 (12041)
• Ciudad De Mexico, Mexico
19 Jan 23
@DianneN I have gone out with friends and we always split the expenses. That way everything flows smoothly
2 people like this
@MakOwiti (73)
• Nairobi, Kenya
20 Jan 23
@quantum2020 There are buddies who would rather ride o your back every time and ensure you foot all the expenses.
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (106413)
• Marion, Ohio
20 Jan 23
Alley looks like a climber jumper to me
Maybe it is a left over habit from tougher times. I don't mind picking up the check or sharing it with good friends
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (106413)
• Marion, Ohio
21 Jan 23
@DianneN Glad they thought of that before she tried it
I would just leave a tip and let it go
1 person likes this
@DianneN (247186)
• United States
22 Jan 23
@wolfgirl569 We all leave extra on behalf of them
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (178877)
• United States
20 Jan 23
Sometimes the people with the most money are the most frugal. That's the way they are; and you can't change them. It would be very annoying though! As long as you continue to include them at the dinners, they will continue to ask for separate checks, etc.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (37570)
•
19 Jan 23
When going out with friends, it can get difficult. Many just split the bill, or they take turns, but there are some people who just don't choose to be lavish with themselves. Maybe they are saving for something? Maybe they just don't want to spend money, which is the most likely. If things are tight for them, I am surprised they would even go out to eat. When I go out with friends, we either split it or just take turns, the one thing that bothers me terribly is one friend who will order an extremely expensive dinner when we are all just paying for our own, but she never leaves a tip. Ever. The rest of us like her, but no tip isn't really acceptable for good food and excellent service. So we all usually tuck a bit extra in our own tip to make up and just don't say anything to her anymore. It's just not worth it to us.
2 people like this
@DianneN (247186)
• United States
19 Jan 23
I agree, but they are just cheap. I never mentioned the fact that they are cheap tippers, too. If we pay in cash, they throw in a dollar or, two, tops. I have no idea what they tip when they use a credit card. We also leave a generous tip to cover those two, as well. With so many people, the wait staff works extra hard and certainly deserves extra.
2 people like this
@DianneN (247186)
• United States
20 Jan 23
@MarieCoyle Very true!
It’s best to keep quiet about those things.
@MarieCoyle (37570)
•
19 Jan 23
@DianneN
I worked as a server and such for a long time when going to college. A good server earns their money! Sometimes, I want to say something to our friend who is such a bad tipper, like do you realize we are leaving extra because you are leaving nothing? But I don't....it's hard but I shut up.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (160708)
• United States
20 Jan 23
Alley is gorgeous. I would be embarrassed to make such a big deal about a meal in a restaurant.
2 people like this
