In the future, I think the best thing for all concerned would be for you just make a flat statement like “I’m going to Cheapie McMiser’s for the $3.98 all-you-can-eat fish sticks special, then to Pukey McHeadache’s for the $1 malt liquor drafts.” Your friends can then elect to accompany you for dinner or meet you for drinks afterward. You’ll be able to set the whole agenda for yourself that way. Whether they’ll wish to accompany you will, of course, never be something you can control.
This is true. Sometimes you just hang out with certain people because you share a similar interest, you enjoy their company and it’s convienient.
I have friends who make less money than me. None who are like $10 will make or break their budget for the month if that’s what you mean.
The way it works is that people generally form a group of friends they routinely go out with. Their “posse” if you prefer. Generally the group as a whole will settle on places where they can agree on price, location and entertainment.
If you have one guy who always has issues - cost, needs to leave early, whatever - eventually they drift off from the group.