I would prefer we all did separate checks, but no one else ever seems to want any, and I don’t care enough to make a scene and demand my own for the few times I do go out with a group of people.
I just remember going out somewhere recently and I spent maybe $12, with a meal and my share of the appetizer, and my “share” was close to *thirty[/] bucks because a few people had ordered multiple drinks.
TBH, it hadn’t even occured to me, since I would never expect someone else to subsidize my alcohol. Must be nice. :rolleyes:
I’m generally in the “he who invites, pays” or “we take turns treating” group for small gatherings and we often split it up for large ones, but we usually try to make sure it’s pretty clear which it is. For example, if we’re inviting friends out to lunch, fully expecting to pay for everyone, we’ll be sure to phrase it as some variant of, “let us buy you lunch on Saturday,” so there’s no confusion. In large groups where there’s no host, we generally either get separate checks or split it up. When it’s family, my parents and I usually fight for the check and whoever is fastest, trickiest, or seated closest to the server pays. I also tend to pay for my younger siblings when we go out, mostly by virtue of being better established.
We always split the check when going out with buddies in college because no one was ever really officially hosting.
I’ve found it’s usually the heaviest drinkers who like this custom. Or the ones who like to get the surf and turf on someone else’s dime. However, I quite frequently get just an appetizer for my dinner, because that’s all I feel like eating.
It’s one thing to chip in an extra five bucks. But unless you’re family, I really don’t want to pay twice what my bill should come to. And some of my family IS that way, but if I say anything, WWIII breaks out.