Should we split the restaurant bill equally when I only had a starter?
The complainant says
Went out for a birthday meal with eight people. I'm saving hard for a house deposit, so I ordered a starter as my main and tap water. Everyone else had three courses, cocktails and several bottles of wine.
When the bill came someone said 'let's just split it, it's easier' and it came to £68 each. My food came to £9. I said I'd pay for what I had plus a bit extra for the birthday person and the tip, so £20. The table went quiet and one person said it was tight to do that at a birthday.
The other side says the rest of the group, as the complainant tells it
The group says splitting equally is normal at group meals, it avoids an awkward calculation, and it evens out over time. They also say I should have mentioned I was on a budget before we booked somewhere that nice.
