The jury has spoken.
16,340 jurors · 486 asked for more information
Top jury comment
Splitting evenly only works when everyone orders roughly the same. £9 vs £68 is not evening out.
1,600 agree
Verdicts are the opinions of people who voted here, based on one side's account. The majority is not always right.
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 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.
Deliver your verdict to join the deliberation. Back to the case.
Comment on the dispute, not the people. No names, guesses about who anyone is, or abuse. Jury room rules.
Part of Money. Submitted 38 days ago. Verdicts show what the people who voted here think, based on one side's account. The majority is not necessarily right, and nobody in this case should be identifiable. If you recognise yourself or someone else, please tell us.
9,928 jurors
Both and Neither votes are left out.
Judge this case : Is it fair to ask my housemate to pay more because she has the bigger room?
6,031 jurors
Both and Neither votes are left out.
Judge this case : Should I split petrol costs with a colleague when I'm already driving past her house?
11,689 jurors
Both and Neither votes are left out.
Judge this case : Is it unreasonable to expect friends to pay me back for concert tickets I bought for them?
Splitting evenly only works when everyone orders roughly the same. £9 vs £68 is not evening out.
Anyone who says 'it evens out over time' is always the one it evens out in favour of.
£20 including a contribution to the birthday person is more than fair. The ones calling you tight drank the wine.
Always the ones who had the cocktails
Only thing I'd say is mention it at the start next time so it doesn't become a moment at the end.
Bill-splitting apps exist precisely for this. There's no calculation to be awkward about any more.