If I suspect I'm going to be consuming much less than the people I'm with, I just ask the server for a separate check when I place my order. They may not like it, but they'll do it. Then if there's an honoree I pitch in my share.

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As for bill splitting when you didn't consume much--I never consume much, either food or drink-wise. But I factor it in as a risk of doing business, and don't go if I can't assume said risk.

I don't think I'll ever be able to have this mindset. (eta: accepting it as a risk of doing business. It may be a common practice, but it is less than ideal and it's going to bug me to the point of not participating in it and being that bitch at the table.) I have to admit to muttering the sheer gall of .... when people take advantage. Extenuating circumstances I get. Pattern of behavior, nsm.

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I have to admit to muttering the sheer gall of .... when people take advantage.

Are they taking deliberate advantage? Do you think they'd have a problem if you bellied up to the bar and drank the expensive stuff?

I've been extremely turned by a friend who tries to pay for my food about three times a week, whether we're having fast food or filet mignon. I'm so far in the hole I couldn't tell you if the sun was up.

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Among my friends, we basically split, unless someone is in different financial circumstances than the rest. When I was in grad school, I always ended up paying less when out with non-school friends, even if I had ordered the same amount of stuff or whatever. When another friend was in grad school, she would generally eat at home and then meet us, so of course she paid less. Even then, with almost everyone I know, the "throw down what you think you'll owe, and we'll see where we're at" method works pretty well. I have seen it work not at all with other people, though -- the people who think "their share" is the menu price of their entree, say.

Not paying at all, in a group with no discussion of any other arrangement, is definitely nutso.

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Are they taking deliberate advantage? Do you think they'd have a problem if you bellied up to the bar and drank the expensive stuff?

To the first, my base assumption is that you pay your own way. That is the way and the light and all that stuff in saraland. So it isn't so much advantage as...I dunno. Not fair and thoughtful. So to the second, were I to, I'd plan paying my own tab. I don't really care if they'd have a problem or not, I'd not make that assumption. Now if they then said, oh no, really, then....

I keep this totally separate as the idea of treating someone. I will never, ever, ever be able to pay for a meal when out with my parents. Ever. If someone wants to pay for my meal, fine, I'm not going to angst (unless it is weird and not about money but that's not what I'm talking about. ) Same way I'd hope a friend wouldn't angst if I wanted to buy them a meal for the hell of it.

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I used to split the bill evenly, but when T, Tr, and I started going out every Friday, we started paying our own share becauseT doesn't usually drink, I'll have one or two, and Tr would often have 3 or more, so it stopped seeming fair to split.

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But the two people that left early--that was a faux pas, right? Or something? I can't imagine leaving after having eaten or drunk without making some sort of monetary gesture. Especially the drinking part.

Big faux pas, as everyone said. I'd either leave what I thought was my share, or ask if I can settle up later.

But it was an in-honour dinner--you know you're going to pay for more than just your meal. Do you guys usually split those evenly, or do you do the math and then add the appropriate fraction of the honouree's stuff?

Here we'd usually divide the total by the number of people minus the honouree.

I used to end up in situations where we figured everything out, but I'd say the last decade or so it's been just splitting the bill. If I know I drank more than people I was with, I'd throw in a certain percentage more and the others could pay that much less.

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More sidewalk drawings by the same guy:

Those are amazing. I wish there were more pictures from other angles, though. In most of those, I keep trying to imagine what it looks like to the people walking by.

I think our default is pay for your own order. If someone actually notices that everyone's meal cost about the same, we'll split it, but that doesn't happen much and I've certainly never just assumed that we'd do that. Well, if it's my friend Kelly, we just take turns paying for each other because we're lazy, but she's the only person I'd do that with.

Anyway. I can't imagine leaving someone with a bill without even checking first. There are plenty of people I'd buy a meal, but if I don't know in advance that I'm going to be paying for them, there's no guarantee I'll have that much money on me. I don't always carry a credit card with me, especially if I'm going to a bar.

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I don't always carry a credit card with me, especially if I'm going to a bar.

You're afraid you might do some drunk charging?

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I didn't realize so many people split bills evenly. Usually when I go out with friends we'll all ask for separate checks. If the waiter can't handle separate, then we chip in our fair share. Makes me wonder if it's a regional influence.

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