People left at different times and put cash on the table for their share on their way out. You never wanted to be among the last to leave because, inevitably, some people only left enough to cover their drinks but not enough for part of the tax and tip.
Just to be clear, I always left enough to cover drinks and food I consumed plus my share of the tax and tip. But I also made sure that I was never the one who got the check for twenty people.
I am all for a single check IF everyone is going to pay their fair share. I'm even all for a single check if someone's share is minimally larger than mine. But if I get a salad and a water and my companion gets some chicken wings, a steak, a piece of cake and two glasses of wine? Not happening. Also, in this day and age where few of us carry cash anymore, how does splitting a check work? One person uses their card and everyone else Venmo's that person? I don't have anything like Venmo so unless all my dining companions also have cash like me, it's awkward not to get separate checks.
I totally agree with you that I’m not splitting a check with anyone who orders significantly more than me. And if someone orders a lot and then suggests “want to just split the check?”, I’m not shy about saying no and why. I don’t Venmo either. If I’m going out with people that I think might order a lot more than I’m planning on spending, I’ll bring enough cash with me to pay my share and let the others Venmo each other if that’s how they want to pay.
In recent years though, I’m not usually going out with big groups to restaurants. I do have some close friends that I go out with frequently and we’ll just take turns picking up the check. I’ll pick up the check this Friday, somebody else will pick it up next Friday. That sort of thing. And what we each order is usually relatively in the same price range, give or take a few dollars, so it’s fair.
If I know I’m going out with a friend who is especially financially strained so they are ordering the cheapest food/drink, I will make sure they aren’t putting more in than they actually ordered. Sometimes I’ll even treat them (which I would not do if they ordered expensive stuff).
We probably all know somebody who orders expensively and then suggests splitting the bill. Nope. Not going to do that. And if they are going to put me in that position, I will just have to embarrass them by pointing out why I’m not going to pay for their top shelf drinks or extra shrimp orders.
