Paying the Bill

When was the last time you went out with a group of people to a restaurant?

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I went just this evening. I had a lovely time with my work colleagues. We all had a set menu with a fixed price. The only difference really was that some people had alcohol, others soft drinks and some just tap water.

Then came the bill. Due to the set menu paying the bill should not have been a problem. We are all pretty intelligent individuals as well as being honest and fair but still the bill caused problems. Surely it was just £20 each yet it still took literally half an hour to sort out, with some people paying cash and others using their debit cards. The restaurant also had to issue us with two new bills to correct errors that they had made. Eventually the money was collected and the bill was settled. Although it took a lot of time it was all pretty amicable and no one seemed upset by what they had to pay.

In the past though I have been out to dinner with groups of people where when it came to paying the bill big differences have arisen. This usually happens when individuals have very different menus. Some starters and some puddings and some both. Some wine and some coffee. Some expensive main courses and some cheaper ones. Some share a dessert.

This is when if asked to split the bill evenly the mutterings start and people begin working out their own bill. Once calculated the money is handed over to the lucky person who collates and counts. Invariably when the money is totalled up it is about twelve quid short. How that happens is one of those mysteries that no one seems able to explain! Everyone is then asked to put in a little bit more, this usually causes more mutterings but it gets done.


Then the person collecting the money remembers the tip...

 

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