Community Chat

[50Mickey]

@Kitty Galore   It's always best to let the wait staff know up front before the bill is presented that separate checks are requested. Some people order cocktails and wine and some don't. Some may want a steak and dessert and others may want just a salad or chicken. I would not expect my non- imbibing dinner partners to have to split the cost of my adult beverage and I would not want to split the cost of an expensive dessert or appetizer if I didn't share it.

[gidgetgh]

I would always ask for separate checks.   if I am eating a grilled cheese sandwich with a Coke Zero and the other person is having steak and a glass of wine, I'm not interested in paying half.  And vice versa.

[LdyBugz]

I don't find it insulting and I wouldn't worry about it.  Maybe her hubs has been burned too many times by splitting the check with other people.  It's happened to me when I've been out with friends where we agree to split the check up front, but there are a couple people that always take advantage of it.  They order an appetizer, salad, entree, dessert, and multiple drinks, and others (like me) only have a salad &/or entree and one drink.  Sometimes separate checks are best so there aren't any social issues to deal with.

[beckyb1012]

Unless it was a special occasion for one couple or the other we always did this back in the '80's and '90's when I was married.   It was the first thing said and sometimes before we all were seated.  If it was a one tab night then all knew up front  because of the celebration had been planned ahead for whatever reason.  

[Kitty Galore]

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@Effie54 wrote:

While it's nice to have separate checks.....we never ask for that. It appears cheap. Unless the wait staff automatically give separate checks, we just split the bill. 

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@Effie54  Actually that is how we both feel ,  it appears cheap  also it appears as if we aren't very good friends .   The 3 of us don't drink only him,  so it isn't that.   Maybe it's just we don't care what others are ordering we enjoy dinning out with friends and family we split the check with everyone else we dine with even amounts to each couple .  We do not go over the bill and itemize what a each person  ate, that's crazy !   

[kaydee50]

It depends.  With one friend we just give the waiter our credit cards and let him/her split the bill.

With people I'm not that friendly with I ask for separate checks.  The first time I did this with this particular group of friends, they kind of looked at me.  But it's much simpler to get separate checks.  I don't think it's "cheap"--I think it's practical.

[beckyb1012]

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@Kitty Galore wrote:

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@Effie54 wrote:

While it's nice to have separate checks.....we never ask for that. It appears cheap. Unless the wait staff automatically give separate checks, we just split the bill. 

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@Effie54  Actually that is how we both feel ,  it appears cheap  also it appears as if we aren't very good friends .   The 3 of us don't drink only him,  so it isn't that.   Maybe it's just we don't care what others are ordering we enjoy dinning out with friends and family we split the check with everyone else we dine with even amounts to each couple .  We do not go over the bill and itemize what a each person  ate, that's crazy !   

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That is the beauty of separate checks then you do not have to do that.  It may sound cheap to some but if you eat with your couple friends a great deal, which we did it is worth paying your own way.

[deepwaterdotter]

It is a common request among our circle of dinner companions.  We make the request before the person waiting on us begins taking our orders.  

[Kitty Galore]

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@LdyBugz wrote:

I don't find it insulting and I wouldn't worry about it.  Maybe her hubs has been burned too many times by splitting the check with other people.  It's happened to me when I've been out with friends where we agree to split the check up front, but there are a couple people that always take advantage of it.  They order an appetizer, salad, entree, dessert, and multiple drinks, and others (like me) only have a salad &/or entree and one drink.  Sometimes separate checks are best so there aren't any social issues to deal with.

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@LdyBugz @That is a possibility.  The other thing is we always feel uncomfortable ordering an appetizer for ourselves ,  they don't , and it makes us feel uncomfortable eating in front of them , I was brought up never to eat in front of someone without asking if they would like to have some .   

[ROMARY]

In general:

It could be that a person asking for separate checks might plan to order significantly more expensive dishes, along with expensive drinks, etc. 

Some items could 'add up', and he/they didn't want the other couple(s) to have to pay for the higher bill/check.

I think it's a good idea.  

Also, separate checks might prompt the other couple to go ahead and order more expensive items without feeling 'guilty', so to speak.

Either way, I like the idea.

Guilt free ordering, no matter what is ordered.