April 20, 2009
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Lunch With Moms
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One of my favorite hobbies is eating out, but sometimes you have to do it recession style. Now, some of us are feeling the downsize (me), and some aren't, so beware when you go out to eat with them.
Ack!!! I hate splitting the bill. I always end up having to pay more than the total of what I ordered.
But it's so hard to ask if you can just pay for what you ordered, people think you're being cheap or something I guess.
But I do end up feeling resentful, because in effect I'm compensating for someone elses lavish tastes!
Hmmm… maybe in the future I'll just order up large on the Cristal and lobster and someone else can take the edge of the cost. No more ordering a glass of house wine for me!!
I suddenly feel liberated…
seriously. dining with boozers, that's another blog! As a cheap drunk I don't want to pay for too much of that either.
You is funneeee, girl!! Seriously, I DO NOT have the cash to pay for someone else's pampering. I have become quite bourgeois and just say "love to go out to lunch, but I only have 20 bucks." Then, they can write me off if they so desire. But, most people say, "good. me, too." And then I can enjoy my food without having to stress out about what the bill is going to look like.
Yes, I too am up front about how much I want to spend. A good friend will want to lunch with me regardless. I would never order all the expensive stuff and then expect someone else to foot my bill! I'd be like, no I ordered the special cheese, I ordered the sparkling water, take that out of your share.
I like just naming your price from the get go. If it's a really good friend you can say, "Am I suppose to pay for your imported water?" with newer folk that can be harder
When out with most of my girlfriends, we just do the math and pay for our share. A couple of times I've been caught though - after everything has been ordered and I carefully stayed within my budget while ordering - at the end of the meal with one of the other diners saying 'ok, so $120 three ways that $40 each!' Ugh. And nobody wants to be cheap. So yeah, I either go in whole hog when I'm with a spendy 'splitter' and match her dollar for dollar (gotta get the money's worth too!) or just meet her for coffee.
When I'm out with friends we always ask for separate checks. I've found that most restaurants don't have a problem with this at all. Gosh, I never thought of it as being cheap.
Gosh, this must be an LA thing. The circle I run with would never think of doing that. That is HORRIBLE! Who makes you pay for their expensive lunch? No way. Having worked in a restaurant, it is not a big deal to get separate checks. Maybe it was before they computerized everything, but if a waiter acts like it's a big deal, he is lazy.
I hang with a couple of other moms and when we do lunch (or dinner–whenever we can disentangle ourselves from our families for a meal!), we have a system. One mom pays for all three meals the first date, the second mom catches the tab the next time, then it's the third mom's turn. It's wonderful! We always eat at one of only a few restaurants in our small town, and I love that twice I get to eat for free! The tab is always about the same price (usually not more than $50.00), but each of the two "non-paying" moms always pays the tip. And since we've all worked in our pasts waiting tables, we don't scrimp on the tip.
What!?!? I've had friends like take me out to eat before, but I knew ahead of time and I ALWAYS order the less expensive thing. And later on I would take her out. We usually just pay for our own stuff, Splitting is not all that good cuz then there's always that "I paid for her…..this or that" Just pay for ur stuff! It's not about eating the best food, it's about having a nice time out w/ your gal. Whoever order's like that and doesn't pay for it herself is a jerk.