Ok ladies, here’s a situation I run across with some frequency.

I often go to lunch with friends. I always make sure to have enough cash on hand, with plenty of ones (so I’m ready to handle the tip).

On more than one occasion, after I’ve looked at the bill and put my money down, a “lunch buddy” will either use the pot of money that has been collected to “make change” for a bigger bill so he/she can pay the bill, or (even worse) pick up the entire pile of cash and say “I’m going to put this on my card, I need the frequent flyer miles,” or “I’m short on cash so I’m putting it on the card.” Usually my request to split the bill is waved aside.

Anyway, when that happens, I am never sure how much tip the waiter is getting. I figure what I want to leave (usually 20%, or more if we’ve occupied the table for a long while). And I don’t like it when somebody else takes it upon themselves to “take care of things.” It’s gotten to the point that I will only “lay down” the exact amount of my meal plus tax, then either hand the waiter my tip personally or go back to the table and leave it after we get up to leave.

How do others handle such situations?

In another situation, I go to lunch weekly with a guy-friend from work. Somehow over time, we have gotten in the habit of "one week I pay, next week he pays." I think that came about because he was short one week so I paid. The next week he said "it's my turn."

Anyway, lately we always go to the same pizza place. I get one slice of pizza and water. He gets two slices of pizza and a soft drink, making his bill more than double mine. I suppose I'm just going to have to sound like a cheapskate and tell him "we need to go back to dutch treat," because I'm tired of getting the short end of that deal.

Thanks for letting me whine!

Whirlwind

Whirlwind