This Guy's Friends Never Split The Bill Fairly When Out To Eat, So He Did Something Shocking, And Hopefully That Taught Them A Lesson

Nothing is worse than going out to a restaurant with friends or family and having to awkwardly decide how to handle paying the bill when it comes. Some people believe in splitting the check evenly — regardless of who ordered what. Other people would rather pay for only what they ordered plus tip. I honestly get anxious about these situations with certain friends of mine.

People at a restaurant toasting with drinks over a meal, focusing on camaraderie and dining out
Fg Trade / Getty Images

In the r/AmItheAsshole subreddit, this OP shared a rather relatable story of how they handled paying while out for dinner with friends, but now they're asking if they were the asshole for doing so. Here's their story:

"I(27M) have been a part of a small friend group, around eight people total, basically since college.

For some background, two people from the group, Susan and Greg, are just absolute leeches. Going out for lunch? Expect them to order the most expensive on the menu, then feed you some sob story about their finances, and then dump half the bill on you.

Last weekend, Dan, one of the people from the group, told me about a casual dinner. I told him that if Susan or Greg were there, I wouldn't be able to come. He tells me they would be there but I should just put my opinions aside and come just once.

I show up and we all get to talking. Everyone began putting in their orders, and most of them spent about $40. There were only about six people there. When it gets to Susan and Greg, they both order expensive dishes, around $200. When it was my turn to order, everyone looked at me, but I just picked up the menu, pointed to the $4 Miller Lite, and sent the waiter away. Dan asked why I hadn't ordered anything, and all I said was that I lost my appetite. The other two friends got up as well to cancel their orders and just have drinks.

After the main courses came out, I saw Susan and Greg picking at their food. The waiter then brings over the check. Greg then grabs the waiter and asks him to split the check six ways. I stood up and corrected him, saying the check was to be split three ways. Greg looks at me confused and asks why since we 'always' split the bill. I reminded him that three of us had not eaten any food so we would just pay for our drinks. So basically, at the end of the night, Dan, who probably only ate around $50 worth of food, was stuck with a $146.98 check at the end. (Yes, I remember the exact number.) I swear I saw his jaw drop when he picked that receipt up."

—u/Additional-Wasabi357

The OP continued by writing, "I slid $10 towards the check, said goodbye to everyone, and walked out. The next morning, I found my phone full of texts from Greg and Susan telling me I was an AH for not ordering food and forcing them to pay more than they had accounted for. I honestly laughed because the steaks alone were more than what they had paid but in their own right. I also got a lot of messages from Dan saying that I could have just not come instead of pulling that stunt and getting him stuck with an outrageous bill."

Note: Some of this story has been edited for length and/or clarity. 

So is this OP the asshole? Here's what some people on Reddit had to say.

a reddit submisson

This person thought the OP handled the situation the best way possible.

A comment from Auntie-Mam69 reads: "NTA. I thought what you did was brilliant. You started by saying you would not attend if the leeches were there...include Susan and Greg again."

If anything, it sounds like Reddit thinks Dan is the asshole.

Reddit user Brainjacker posts about regretting not paying a bill and receiving advice from another user, Dan, to avoid similar situations

Lastly, this person shared how they usually handle this type of situation.

Reddit comment by user SheiB123 explaining why they ask for separate checks when dining out, citing others' admission of not paying. Users can upvote or reply

What do you think? Was the OP wrong to just order a drink, pay for it, and leave? Are the friends wrong to handle group dinners? How would you have handled this situation differently Share all your thoughts with me in the comments below!