AITA for ordering an expensive meal with friends who always insist on splitting the bill?

Under the soft glow of a restaurant chandelier, the clink of wine glasses promised a merry night, but for one woman, it masked a simmering grudge. The Redditor, tired of shelling out for her friends’ lavish steaks and cocktails while nibbling her modest salad, decided to turn the tables. With a mischievous glint, she ordered a feast fit for a queen, watching the bill soar as her friends’ jaws dropped.

This tale of culinary revenge serves up a tangy mix of fairness and petty triumph. As the Redditor’s bold move sparks a group chat showdown, readers are pulled into a savory spat over money and manners. Was her pricey order a clever checkmate, or a fork too far? Dig into this delicious drama and decide who’s got the real beef.

‘AITA for ordering an expensive meal with friends who always insist on splitting the bill?’

I (24F) get dinner every week or two with my group of friends (24M, 23F, 26M). For whatever reason, all three of them are super pro splitting the bill evenly four ways instead of simply paying for what they order.

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This wouldn’t be an issue, but I usually get a salad for my main course because ordering most other things gives me a stomachache and I don’t drink alcohol and I don’t really like soda, so I usually just get a glass of water or a bottle of Sanpellegrino if I’m feeling crazy.

My friends, on the other hand, usually order expensive a**oholic drinks, expensive courses like seafood/steak, and even get appetizers (which I don’t eat). So, when we split the bill, it comes out to at least $150 at least every time. I almost never contribute more than $20 to the bill, sometimes even only like $15 total.

My friends always insist that we split the bill, which I find extremely annoying because I should be paying significantly less. However, whenever I try to pay for only what I ordered, they all call me a cheapskate and say they won’t eat out with me if I keep being cheap.  Last night when we went out, I decided to be petty.

I ordered a total of three glasses of their most expensive wines, some sort of fancy charcuterie board for the appetizer, and the most expensive item on the entire menu, which was some sort of steak. I even ordered a slice of tiramisu for dessert. My dinner alone ended up being $150. We split the bill once again, but I could tell they were irritated.

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This morning I woke up to a block of text from 26M in our group chat basically saying that he was pissed and they knew I was only doing what I did to p**s them off. My other two friends agreed with him. I feel kind of bad but I also feel like what I did is only fair because they do the reverse to me all the time. AITA?

EDIT: just realized I should mention that I do just fine financially and that the extra money I spend because of the bill splitting doesn’t impact me in any significant way.

A dinner bill can slice through friendships like a steak knife, and this Redditor’s pricey ploy proves it. Her friends’ insistence on splitting bills evenly, despite her frugal orders, left her footing their lavish tabs, a dynamic she flipped with a $150 meal. Their irritation reeks of hypocrisy—they savored the deal when it favored them. Her pettiness, while cheeky, exposed their unfairness, though it risked escalating tension.

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This reflects a broader issue: navigating group dining etiquette. A 2023 survey by OpenTable found that 60% of diners dislike even bill splits when orders vary widely. The friends’ “cheapskate” jabs bullied compliance, undermining trust.

Etiquette expert Myka Meier advises, “Fairness in group dining builds respect. Discuss bill-splitting openly before ordering”. The Redditor could propose separate checks upfront, citing her budget. Her friends should respect her frugality, not mock it.

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A calm group chat could reset expectations—separate tabs or proportional splits. The Redditor’s stunt balanced the scales, but honest talk can keep the table friendly.

Here’s the input from the Reddit crowd:

The Reddit crew brought their spicy takes, tossing shade and cheers like confetti at this dining debacle. From hailing the Redditor’s petty genius to questioning her friends’ loyalty, their comments sizzle with insight. Here’s what they plated up:

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FileDoesntExist - NTA. But why are you friends with these people? They sound awful. Tell em via text that you did exactly what they always do to you and to pound sand.

Lawn_Orderly - NTA. But if you do go out to eat with them again, tell the waiter that your meal is on a separate check.

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SparklesIB - NTA, but you need to start using your words right at the ordering stage, 'Yes, I'd like a salad and water, please. Oh, and do you mind putting my order on a separate check? Thank you.'

animaniactoo - NTA. If anything, all you did was balance the ledger against years of putting in way more than your fair share. That you did it to be petty doesn't mean anything. If they're all agreeing with him, simply text them back and let them know you're fine with paying in a more equitable manner based on whatever everyone has ordered going forward.

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Also, you have no clue why they're pissed or think you did it on purpose to p**s them off, given that you have had to pay for a lot extra for ages and were called cheap when you didn't want to do that. Did they really think that spigot was always going to flow only in one direction?

Being pissed at you now sounds like they were just using you all this time. Have they just been using you all this time?. Return that awkward to sender and lean back and have yourself a drink while you lick the envelope.

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Ok_Task_9603 - NTA. However, if you have a problem with this then why do you keep going?

flaky-burnt - NTA. Even splits were fine when you were subsidizing their dinners. They probably still owe you, lol.

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1976Raven - NTA, they’re just upset because you got back at them for all the times they did the same to you. If this doesn’t get them to let you pay for just what you ordered without complaint when you go out them it’s time to find new friends to go out with.

EwokCafe - NTA but are they really your friends? They have said they won't eat out with you unless you help pay for their food. Doesn't sound like friends to me.

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ChildofMerlin2 - NTA. To be fair, you *did* do it to p**s them off. But I feel it was justified. They've been taking advantage of you so that they can pay less and being AHs about it and calling you cheap for not wanting to pay 2-3x more than you should have to for your meals. Now they know how it feels and how irritating it is.

When my friends and I get to go out together, we always pay our own bills. Always. Why? Because it isn't fair to make people who ordered less pay more. (Exception if we're treating someone for a birthday or to cheer them up due to personal life stuff.) Also, we're freaking adults.

When my sister and I go out (we no longer live in the same state, so very rare now), we'll either pay our own bill or one of us will pick up the tab for food and the other will pay for the movie tickets or entrance fee or whatever. We try to make it as even as possible because fair is fair. But your 'friends' insisted on splitting the bill, knowing full well they were screwing you over.

So you complied with their idiotic insistence and turned the tables on them. Tell them to stop being cheap, as you've by now paid far more for their meals that they did for your one meal.. You need better friends. Ones who don't see you as a personal ATM and a verbal punching bag.

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SlothWilliamBorzoni - NTA,. You just gave them what they wanted. Now they got to deal with it.

These Reddit bites are piping hot, but do they serve the full flavor? Are the friends freeloading foes, or just clueless diners?

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This story of a lavish meal and a bill-splitting showdown leaves us savoring the taste of justice and jest. The Redditor’s costly order flipped the script on her friends’ unfair habits, but their group chat gripes reveal a friendship on shaky ground. As they navigate this monetary mess, the question lingers: how do you keep dining with friends fair without forking over resentment? Have you faced a bill-splitting battle that left a bad taste? Share your stories below—what would you do in this saucy situation?

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