Frugal Intuition

Okay normally I would be offering up some tip or advice to you, but today what I am really interested in discussing is the issue of splitting the check.  Several times over the past couple of years, I have read things referring to situations where people split the bill at a restaurant evenly–no matter who got what.  Now, maybe it’s because I never eat out in groups larger than six, or that I’ve been a poor college/grad/post-grad/newlywed for the last decade of my life and that all my friends are in the same boat and none of us have the money for that kind of thing–but I have never in my life been asked or expected to pay for more than I ate.  As someone who always orders water to drink in restaurants, almost never gets an appetizer or dessert, this is something that is important to me.  I strive to save money when I eat out.  The idea that anyone would expect me to pay for more than my actual portion of the bill seems both ludicrous and rude.  If someone else at the table got a bunch of appetizers or dessert that I didn’t eat, why should I have to pay for any of it?  Seriously, I really don’t understand this concept.  I know that with parties of 8 or more, the restaurant will usually go ahead and add in the gratuity–fine.  But almost every place I have ever eaten will still split the check.  Maybe that’s another remnant of the fact that I live in relatively small town South.  Maybe they don’t do that in cities (though, I have to say that’s unprofessional and discourteous if they won’t take the trouble to split the check–they are providing a service, after all).

Certainly the etiquette surrounding such behavior would suggest that you never suggest splitting the check evenly if you will be paying for less than you owe–clearly that’s rude.  And it seems to me that it can all be avoided by asking for separate checks before you ever order.  But still, apparently this is a practice that some people do actually engage in, or I wouldn’t have seen so many mentions of it lately.

So how about it, y’all?  Anybody got an explanation for me as to why anybody does this?

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