Go Out W\ A Group & Bill Time People Skip Out..What Would You Do?

[slow&rusty]

So etiquette \ ethics question you you all socialites...A big group of us go out last night, around 20 maybe more for a friend's birthday. During the course of the night people casually leave and DID NOT pay their tab, and when we go to close out there is a huge bill (from alcohol and food) that the few rest of us now have to decide what to do.

If you knew the people that skipped out would you:
1) Cover them and think "ahhh simple mistake, they were anxious to get home and forgot about paying their bill"?
2) Just annoyingly cover their portion and fuhgetaboutit?
3) Just pay for your piece of the tab?
4) Pay their portion and then call them and ask them to reimburse you?
5) Pay their portion, call them the next day and chew them out?

Your thoughts?
Yasin

[biosurfer1]

4 for sure....if you're nice about it, what can they say?

[Gogar]

Pay their portion and don't dine out with them again.

Or, maybe ask them out for a nice dinner at Morton's, and excuse yourself right after you're finished, mention something about going to the restroom, and haul ass.

[stomachmonkey]

I hate leaving those types of events early. I'll always try to estimate my portion including tip and drop it on the table knowing it's more than I really owe.

I'd call em on it.

I have a friend that has an annoying habit. He always orders the most expensive things on the menu, several apps and drinks. When it comes time to pay we divi up evenly so he pays less than what he orderd and for some reason he only ever has enough to cover his portion but never tip.

[Moses]

Originally Posted by Gogar

Pay their portion and don't dine out with them again.

That's what I'd do.

I just got back from a golf trip with 8 guys. We ran up a $2,400 bill at a restaurant. Everyone tossed in their $300 without complaint. In fact, the conversation never even slowed down. A great group of friends and a truly memorable evening. It would have been ruined if someone had tried to skip out on the bill.

[gassy]

email 'em this link.

[sammyg2]

BTDT. I'd just pay the bill and then stop associating with them.

Funny thing I learned:
If you go out for drinks (and some food) with a bunch of 914 owners, the last guy there is gonna get stuck. IIRC, the last time I did that Milt got hosed even worse than I did. I paid about $40 for three beers and he ended up covering about $50 of the bill. I think it was Milt, not sure on that one.

But the last time I went out to a restaurant with 911 owners, the guy with the bill ended up saying "there's too much money here" and had to try and give some back. Seems everyone was just throwing out $20s to more than cover their share.
The waiter ended up getting a huge tip.

So if you're dining with with 914 owners, leave early. If they drive 911s, stick around

[MBAtarga]

Originally Posted by Moses

That's what I'd do.

I just got back from a golf trip with 8 guys. We ran up a $2,400 bill at a restaurant. Everyone tossed in their $300 without complaint. In fact, the conversation never even slowed down. A great group of friends and a truly memorable evening. It would have been ruined if someone had tried to skip out on the bill.

So I guess you all forgot the Oprah KFC coupon for the free 2 piece grilled chicken meal?

[VroomGrrl]

Originally Posted by slow&rusty

So etiquette \ ethics question you you all socialites...A big group of us go out last night, around 20 maybe more for a friend's birthday. During the course of the night people casually leave and DID NOT pay their tab, and when we go to close out there is a huge bill (from alcohol and food) that the few rest of us now have to decide what to do.

If you knew the people that skipped out would you:
1) Cover them and think "ahhh simple mistake, they were anxious to get home and forgot about paying their bill"?
2) Just annoyingly cover their portion and fuhgetaboutit?
3) Just pay for your piece of the tab?
4) Pay their portion and then call them and ask them to reimburse you?
5) Pay their portion, call them the next day and chew them out?

Your thoughts?
Yasin

We should be able to expect that when dining with FRIENDS we won't have this problem, but I've been caught in this situation with friends, too. I assume the birthday celebrant got a free ride!

If it's a group that gathers regularly, I wouldn't sweat it (but honestly I can't imagine anybody in the regular group skipping out like that to begin with), it will even up next time. Otherwise, #4.

And I'm curious what you actually did before leaving the restaurant last night!

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Public humiliation is a great weapon.

I'd circulate a public e-mail thanking all the attendees and special recognition to "Person A", "Person B", "Person C" (etc. - name all the paying individuals) for "...graciously stepping forward at the end of the night and offering to assist in helping to pay the tab". In this way, you don't name names of the leechers, but it's pretty obvious by omission and (hopefully) a few of them will be shamed into ponying up to the decent folks who stayed and paid.

[the]

Wow, I can't believe people would actually do that.

I'd just make sure that you or your wife mention it to the others at some point, hopefully the most gossipy ones, in your group. People, esp. the ladies, love to talk about that ****.

It probably will get back to the non-payers and they'll be shamed into paying (which would be a double loss to them - they have to pay but the damage to their reputations is done).

Even if they don't pay, it's just not worth it. They get a free dinner, but that is really embarrasing and people never forget things like that.

[ZLP]

I always put my stuff on a separate check no matter what to avoid this problem.

[red-beard]

I haven't had that happen, or at least not recently. My friends wouldn't do that.

I do remember with my ex-wife, we had 'friends' who would not put enough into the pot and we'd be short.

[Hugh R]

True story, I have a friend who has been a bartender at an upscale hotel in Washington, DC for years. He say that democratic congressmen (not women) get together and after a drink or two start slipping out and stiffing the others. The republicans come there too and get *****faced and argue over wanting to each pay the bill. Says it's been like this for the two decades he's worked there.

I've met with a number of Pelicans across the country and in half a dozen countries, there is ALWAYS too much money on the table.

[911Rob]

my wife and I have a little joke about this; it goes like this..... "ah? who had the coke?"
long story, but I've been paying tabs all my life. Whatyagonnado?

It does piss a guy off when this stuff happens, but I'm thankful that I've always had the resources to just pay the (entire) tab and forget about it. Last one was around $500. If money is tight, I'd think option #4 would be the option.

Sorry to hear about your great friendships

[VincentVega]

I stopped associating with a group of folks for this exact reason. I would ask them for their share, then think twice about going out with them again.

[tabs]

Originally Posted by 911Rob

I've been paying tabs all my life.

Funny I never got the checks...could you please put new ones in the mail...that would be appreciated...

[tabs]

Havn't had a problem with the indivdual Pelicans...either we pay our own or one of us picks up the check...Jerry Nugget is kinda cheap so it don't hurt much...But it was a group of Pelicans that were cheap SOBS and left me to cover the tip on a nearly $600 bill...

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

I've met with a number of Pelicans across the country and in half a dozen countries, there is ALWAYS too much money on the table.

Except the night we had dinner with Grady Clay. Wayne got stuck for more than a hundred bucks. I put in my share and then polled a couple of guys at my end of the table. I remember one who told me he sent his money to the other end. B***S. I watched the guy the whole time and he never reached for his wallet. Must have been a couple of those guys for Wayne to come up that short. Well, Wayne bought Grady's dinner and a glass of wine, but that was no hundred.

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by slow&rusty

So etiquette \ ethics question you you all socialites...A big group of us go out last night, around 20 maybe more for a friend's birthday. During the course of the night people casually leave and DID NOT pay their tab, and when we go to close out there is a huge bill (from alcohol and food) that the few rest of us now have to decide what to do.

If you knew the people that skipped out would you:
1) Cover them and think "ahhh simple mistake, they were anxious to get home and forgot about paying their bill"?
2) Just annoyingly cover their portion and fuhgetaboutit?
3) Just pay for your piece of the tab?
4) Pay their portion and then call them and ask them to reimburse you?
5) Pay their portion, call them the next day and chew them out?

Your thoughts?
Yasin

You just found out who your friends are, and who they aren't.