Uspet annoyed looking man with his arms crossed.Photo byAsier Romero via Shutterstock

Heading out to eat with a friend group can lead to distrust and hurt feelings when it comes time to pay. Some folks have very different ideas of what splitting the check means, often making others feel like they’re being taken for a ride.

One man sought Reddit’s input after his friend implied he was cheap for not wanting to split the bill.

A Trip With Friends

The Original Poster (OP) said they embarked upon a three-day trip with their good friend. Unfortunately, a riff about paying the restaurant tab put a massive damper on the fun.

OP shared that they typically don’t eat a lot.

“I usually eat only once a day and survive on coffee because of this new diet I'm trying,” they explained.

Friend Likes To Eat

On the other hand, the friend likes to enjoy themselves while traveling. They go to nice restaurants, and he orders a ton of food.

OP doesn’t mind; he just orders his coffee and enjoys the time.

“He likes to eat in fancy places, and everytime we go to a breakfast or lunch place, he orders whatever he wants, and I just get coffee,” said OP.

Who Pays for What?

The trouble comes when the bill arrives. OP’s friend asks for one check and has the gall to tell OP to split it 50/50.

At first, OP paid the half without complaining, though he was justifiably upset. He finally called his friend out after “he ordered almost 30$ worth of food, and I just got coffee and had to send him 17$.”

Is OP Petty?

Like most users, OP’s friend decided to deflect. Rather than admit he was using OP to subsidize his meals or apologize for taking advantage, he called OP petty and acted all put out that OP would dare to “split hairs” over a bill, especially since it seems OP makes a decent income.

“He called me petty for keeping tabs on small things despite of making 6 figure salary,” stated OP.

The rebuttal caused OP to question himself. Was he being petty? Should he just split the check 50/50? He came to Reddit to find out.

OP’s Friend is a User

Reddit agreed; OP’s friend is taking advantage and doing so on purpose.

“That’s not how bill splitting should work, and he has to know he is taking advantage,” stated one user.

“He only likes to eat in fancy places because you're paying for him,” another pointed out.

Who’s the Petty One?

Others said the friend was actually the petty one for asking to split the bill in the first place and for not offering to pay for the paltry coffee.

“In this situation, splitting a bill is far pettier and more of a faff than the OP just paying for the single coffee they drank,” commented one.

“If the OP was with me, and all he had was the coffee, I would pay the whole thing,” added another.

Your Money Doesn’t Belong To Your Friend

A few users pointed out that OP’s six-figure salary is irrelevant. The friend isn’t entitled to his money, and OP shouldn’t have to subsidize his friend’s trip.

“Just because you have enough money doesn't mean you need to spend it on him, and he's not being a good friend by assuming you'd be okay with this,” one replied.

The situation would be different if OP offered and then took back his offer once on the road, but there’s no indication that was the case.

Time to Stand Up for Yourself

There’s one part of the story where OP is in the wrong - his lack of self-esteem that allowed the “friend” to take advantage in the first place.

OP stated that the friend tells him to transfer money to pay for half the check, and OP just…does it without fighting back until the day he had enough.

“He ”makes” you transfer money to his account? How?” asked one user.

“Question, how does he MAKE you transfer money? You can’t refuse, say no? Guess that’s why (you're) on here asking for advice. (You’re) too nice,” added another.

Who Needs Enemies with Friends Like This?

Sometimes friends are only our friends because they know they can get stuff from us. It sounds like OP’s friend was using him to subsidize their vacation, which makes us wonder what else OP pays for their friend.

Red Flags of Selfish People

Is that potential new friend a user? These red flags may point to yes!

This article was produced and syndicated by Partners in Fire