Freeloading friend asks waitress to evenly split one bill after her dinner companion requests separate checks, the companion decides to run up the bill to get their money's worth: ‘Her smirk set me off’

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
Oct 14, 2025 10:00 PM EDT

Some people are afraid of spiders, while others are afraid of clowns. What are we most afraid of? Going out to dinner with friends and splitting the bill evenly (even though we only ordered an appetizer and a soft drink).

Restaurant bill etiquette is a lost art; when did we decide that splitting the bill evenly is fair? That is equality, not equity, and disproportionate to the menu items purchased and what specific guests intended to spend. If you're splitting the check evenly, be prepared to realize that most of your friends tend to order more when they know someone else will cover a large share of their bill.

How do you beat the restaurant freeloaders at their own game? Is there some secret handbook that you don't have access to? Well, you can just do what they do, but it will be worse. The dinner companion in this next story ensures they get their money's worth when their repeat offender freeloading friend tells the waitress that the two will be splitting the check evenly. Scroll below to read the full story.

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  • "I honestly felt no guilt at all..."
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • "AITA for ordering more food when I found out we're splitting the bill"

    So we all have that friend that isn't very hungry until learning we're splitting the bill then orders all kinds of expensive stuff.
    via Just_Asking21
  • Well that's my friend Holly (38F) and lately she's also been "forgetting her wallet" so she's paying nothing now.
    via Just_Asking21
  • I spoke to her about it, first making sure she's ok and letting her know if she's struggling I'm happy to buy her a burger or something to help her out but not expensive stuff or drinks.
    via Just_Asking21
  • She responds that no she actually just got a bonus and is just forgetful, in my mind okay then why didn't you venmo when requested?
    via Just_Asking21
  • Now on to the AITA.... She invited me out for dinner & drinks to a chophouse (expensive) to talk about an upcoming trip she's booked to Bali.
    via Just_Asking21
  • I told her beforehand I don't want to spend $400 on dinner so I'd be going light.
    via Just_Asking21
  • On to dinner, she orders 2 apps, a salad, 2 bottles of wine, huge steak with multiple sides.
    via Just_Asking21
  • I ordered an old fashioned and a salad topped with steak slices. Waitress comes by to ask about bill and desert.
    via Just_Asking21
  • Keep in mind I've clarified before this we are doing separate bills. She goes oh I'd didn't realize we'd be ordering so much, we're celebrating by the way, oh you're so busy we'll just split it.
    via Just_Asking21
  • birds eye view of a restaurant entree, a knife, and a pin pad to pay for a restaurant meal
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+
  • I shot over - really Holly?! And smirks at me and goes its no big deal...
    via Just_Asking21
  • and here's where I'm likely the AH, her smirk set me off! So I went to the waitress and asked if she'd put in an order for 2 entrees to go.
    via Just_Asking21
  • When the bill came it was $427 ($140 was my order) and Holly was pissed!! We split the bill, I smiled with my to- go orders and haven't responded to her since.
    via Just_Asking21
  • I honestly felt no guilt at all but a few in our friend group said it was an AH move.
    via Just_Asking21
  • AITA? To clarify Guys, there is no "win" here, I spent more money than I intended and have a shifty friend who tries to use people - its sucky all around.
    via Just_Asking21
  • I just wasn't going to eat a small dinner & pay a large bill, at least this way she had to help pay for me having a full nice meal I wanted.
    via Just_Asking21
  • Also secretly I think she couldn't afford to pay for what she had ordered and now maybe she won't order $200+ meals out of fear that others will too
    via Just_Asking21
  • Vdavwil I'd say it was just desserts. I wouldn't have done it, I would have simply stepped in and insisted on separate bills, but this will either make an impression, or stop her going to dinner with you. Maybe a little AHish, but in a good cause. NTA.
    via Vdavwil
  • Just_Asking21 Just deserts thanks for that
    via Just_Asking21
  • SirEDCaLot The question is why didn't you order 2 desserts to go with those 2 entrees? Do you not want full meals tomorrow? :D
    via SirEDCaLot
  • Effective_Tomato_993 NTA. You set clear boundaries about the bill and she tried to push them up. Sending food to go was a clever way to avoid getting stuck paying for her splurge. Sometimes people need a little reality check!!!!!!!
    via Effective_Tomato_993
  • ReasonableCookie9369 you didn't go hard enough. If your share was $140 that means her share was $287 I think you should have ordered enough that if each party paid for their own hers would have been the cheaper. You should have ordered no less than $300 worth of sh to go. Still, I doubt you hear from her so, job well done.
    via ReasonableCookie9369

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friendship aita friendship advice entitlement friends askreddit reddit story aio dinner entitled dining experiences reddit thread Reddit dining entitled people friendship feud
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