Cell Phone Etiquette?

[City Girl]

Hi all - a friendship is hindging on the 'correct' answer. Please help! A large group of us went to a nice restaurant in Vegas. After everyone had 'paid', we were still short $20 dollars. I ended up pulling out my cellphone and using the calculator to crunch out exactly how much each of us owed. Later on, i was severely berrated by my friend, who was embarassed by my rudeness to whip out a cell at a nice restaurant to work out the numbers. ?!??!! Was i wrong??

[RickDaTuner]

nahh you weren't wrong, your friend who didn't have the decency to pay thier part was at fault. It seems like you were just trying to be fair and just

[rage2]

Depends.

I've met people that bust out calculators in restaurants because they feel it's more fair for everyone to pay their fair share + tip etc. Totally normal for these people regardless of where they are.

For me, if the bill's short $20, I'll just whip out a $20. Nice and simple. Next time it happens, someone else will do it, etc. Of course, the people I hang out with hate change, so we usually all throw in too much and there's way too much money, in which case a couple people get a free lunch or dinner hehe.

[Thaco]

I'd probably have done the same as you, those of us that do not have an abundance of zero's in our bank account would have done the same.


Honestly it is the fault of whoever did not pitch enough, a few bucks is one thing, but when someone neglects to pitch in $20, someone is ust being cheap and trying to amke thier friends pick up the tab. whoever was short the $20 should be the one to lose the friends... chances are the friend that gave you shit about the cellphone calculator was probably the one who shorted. Or if they were that concerned about impressions in a "fancy" resteraunt, that person should have pitched the extra $20 so you didn't have to pull out the calc.

[shakalaka]

Originally posted by rage2
Depends.

I've met people that bust out calculators in restaurants because they feel it's more fair for everyone to pay their fair share + tip etc. Totally normal for these people regardless of where they are.

For me, if the bill's short $20, I'll just whip out a $20. Nice and simple. Next time it happens, someone else will do it, etc. Of course, the people I hang out with hate change, so we usually all throw in too much and there's way too much money, in which case a couple people get a free lunch or dinner hehe.

Word and Agreed!:thumbsup:

[snowboard]

if your freind was so disturbed by it he shoulda just forked out the cashto pay the extra. or keep his mouth shut since your solving the problem and he isnt.

[anarchy]

Your friend is an idiot. Who cares if you used your cell phone to figure it out. Plus it's Vegas, people that cuuldn't care less what you do and will never see again in life.

Tell your friend to stop being ridiculous and stop shorting out on the bill.



Then punch her in the baby.

[Chester]

haha who cares if you whipped out your phone to figure out how much everyone owed? Seems fair to me.
But like rage said, if the bill is short like 20 bucks anyone of us will throw down the extra money. Since we are all friends it doesn't really matter because we all buy shit for each other all the time and don't ask to be paid back.

[GQBalla]

:werd:

whenever i go out and the bill is short everyone just tried to throw in extra - or we fight to throw in extra.

its kinda funny but your friend is just dumb.

word to what snowboard said - if your friend was truely so upset with the situation she should just threw down the extra

[Ben]

Obviously if she was embarassed, it's because the was trying to look baller and make it seem like she didn't need to worry about how much the bill was. By you calculating it, this stole her ability to fake being rich (which is common in Vegas where people try and act like they have money when in actuality, MOST visitors to vegas are the average working class.)

You're friend is a fuck for being embarassed, she needs to accept her poorness and move on, stop worrying so much, and over a matter of 20 bucks, it's hardly worth the hassle.

Problem:

"How much are we short?"

"20 Bucks"

Solution:

"Here's 20, someone buy me a drink later"

*exit establishment*

People that dwell and calculate over bills and tips are almost just as bad. But the people who deliberatly cheap out on the bill are the worst. I generally critisize them.

[buh_buh]

and that is why you have to start a fund for repeat offenders *cough*

[jaysas_63]

i personaly would never pull out a calculator in a restaurant, frankly i believe putting down an extra 20 to save face is worth it. but that being said your friend is a pretty big asshole to not pay her fair share (and try to get away with it)....so all in all you both did something wrong, but IMO what she did was worse

[GQBalla]

i pull out my phone when im trying to make a bill a even 60 if its like $45.63.

[Weapon_R]

I would never sit and calculate who owes what anywhere, let alone a nice restaurant. You were wrong to bust out the calculator over a measly $20.00.

[EK 2.0]

Originally posted by rage2
Depends.

I've met people that bust out calculators in restaurants because they feel it's more fair for everyone to pay their fair share + tip etc. Totally normal for these people regardless of where they are.

For me, if the bill's short $20, I'll just whip out a $20. Nice and simple. Next time it happens, someone else will do it, etc. Of course, the people I hang out with hate change, so we usually all throw in too much and there's way too much money, in which case a couple people get a free lunch or dinner hehe.


werrd that's how we roll...



Originally posted by buh_buh
and that is why you have to start a fund for repeat offenders *cough*


I spit my milk out whan I read that...hahaha...

[jcrules99]

yeahh, whenever i go out with my friends, if we are short 20 theres never a problem with somene throwing it in..

but yeah, ur friends an asshole for doing that, i dont see anything wrong with it, its vegas, not like anyone cares what u guys do

PS. what happens in vegas, stays in vegas!!! u broke the rule hahaha

[HybridTheory]

I have a bad story about my friends which was super embarassing...we had a bill of about 60 bucks between 4 people, and somehow we ended up being short 10 bucks. My stupid friends then proceeded to try to figure out who was short and there I was telling them I'd just give the extra 10 bucks. Yet they were still way too stubborn and wanted to figure out who was being a cheap ass. Finally the waitress came along and asked them if they wanted separate bills...that was the point where I lost it...so I gave them 15 bucks and got my ass outta there. Needless to say I didn't eat dinner with them for a long time after that.

[FiveFreshFish]

Two words for next time: separate bills

Of course, you tell the server upon arrival. Usually, she ends up with a better tip and doesn't mind doing this.

[Lexxan]

who gives a flying fuck.. I think there's just a few things more important in life than worrying about stupid shit like this.. grow up.

[max_boost]

Originally posted by FiveFreshFish
Two words for next time: separate bills

Of course, you tell the server upon arrival. Usually, she ends up with a better tip and doesn't mind doing this. :werd: I have a serious dislike for those who stiff on the bill. Other tactics like 'give me the cash and I'll charge it all' pisses me off too. :rofl:

If I'm out with people who tend to over pay, then that's not an issue like rage2 mentioned. But if I'm out with people who tend to be on the cheaper side, separate bills is the only way to go to ensure the server doesn't get the shaft.

Why was your friend so pissed anyway? Why didn't she just pull out a $20 to cover? LOL What a retard.

[Dooms_Bane]

oh man.. people who don't pay their share... bastards...
i hate going ot birthday parties and having like 20 people go...
my bill comes out ot be 43 and i pay 60....
and people are still short like 60 bucks...

[3G]

Originally posted by Dooms_Bane
oh man.. people who don't pay their share... bastards...
i hate going ot birthday parties and having like 20 people go...
my bill comes out ot be 43 and i pay 60....
and people are still short like 60 bucks...

i hate when that happens, happened to me once, we were eating out, then when the bills about to come a couple people just booked it

[FiveFreshFish]

It would have been rude to use the cell phone to take a call at a fancy restaurant.

Using it for the calculator fuction is fine...ditto for a PDA.

[adidas]

Your friend is a joke.

You should of told her that she didnt use the fork properly! If she wanted to be "fancy smancy" why didnt she pull out the 20 dollar bill like everyone else said?!

Make sure you dont hang out with her anymore because she wants you to be PERFECT in every way!

[theken]

i pull out my calculator when i dont wanna leave a tip, like our waitress sucked ass so i gave exact to the tax change when there was like 8 people there, most of them did the same thats when my phone comes into play

[Hakkola]

I don't know about calculating shit, it is a pissoff though. I went to Joey's for a buddies birthday last year, I tipped $15 and still the bill was short. :thumbsdow

That's the part that bothers me, I try making it so the server gets a good tip and we ended up without enough cash to even cover the meal because someone cheaped out. Then we had to toss out more cash and I don't really like the idea of paying $40 for a $20 meal, especially when you're there with people you don't know.

[kaput]

.

[HRD2PLZ]

I don't mind covering for some people, but for those who routinely short change their portion I can't stand. There is many friends of mine who I would rather not eat with just for that fact, I find that these people habitually short the bill because they know someone with deeper pockets than they do will cover it :guns:

I went out with some friends the other night, our bill was $85 split between 4 of us (split fairly evenly if that matters). I threw down a $50 (to cover myself and a friend who had covered my ticket to a show we all went to) and the other party threw in $35. I ended up throwing in the extra $15 and vowed never to dine out with those 2 again!

[Jayson]

Why the hell was your friend so embarassed? That's why they put calculator's in cell phones... So it looks like you're texting or playing with your phone... So you don't have to bring a calculator to the restaurant.

You're friend is just a little anal... and you should tell them that if this is something to ruin a friendship then they need to grow up... Friends don't fight over stupid shit like this

[natejj]

Originally posted by Dooms_Bane
oh man.. people who don't pay their share... bastards...
i hate going ot birthday parties and having like 20 people go...
my bill comes out ot be 43 and i pay 60....
and people are still short like 60 bucks...

This is my worst pet peeve!!!! 18 Birthdays are infamous for this!!!! Heres what i do.... drop down my money, and A NICE TIP, leave about 5-10 minutes earlier, let everyone else sort it out. People seem to think that drinks materalize out of thin air, and that a beer costs 5.25 exaclty.

I hate my friends. I have constantly been the one dropping that extra 20, so i refuse to go out with a majority of them unless i leave early, or get my own bill. It sucks, but it works!

Sometimes i even bring the ti-83 along just to show them .... lol

[BebeAphrodite]

Originally posted by max_boost
Other tactics like 'give me the cash and I'll charge it all' pisses me off too. :rofl:

What's wrong with this?
I love charging hundreds on my credit card especially when it's a large table. I just collect the cash and put in my fair share on the CC while still collecting all my points.
I also charge everything on my CC and will need to charge on my CC anyways.

------------

Back to the original issue, so long as you weren't pulling out the calculator to nickle and dime everything I don't see the issue.

[Tik-Tok]

If the crowd is large and Im not personally friends with at least half of them, I use my cell phone calculator to figure out exactly what I owe, plus tip, and leave the rest for the cheapskates to figure out.

[sputnik]

Originally posted by BebeAphrodite


What's wrong with this?
I love charging hundreds on my credit card especially when it's a large table. I just collect the cash and put in my fair share on the CC while still collecting all my points.
I also charge everything on my CC and will need to charge on my CC anyways.

I've known people to do that and short the bill. Say the bill for 5 people comes to $82 and everyone tosses in a $20. Then the fifth guy scoops the cash and puts $90 on his credit card.

Even worse. There was a manager I worked with that was caught expensing meals with employees that the employees paid for themselves. He was fired pretty quickly.

[BebeAphrodite]

Originally posted by sputnik


I've known people to do that and short the bill. Say the bill for 5 people comes to $82 and everyone tosses in a $20. Then the fifth guy scoops the cash and puts $90 on his credit card.

Even worse. There was a manager I worked with that was caught expensing meals with employees that the employees paid for themselves. He was fired pretty quickly.

Ahh, I just talked to Sam and he just explained this to me. I guess I didn't really think of it that way since that's not what I do and I had thought it was some etiquette issue or something.

Actually, come to think of it, I've been the one who is ripped off by charging everything on my CC, people are short cash, and I have to make up the difference plus tip.

[cujo_cjc]

If thats what it comes down to then I say using your cellphone to calculate it is fine.

It was my girlfriends birthday and a bunch of us went to Metropolitan Grill. They added that 15% gratuity because we had more than 8 people and everything and thats cool. And I ended up paying for almost half of that gratuity and let the rest of the 10 people or so pay for the rest of it. And yet we were still short!

I hate it and find it very annoying when people are consistently shortchanging their part of the bill because they think that by being in this group of people, that no one will care or take notice that they havent even covered their share. Or that they have, and they just dont tip. Or that people seem to forget that gst comes on the food.

I just pay my portion, plus a decent tip and just leave it for everyone else to figure out if theres a problem with the bill! :dunno:

[topmade]

To reiterate what everyone pretty much said. I don't think you did anything wrong. For some of my friends I will dish out if they are short and vice versa and at the end it will all even out. BUUTTT there are certain people who I will not pay a penny more because they are free loaders and will never treat you back.

I personally just use round figures at restaurants and wouldn't pull out the calculator, but my vote is for you, and you should of left her to wash the dishes to make up her part.

[snade831]

you needed a calculator to figure out you were $20 bucks short??

[asuth077]

Originally posted by snade831
you needed a calculator to figure out you were $20 bucks short??

:werd: Just throw down the 20.