Nobody Can Agree On How To Split Bills Anymore As Restrictions Ease

Last month saw a number of social distancing measures rolled back, and at long last we were able to start doing things we had previously taken for granted.

Non-essential shops have flung open their doors again, and pubs and restaurants are now open for outdoor drinking and dining for up to six guests (honestly, it's so nice to finally have plans again).

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But as we've started to frequently socialise with our friends once more, there is one slightly more awkward problem that's started to arise - and we're all naturally too British to say anything about it.

Yep, we're struggling to split the bill fairly now we're back in normal social settings. We either have the awkward option of making the waiter go through each of your mates as they pay to the penny what they owe, or one kind soul can offer to pay the whole thing up front - while we all promise to send what we owe them later.

But we're still divided on what's the best way to pay when you're out with pals.

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New research from comparethemarket.com found that we're more split than we were over Brexit when it comes to paying the bill.

While one third of us believe splitting the bill (including tip) evenly amongst a group is the way forward, slightly more people (36 per cent) would rather get our calculator apps out to make sure everyone pays their fair share.

No wonder going out for dinner can get a little awkward sometimes.

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Naturally, it's a thorny topic, as more than 42 per cent of us have agreed to pay more than they wanted to avoid a rift or to save face, while nearly one in five will leave a bigger tip to balance out a disagreement over splitting the bill.

Elsewhere, around 20 per cent of us have paid the entire cheque to stop any more awkward to-ing and fro-ing, and one in five people have been so put off by bill sharing when dining out it's actually made them reconsider dinners out as restrictions relax.

And with indoor dining expected to return late this month, things could get even more awkward as we're likely to get even busier.

Hmmm...maybe it's time we get better at our mental maths...

Topics: lockdown, Tasty Food, Money, Food & Drink

Kimberley Bond

Kim is a journalist at Tyla, and has previously worked at the Evening Standard, Radio Times as well as several national newspapers. A showbiz obsessive and a television fanatic, Kim is particularly interested in celebrity gossip, A-list events and the latest releases on either the big or small screen. Contact her at [email protected]

@0xKimberley