Irritating: eating out with people who drink too much and you pay for it
Hans enjoys going out to eat, but there is one thing he is starting to find increasingly annoying. Eating out with people who drink too much. And especially when the most awkward moment of the evening arrives: the bill. ‘Oh, wait, am I the cheapskate?!’
‘Look, I really enjoy going out to eat. Good food, a bit of chatting, a cheese platter for dessert. But one thing always ruins it: alcohol. And it always goes the same way.
Four bottles of wine
We sit down, we order, I take a beer, and then… then it starts. The others take a bottle of wine. No problem, enjoy it, cheers! But wait, what happens? Before you know it, that bottle is empty and the next one is already on the table. Another bottle! Oh, and another! Before I know it, four bottles have gone by and they’ve forgotten the name of the waiter. Meanwhile, I’m on my second beer.
When it comes to desserts, the ordering continues cheerfully. A bottle of Armagnac appears on the table and of course, that one goes empty too. I drink a tonic, strong drinks give me a stomach ache. The coffee becomes Irish Coffee, for them. I knock back a double espresso.
Splitting the bill
And then comes the moment. The bill arrives. Everything seemed so pleasant, until that inevitable folder appears on the table. “Shall we just split the bill?” someone calls out. Yes, of course, let’s just split the bill as if we all drank equally. As if my modest beers have the same financial value as the vineyard you all drained!, “You really need to learn to relax, man”
“Sure, they’re friends, we’re having a nice evening. But as soon as you even”
carefully suggest that you might prefer to pay for your own food and drinks, you suddenly become the cheapskate of the group. “Oh, come on! It’s just ten euros more!” Now that’s not really the case, but after so much drink, I don’t expect anyone to be good with numbers. And then again, ten euros HERE, ten euros THERE. Calculate that on a yearly basis! They look at me as if I’m the guest who arrives at a birthday party with a half-eaten bag of chips as a gift. “What’s wrong with you? Are you broke or something?” And then there’s always that one friend – you know, the one who always drinks just a bit too much, suddenly becomes ‘very honest’ and says: “You really need to learn to relax, man. We’re friends, right?” Yes, that’s true, we are friends. And no, I’m not broke, but I also don’t want to be the collective sponsor of an alcohol orgy. Is that so weird?
The price I pay for it
So here we go again… Just like last time, I’m surrounded by people who are now trying to communicate with their eyes because they can no longer speak clearly, while I feel like I’m in a lawsuit to save 27 euros on a bill I didn’t even cause.
And then you finally walk outside, your wallet lighter, your mood heavier. And while they are singing arm in arm on the street, I realize: this will happen again next time… Maybe I’m just a wimp who has no idea how to tackle this and this is the price I pay for it.’.
Hans’ name is fictional for privacy reasons. His real name is known to the editorial team. Do you also want to share a personal story (anonymously!)? You can email us at info@favorflav.com’
Hans loves going out to eat but there’s one thing he’s starting to find increasingly annoying. Eating out with people who drink too much. And especially when the most annoying moment of the evening comes: the bill. ‘Wait, am I the cheapskate?!’
