A user on TikTok has sparked discussion after recounting an experience he had splitting a bill for food with friends.
In a clip with over 402,000 views, TikTok user Steve (@stevie2chains) writes, “POV taking your broke a** home after your friends split the check evenly even though I got mozz sticks and they got the lobster.”
Steve adds in the caption, “Couldnt afford the uber cuz of the $150 water and mozz sticks.”
This isn’t the first TikToker to inspire debate on the platform after sharing a story of bill-splitting gone awry. Earlier in the month, a user detailed how chaos ensued when a server informed their 15-person group that they could only split the bill two ways; the bill was for $3,500. Another user claimed that they were expected to evenly split the bill for a $1,200 birthday dinner when they ordered less than $40’s worth of food and drinks.
Back on Steve’s video, users noted that there are ways that one can avoid these situations.
“This is why my friend group will venmo/cashapp whoever says they’ll use their card and that way we all set our own spending limit,” said a commenter. As one TikTok user recently shared, Venmo also allows a bill to be evenly split in-app.
“Pull the server aside and pay for what you got, as long as you’re nice they’ll do it,” added another.
“I’m the friend that does the math, splits the tip and taxes evenly. Then I tell everyone what they owe,” shared a third.
“You should have gotten separate checks,” declared a further TikToker. “Only down the middle if it evens out minus a couple bucks.”
@stevie2chains Couldnt afford the uber cuz of the $150 water and mozz sticks
♬ Glamorous – Fergie
That said, a few commenters claimed that the anxiety over situations like this has affected their decisions regarding eating out.
“I skipped a dinner tonight because I dont drink and Im not chipping in for Tina’s 5th margarita,” said a user.
“Facts! I don’t drink… why are we splitting the bill evenly,” noted a second.
“And this is why I always plan to leave 20-30 minutes early….and pull the server aside and tell them to bring me my check separately cuz I have somewhere to be,” claimed an additional TikToker.
The Daily Dot reached out to Steve via Instagram direct message.
Update 8:56am CT, Jan. 26, 2023:
In an Instagram direct message exchange with the Daily Dot, Steve insisted that the events shown in the video really did take place.
“[It] has been a running joke in our friends group since,” he explained. “There were just so many people at our table they didn’t want to do the math. And I, frankly, didn’t care enough to be the guy to only pay for what I ordered.”
In general, he says he opposes an equal division of a restaurant bill.
“I’m on team separate check, but if you can’t do that, then just Venmo what you ordered + tip,” he shares. “I’d say usually if your group of friends is self-aware at all, this wouldn’t be an issue — and if they aren’t self-aware, then I would 100% make fun of them for it so this never happens again.”
To conclude, he defends his choice of mozzarella sticks.
“I’ve gotten a lot of mozzarella stick shaming in my comments, so I just want to go on record and say that no one should ever feel embarrassed by ordering mozz sticks,” he declares. “They are a tier 1 appetizer.”
