My friends think I should help pay the tip on their $80 brunch entrees.
By @edieyy · Friends
We went out for a 'casual' brunch but I'm saving for a trip so I ordered a coffee and a single piece of toast. When the bill came the entitlement was literally insane and now the group chat is a warzone.
The full story
i am spiraling. please tell me if this is a normal thing now. my friend group (5 of us) decided to go to this new brunch place that's been all over tiktok. i'm aggressively saving money for a vacation so i told them i'd probably just get a coffee but wanted to hang out. they all said 'omg of course! just come!' so we go. i order an iced coffee ($6) and later, when i got hungry, a side of toast ($4). literally just one slice of sourdough. that's it. my friends go all out– a tower of appetizers i don't touch, multiple rounds of passionfruit mimosas, the lobster benedict, the steak and eggs, the works. i'm not exaggerating when i say their individual orders were probably $70-80 each before tax and tip. the bill comes. it's like $420. before anyone can even think, one of my friends whips out her phone and goes 'okay so that's $84 each.' i just stared at her. i was like... 'hey, i just had a coffee and toast, it's like ten bucks.' the vibe immediately shifted. it was so awkward. she gets all huffy and is like 'ugh fine' and has to do the math to subtract my $10. then she goes 'okay so the bill is $410 for the four of you, plus my $10... whatever.' they all venmo her their shares and i send my $10 plus a few bucks for tax/tip. this is where it gets insane. an hour later in the gc, the friend who paid starts a whole campaign about how i was being difficult. her argument was that even though i only paid for my food, i should have contributed to the group tip. like... on the full $420 bill. they calculated a 20% tip ($84) and she said i should have chipped in my 1/5th of that ($16.80). she said my 'presence' contributed to the service so i should tip on the group's total experience. am i crazy?? paying a 168% tip on my toast?? this cannot be real life.
How people voted
- OP Is Right — 32% (62 votes)
- Both Messy — 36% (69 votes)
- OP Is Wrong — 32% (62 votes)
Readers are split: “Both Messy” leads with 36% — 193 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@fayemaybe — Your friends have a very transactional view of friendship and it's gross.
@noelmm — soft.
@brynnlately — love the 'ambience contribution fee'
@zanefr — Why isn't anyone asking why one person paid a $420 bill on their card?
@jess — LMAO
Keep reading
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