Why do people think it's fine to 'round down' on their share of the bill?

By @maesorta · Friends

Every time my friends and I go out for dinner and split the bill, a few of them will just throw in a round number that's less than what they actually owe. It's never a huge amount, maybe a dollar or two, but it always leaves someone else (usually me) to cover the difference.

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I have a group of friends and we go out to eat maybe twice a month. For years, we've just split the bill evenly or calculated what we owe. But lately, two friends have started this weird habit where if their share is, say, $28.50, they'll just put in $27 or $28 and call it good. It's a small thing, I know. But when the waiter comes with the machine, there's always this awkward moment where the total is short by like, four or five dollars. Everyone else just sort of looks around, and because I hate the silence, I end up saying, "I'll get it." It makes me feel resentful, not because of the money itself, but because it feels like they're taking advantage of the fact that someone else will eventually pick up their slack. It's like they've done a cost-benefit analysis and decided their convenience is worth more than my money. I don't want to make a big deal out of it and seem cheap, but it's starting to really bother me. Am I supposed to just start doing it too, or call them out next time it happens?

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