A man named Peter in the US has shared the 'petty' request he received after sharing a meal with a group of friends. Photo / 123rf
A man named Peter in the US has shared the 'petty' request he received after sharing a meal with a group of friends. Photo / 123rf
How to split a bill at a restaurant is one of those things that can end up being very awkward.
Etiquette experts argue the polite thing to do is to split the bill equally – but there are times when it's fairer to only pay for what you ate and drank.
If the thought of it is making you squirm right now, spare a thought for poor Peter.
The US man recently shared a meal with a very precise bill splitter who went as far as to charge him for taking a few chips off his plate.
Understandably the petty move has been roasted online after Peter, who goes by the username @peterpribylpierdinock, shared the text asking him for 47 cents to cover the few fries he munched.
"So $23.83 total. Ur meal + tip + part of my meal that you ate."
Vemno is a popular money transfer app in America, with Peter branding the move "wayyy too bold" in a now viral TikTok video, that has been viewed 2.8 million times since it was shared on Wednesday.
Alex asked for 47c after Peter ate a few fries from his meal. Photo / TikTok
People were quick to brand Alex "embarrassing" and "petty" – with some suggesting Peter should ditch him as a friend.
"How are people not embarrassed to do this?" one asked, stating they "struggled" to ask for money back they'd lent people in the past.
"If you're broke Alex, just say you're broke. Or don't have friends," another stated.
"People like this don't even realise how much of a joke they are. Get real," someone else declared.
In the comments, Peter said he had three fries at most, and only after being offered. He also stressed the conversation was real after some expressed doubts over the authenticity.
Many saw the hilarity of the bold move, roasting Alex's payment demand.
"Oh, didn't you have a sip of my water too? That's another 32 cents," one teased.
"Alex takes his fries seriously," another laughed.
"You should round it up to $24 and say never speak to me again," one guy suggested.
How to split the bill when sharing food with friends
Etiquette around how to pay a bill in restaurants has long been debated, with the most sensitive of topics surrounding who should pay on a first date.
Experts have long argued the polite thing to do is to split the bill equally, but for those who maybe didn't have any alcohol or are on tighter budgets it sometimes doesn't work out.
If you're someone who is conscious of finances, you could try asking for a separate bill before starting dinner to avoid being in a split bill.
However if the amount of monetary difference isn't worth losing friends over, others suggest you should just take the hit.
