What would you do in this situation....

[ChrisJSY]

The fact that there's people on both sides of the viewpoints available shows you how much social situations as messed up. "You should do this" "You shouldn't do that".

Big deal, just because it's accepted practice in z,y,z circles/countries/etc doesn't mean you have to follow.

But personally, you weren't told you wouldn't have to pay, you weren't told you'd have to. You assumed and got it wrong. Next time ask and have a think about how much it'd cost if they did have to pay for it all. Can't friends invite friends for a meal out without having to bribe them to come?

If I want to invite friends and have it all on me, I say so right at the start.

 

[Energize]

Wouldn't waste my savings on buying other people dinner tbh.

It's called throwing a party...

 

[loopylou]

If my friends invited me out for a birthday meal, I would expect to pay, and the bill would be spilt in such a way that they wouldn't have to pay.

Maybe that because I know them all really well. I know that everyone trying to save money and get a start in life, get on the property ladder, pay off debts, that I wouldn't expect them to buy us all dinner.

Even if they were hosting a party at their house I would enquire if they wanted me to bring something along.

 

[kylew]

I don't like splitting bills equally. I pay for what I have, whether that's over or under the average.

Sometimes i'm broke and I want to go out and spend time with my friends, so I order a cheap meal and only drink water. I don't want to have to subsidise someone's alcohol and steak, thankyou very much.

This I really don't get, if some one sprung this on me, I'd laugh at them and tell them to pay for the food they ate.

To be fair, my friends wouldn't pull such a thing.

In fact, one friend recent surprise paid for a meal where were paying for ourselves and wouldn't take any money for it.