Career Woman Stages Epic Meltdown In Fancy Restaurant After BFF Ditches ‘Tradition’ By Refusing To Split Check Equally

“My friend has a huge appetite and would order 65-85%. This time, I decided to pay for my food alone.”

Jesse

• Published in Interesting
• January 25, 2024

Meet the dynamic duo who’ve been inseparable since second grade: our narrator (Original Poster) and her ride-or-die, Vanessa.

Through thick and thin, they've been each other's pillars, celebrating victories, sharing burdens, and also sharing unique traditions.

One such tradition was splitting bills down the middle. Vanessa brought about this suggestion, and OP happily hopped on board.

They went on with this for years because it was a real-time saver, plus it removed the hassle of calculating every nickel and dime. However, a not-so-subtle imbalance reared its head, and it soon became too significant to ignore.

Now, Vanessa had a huge appetite, while OP wasn’t really a heavy eater. Because of this, OP’s meal usually accounted for a fraction of the bill, while Vanessa’s could go up to a staggering 85%. 

As you can see, splitting the cost down the middle was basically a financial seesaw, but they stuck to ‘tradition’ nevertheless. OP's sister announced how unfair it seemed, and honestly, OP began to see it herself.

As fate would have it, Vanessa proposed a lavish dinner at a fine dining restaurant to celebrate her recent promotion. This time, OP announced she’d only be paying for exactly what she ate.

Vanessa initially brushed it aside and wolfed down delicacies as usual, but when OP pulled out the exact amount for her meal, it dawned on her that OP meant business.

Vanessa was visibly upset; in her words, she wouldn’t have ordered so much if she knew OP was serious. She furiously stormed out after paying despite knowing she was OP’s ride home. 

Many mutual friends accused OP of ruining the celebratory dinner. Was OP really to blame in this case?

The story in detail

OP and her friend, Vanessa, made a rule to always split the cheque during outings, regardless of what the other person orders

Vanessa got promoted at work and the pair decided to celebrate at a fine dining restaurant. But before they left, OP made it clear that she would only pay for her food

After the dinner, OP kept to her word and paid for her food alone. Vanessa settled the remaining bill and storm out in anger

The next morning, OP woke up to a barrage of insults from their mutual friends

Important edit

Here’s how the Reddit community reacted to the story:

“NTA. That comment shows she’s been taking advantage of you.“

“She got a promotion and wants you to pay more for her to celebrate it...”

“Your food was 26% of the bill. Her food was 74% of the bill – yet she still expected to pay 50/50.”

“NTA. She doesn't sound like a friend, she sounds like a user.“

“Your ‘friend’ was scamming you all along. She knew what she was doing. She was using you to cover the things she wanted.”

Redditors resoundingly declare NTA. They highlighted Vanessa's admission – "I wouldn't have ordered so much if I knew you were being serious" – was a clear indication OP was being used. 

The consensus? OP might want to evaluate this friendship. She clearly knew what she’d been doing all this while.

Do you agree with this verdict? Let’s get your thoughts in the comments.

Jesse