They thought it would be a fun night out—until one guest hijacked the menu, ordered meat and cocktails for the whole table, and expected everyone to split the check evenly.

Too bad one guest doesn’t drink, doesn’t eat red meat…and doesn’t play that game.

Now there’s drama, disappointment, and a very expensive pile of leftovers.

Check it out.

AITA for refusing to split an expensive birthday dinner bill evenly?

A few nights ago, I went to a birthday dinner in San Francisco for a friend.

There were about 10 of us.

I don’t drink alcohol and I don’t eat red meat.

When we got there, one person (not the birthday girl) took it upon herself to order for the whole table, deciding we’d eat “family style.”

I found out when I tried to place my order and the server told me someone had already ordered for us.

I explained I’m a pescatarian and asked to order separately — I ended up getting a $23 pasta and a $10 mocktail.

Can see where this is going…

When the food came and it became clear that it was way too much.

Two giant meat and seafood platters, multiple appetizers, desserts…

Most people had several $20+ cocktails.

One person didn’t eat anything because she said she couldn’t afford to eat out but wanted to come “for the vibes.”

Another person ate and left early.

The woman who ordered everything put it on her card and took home all the leftovers (which were a lot).

A few days later, the birthday girl told us the bill came out to over $1,000 and we were each expected to pay $150.

Excuse me?

I said no — I only ordered a $23 entrée and a $10 drink.

Bday girl said she understood and offered to let me pay $100 instead, but was clearly disappointed.

She said the expectation at group dinners is everyone splits evenly, like it’s the “cost of entry” to share the experience.

I told her I think that’s unfair and presumptuous.

Why should people be expected to subsidize others’ expensive tastes — especially when they didn’t agree to a shared meal, didn’t drink, and ordered conservatively?

Literally.

I get that the server probably oversold us and that the person who ordered for the table had good intentions.

And maybe I should have said something at the start, but I didn’t expect things to go so sideways.

Now the birthday girl is mortified because her friend who fronted the bill might be left with a big chunk of it, and she (the birthday girl) just lost her job.

I feel like this situation was created by poor planning, assumptions, and lack of communication — none of which were my fault.

AITA for standing my ground and refusing to pay more than what I ate?

Turns out “sharing the experience” meant sharing someone else’s impulsive bill.

Except, not according to Reddit.

This person says it should’ve been discussed beforehand.

This person had it happen to them, so they sympathize.

And this person says this is exactly why they’ll never do this kind of activity.

If you’re ordering family style, maybe ask the “family” first.

Yikes.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who invited herself to her parents’ 40th anniversary vacation for all the wrong reasons.