Man Forced To Spend $150 On Mozzarella Sticks And Water After Friends Insisted On Splitting The Bill

Credit: TikTok / @stevie2chains

This exact scenario left one man more than just a little upset after he ended up paying $150 for just mozzarella sticks and water, which meant he couldn't even afford a taxi ride home.

TikToker Steve Guarino shared his experience of trudging home through the snow because his friends chose to split the bill evenly after ordering lobster. 

"POV taking your broke a** home after your friends split the check evenly even though I got mozz sticks and they got the lobster," he expressed in his video. 

He humorously captioned it: "Couldn't afford the uber cuz of the $150 water and mozz sticks."

This relatable situation resonated with many on TikTok, as the video quickly amassed hundreds of thousands of views in just a few weeks. 

One viewer suggested, "Normalize not feeling bad about paying only for what you ordered." 

Credit: TikTok / @stevie2chains

Another shared their approach: "I’m the friend that does the math, splits the tip and taxes evenly. Then I tell everyone what they owe." 

Credit: TikTok / @stevie2chains

A third person mentioned, "Me and my friends always get one check. Pay for what we ordered and split the tip."

Credit: TikTok / @stevie2chains

One TikToker even admitted to skipping a dinner to avoid paying for others' drinks: "I skipped a dinner tonight because I don't drink and Im not chipping in for Tina’s 5th margarita." To which Steve humorously replied, "Tina needs to chill."

Credit: TikTok / @stevie2chains

How to handle the bill can often lead to awkward situations. 

A 2021 study by comparethemarket.com revealed that 34 percent of diners prefer splitting the bill equally, while 36 percent believe it should be divided based on individual orders. 

Credit: Grace Cary/Getty Images

Nearly half admitted feeling uncomfortable about the topic.

Other TikTokers shared their tactics for avoiding this issue, with one revealing their strategy of leaving early and asking for a separate check. 

"And this is why I always plan to leave 20-30 minutes early... and pull the server aside and tell them to bring me my check separately cuz I have somewhere to be," they explained. 

Another person suggested, "As a server just tell your server from the beginning it will be split checks, if they are allowed to split it by item. Some places are implementing no." 

A third commented, "Nope I tell the waiter that my tab is separate when they take my order. I ain’t playing these games."

So, what would you do in this situation?