Is it petty to ask for my own restaurant bill when everyone else splits evenly?
Money"Thirty-six each," my friend said, holding the receipt above the table. The total was $216 for six of us, including the stated charges. My soup and water came to $18 on that same basis; everyone else had ordered mains, shared starters and drinks.
This wasn't a surprise. Our group usually divides the total equally, and I usually go along with it because I enjoy seeing them. This month I had $40 left in my meals-out budget before dinner. I knew roughly what my order would cost, but I didn't say anything about the split before we sat down.
I paid $36, then felt cross on the bus home. One friend later messaged that I seemed quiet. I want to say the dinners are becoming hard to afford, but I don't want to present my own silence as something they did to me.
Would you mention this bill and ask to adjust it, or leave it paid and make the next dinner's arrangement clear? I'm trying to keep seeing my friends without spending half a small budget on food and drinks I didn't order.