Single Mom Was Shamed For Refusing To Pay $150 For A Group Dinner When Her Meal Was Only $25
She was confused as to why she was suddenly expected to foot the entire bill.
millann from Getty Images Pro via Canva Pro A single mom was invited to her friend's birthday dinner but was shocked when the check came out and she was expected to foot the entire bill. In a TikTok video, the mom named Aryan Strauss shared her uncomfortable and frustrating experience, warning others not to end up in a similar situation.
The mom was shamed for refusing to pay $150 for a group dinner bill when her meal was only $25.
Strauss explained that one of her friends invited her to a birthday dinner she was having at a steakhouse. The single mom described her friend as being a model who made "a good amount of money." Although she was on a tight budget and didn't know anyone else who was invited, Strauss wanted to celebrate her friend's birthday.
"So, I went online and found a birthday coupon, buy one get one free," Strauss admitted. "It was a Brazillian, all-you-can-eat steakhouse, so it was $50 upfront."
Strauss admitted to being a bit confused as to why her friend would invite her to an expensive steakhouse or why she seemed to believe she had money to spare, considering she was a single mother.
Some of the group, which consisted mainly of models, met at her friend's apartment before heading to the restaurant. According to Strauss, the people in the group appeared to be well-off and in the same financial circle as her friend.
At the restaurant, "a few people show up and a few people leave without paying," Strauss recalled. "I assumed that they left money with her, but we're eating [and] we're having a good time."
During the dinner, Strauss only ordered a glass of water and a filet mignon, but she was unsatisfied with her steak and the waiter ended up comping her meal. She worked the math out in her head and realized that, with the coupon and her comped meal, she would only have to pay $25 for her friend's dinner since it was her birthday. However, when the bill arrived, everyone at the table looked to Strauss to pay the $150 total.
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"Because these people left and did not pay for their meals, suddenly I'm supposed to foot the bill?" she questioned incredulously.
Strauss didn't want to pay for the entire bill but offered to contribute $50 since that was the original cost of her meal.
"I had to write a check to my friend because I didn't have $50 in my account," she said. "I knew I needed a couple of days till my paycheck hit, so I just wrote a check."
In a follow-up video, Strauss clarified that she's now more responsible with money and wouldn't go out to dinner unless she had more than enough. But at the time, she was reckless with her finances.
"When I had $48 left in my bank account, it was there to be spent," she said.
Still, Strauss put her foot down with her friend and explained that she wasn't paying more than $50 for this group dinner. At this, her friend immediately became irritated, but Strauss still didn't budge. She pointed out that if she was really her friend, then she wouldn't force her to pay for a bill that she knows she can't afford. It didn't help that her friend had put her in this position before, knowing she was a single mother.
"I really was a pushover when it came to her," Strauss admitted. "She has all these other friends that make so much more money, why was I the one she picked?" Strauss questioned.
She advised other people to not make the same mistake she did, and not go out to dinner with friends or acquaintances until they've all talked about how they will be splitting the bill, or what everyone's budget is.
Photo: Nicoleta Ionescu / Shutterstock
“If you're all gonna split the bill equally, never sit down to eat with a group without first clearing that with everybody,” she insisted.
In the comments section, people agreed that separate checks are the way to go for big group dinners with friends, that way, situations like this can be avoided. It's also important to be honest and realistic with friends about finances. More times than not, individuals are often in the same boat when it comes to money, but without having those discussions, you will never know.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.