Credit Card Roulette at the Dinner Table – Who’s Paying?

When dining out with friends, most people would probably agree that it’s easiest to split the bill into equal portions, rather than time-consumingly going over it with a fine-tooth comb and a calculator in hand.

Alternatively, there’s always the option of playing a risky game of credit card roulette – in which each person contributes a credit card into a hat, the waiter removes one card at time, and the last card removed pays the entire bill – but that’s probably a rather expensive and impractical solution for most ordinary mortals.

The question of ‘who pays’ at the dinner table becomes all the more complicated, however, when it comes to couples. There’s no better place than a restaurant for a romantic rendezvous, but dates (and particularly first dates) can often become uncomfortably awkward once the bill arrives.

For many men, paying for dinner is simply the done thing. It helps them to look as though they are generous and powerful, two qualities that do wonders for a man’s image. It also fits into the conventional view of the man acting as provider, although this view is now considered by many to be outdated, with traditional gender roles becoming increasingly reversed.

Thankfully, nowadays women have far more financial (and social) freedom, and many ladies may want to assert their independence by picking up the tab themselves. But if both parties volunteer to pay, why not opt for the painless compromise of going Dutch? Splitting the bill equally should leave both parties satisfied and eliminate any undue awkwardness.

Of course, regardless of how you divide up the bill, a credit card is still the most convenient method of payment, sparing you the chore of counting out cash at the table.

American Express UK offer a number of great value charge cards that are sure to provide all the spending power you need. With no pre-set spending limits or interest charges, you simply need to pay the balance in full at the end of each month, with the option to earn exclusive membership reward points on virtually every purchase you make.

The author of this article is part of a blogging team that works with brands like American Express. The content contained is for information purposes only and should not be used to make any financial decisions.