Does a treat = you pay?

When it comes to friends and money, it’s always a sticky situation. I’ve gone on many a birthday dinner for a friend or family dinner and having had to pay for myself. And I’m OK with that, because it’s assumed and I’m not expecting a free meal, and it gives me the opportunity to see friends and check out new places. And if I want to have a birthday dinner at a restaurant, it’ll be assumed the everyone will take care of themselves and I will take care of myself. Unless there’s a more explicit instruction, I’ll always expect to pay for what I order. When in doubt, ask who’s responsible.

I believe the birthday boy or girl shouldn’t have to pay under most circumstances.

That doesn’t extend to their partner or kids though, just the birthday person.

i totally agree! i would still offer to split the bill tho, just to be polite =)

If we’re celebrating something for someone, I pretty much think that the guest of honor is not going to pay unless they are the ones hosting/organizing the event. But in a non-celebration situation where a friend asks, “hey, let’s go out to dinner,” then I do expect that we will be splitting the bill. We would have to agree upon a place that we can afford.

Its nice to pay the bill on a friend’s birthday but shouldn’t it be an option instead of a obligation? I always take my friends out for their birthday and I pay the bill but the difference is that they offer to pay whether than just looking at me crazy when the bill arrives at the table. So birthday or not, I think a person should offer to pay!

I completely agree with you– if you ask someone out for their birthday you have to pay. If a friend is coming up on a birthday and I don’t really have the cash to spend on a nice dinner at the time I usually invite them over and make something special.

When I just go out to dinner with friends we usually split… it’s more about hanging out and spending time together than getting a free meal.

I agree you with you — “I’m taking you out to dinner for your birthday” is for sure.
“Let’s go out to dinner to celebrate your birthday. ” is kind of ambiguous, one could argue one didn’t mean to treat, but then it’d mean an argument and at the very least uncertainty.

in chinese culture the birthday person treats and the others bring presents/money. at least that was what i understood. but nowadays treating the birthday person is quite common. more economical! otherwise it’d be double the expenditure. (one party pays for food, one party pays for presents)