“Going Dutch” could cost diners almost £39,000 over a lifetime
-More than the average UK housing deposit-
- 2 in 3 diners will split the bill when dining out, despite fearing losing out on money
- One third (34%) split the bill because they don’t want others to think they’re tight
- On average, splitting the bill means possibly losing out on £8.73 per meal; meaning a potential loss of £38,782 over a lifetime
- 42% of restaurant owners said splitting the bill impacts gratuity; decreasing the amount consumers give
London, 24th May 2016… OpenTable, the world’s leading restaurant booking service, has found that while 2 in 3 Brits are happy to split the bill equally when dining out,1 it could mean that diners are potential losing out on a large sum of money over their lifetime.
The study revealed that over one third (38%) of the UK feel they lose out on money when splitting the bill. On average estimating they lose out on £8.73 every time they dine out; meaning a potential loss of £38,782 over a lifetime of bill splitting.2 This loss equates to more than the average house deposit in the UK (£33K).3
Over half (58%) of diners questioned admitted they agree to split the bill equally because of ease of payment. While one third (34%) will “go Dutch” because they don’t want others to think they’re tight with money.
It seems the top reasons Brits avoid splitting the bill are; when their fellow diners have ordered a number of alcoholic drinks (54%), when others have ordered more food (49%) or if they are not dining with close friends (27%).
So how does splitting the bill effect restaurants? Almost one quarter (23%) of UK diners said splitting the bill impacts the gratuity they give. OpenTable also surveyed restaurateurs to discover how customers going Dutch impacts their business. 42% of restaurant owners said splitting the bill did impact gratuity and actually decreases the amount consumers give.4 However, the majority of restaurants seem happy to accommodate the requirements of their diners, as 30% admitted they make it deliberately easy for their guests to split their bill.
Adrian Valeriano, Vice President, Europe, OpenTable, comments, “Splitting up the bill after a meal out can sometimes cause a real divide within dining groups. And while it might save on time and avoid the hassle of calculating what you owe, it appears both consumers and restauranteurs are potentially losing out when diners opt to ‘go Dutch’. It seems consumers are left feeling out of pocket, while restaurants are indeed noticing the impact it has on gratuity.”