[oak perl] Re: Checks

[David Fetter]

On Sat, Jun 28, 2003 at 10:41:27AM -0700, Arden Schaeffer wrote:
> On Date: Tuesday 24 June 2003 5:07 p.m., David Fetter 

> > Given the situation with the check--$80 short at first cut--I have
> > a modest proposal: everybody pays exactly the same when we go out.
> > Yes, I'm aware that each time somebody "will get less than they
> > paid for," and somebody more, but in truth, what you're paying for
> > at a restaurant is only about 5% food, the rest going to
> > facilities, staff, the fact that you can send your food back if
> > you don't like it, etc., etc.  If somebody eats grossly more than
> > everybody else in a situation like that, peer pressure works just
> > great.  Anonymous bundles of cash going around the table
> > encourages people to...how do I put this gently...underestimate
> > their contribution.

> > What say we just set this as a policy in advance for the next one?

> To all: if we who consume very little are expected to pay for those
> who consume much, (which will put pressure to pay on us and pressure
> to not consume on them), then i won't attend.

While we seem to have a slight definitional difference of "consume,"
that being food/drinks vs. the restaurant experience, I agree that...

> A better policy would be to hold all meetings in places that give
> separate checks with good grace.

And Belden has come up with a slew of 'em :)

Cheers,
D
-- 
David Fetter david at fetter.org http://fetter.org/
phone: +1 510 893 6100    cell: +1 415 235 3778