Hi all,
I'm a UX design student looking to get a bit of insight into a random(ish) group of people for an upcoming project. When you split the check at a restaurant, what are some things that irritate you or make the experience unpleasant? Anything you offer, even if it's the same thing as someone else, is super helpful. Thanks!!!
grown ups don't split the check
>>7668865
Why not? (not trying to be argumentative, I just want to get a bit more insight)
Splitting the check is for teenagers who only brought mommy's debit card with them to pay.
Either you buy lunch for everyone or you keep track of what you order and throw in cash to cover plus tip.
>>7668880
So it's a matter of personal pride/social status? Maybe a bit of now wanting to inconvenience the other diners and servers? What if there was, hypothetically, a magic solution to solve for those things? Would splitting the check be less objectionable?
(again, just trying to narrow in a bit- all input is helpful at this stage)
>>7668896
It's about numbers, pride, and convinience.
If i go out to dinner with my two friends, we will split the check because, it's three ways and we go out all the time together.
If I am with a group of 5 or more, especially if it's a more casual thing where im not friends with everyone, I will bring cash and my card just in case. Even then, splitting the check is not so bad, it's just no one wants to be the one to say they need to split it.
Anything larger tha, say, 5, and it becomes time consuming, confusing, and a pain in the ass when trying to leave. Now granted, most people are gonna do it anyway because they only brought mommys debit card with them, but in case it doesnt need to, going prepared with cash in multiple different bills is best.
The way to alleviate this problem is to go to a counter shop. Somewhere where everyone has to order and pay for their own food. That way, everyone can just sit down and eat together after.
>>7668865
They do all the time. And that's generally fine.
It is appropriate to offer to pay, and certainly most preferred to rotate and have someone pick up the check for the whole table, but it's the 21st century. People split the check all the goddamn time and it's absolutely demonstrably fine.
>>7668922
>but it's the 21st century
>>7668909
That's super helpful! Thank You! I hadn't thought of no one wanting to be the one to say they need to split it.
I'm also hearing that having an easy eject option (Cash in multiple different bills) is the preferred way to get out of an uncomfortable, confusing, and time consuming situation.
>>7668927
It's a valid argument. Mores and customs change. You're probably one of those assholes who won't remove your hat when you enter a building or you might put your elbows on the table, and I'm almost positive you've seated yourself before your social betters.
>>7668855
In Sweden people usually pay for what they ordered. The most painful part is having to wait for everyone to pay (everyone uses credit cards). Something that could be done very quickly but still be a secure enough option would be optimal, even better if multiple people could pay at the same time.
>>7668929
I don't understand how paying your bill ends up being an uncomfortable, confusing or time consuming situation.
Even when I've gone out to eat with groups of friends and had them split up separate checks for everyone, it was not uncomfortable, confusing or time consuming.
Why are you trying to solve something that isn't a problem in the first place?
>>7668927
The only people who use this retarded meme don't even watch his show.
>>7668937
>You're probably one of those assholes who won't remove your hat when you enter a building or you might put your elbows on the table, and I'm almost positive you've seated yourself before your social betters.
>>7668946
>I didn't read the thread, but check out this dank meme XDDDDD #YOLO
I'm 25 and live in a reasonably populous US city.
I can't tell you a single time in the last 4 years when I haven't been out to dinner, had someone put it all on their card, then everyone else goes dutch and Venmos the person who paid their portion, including tax and a previously agreed to tip.
Why are you trying to reinvent the wheel? No one will use whatever you're thinking of coding.
>>7668951
Valid point. Don't worry, I'm not actually trying to reinvent the wheel. It's a design project assignment and I'm a student- my guess is to make people think hard about how to solve a problem in a market with heavy competition. UX designers frequently don't get to choose the project they're working on unless they're completely freelance, and even then it's often more about the money than the individual project. I totally agree that there are some great solutions out there, but for now this is what I'm working on.
Thanks to everyone who's given such good input. Keep it coming!
>>7668896
>>7668909
>>7668929
What the hell is wrong with you? Adults split checks all the time. Businessmen meeting for lunch split checks. Couples double-dating split between couples.
It's not hard or time-consuming. I was a waitron in college and HS and it's a two-button process on the POS system. It spits out checks beep boop beep and that's that.
Are you really that uncomfortable with your lifestyle you need to be the big man and pay for it all or just throw cash in because chatting with your friends while I run the cards is a reminder you're not Mr. Moneybags?
What is wrong with you kids? Why are social situations so daunting?
>>7669127
>What is wrong with you kids? Why are social situations so daunting?
They grew up on 4chan, not outside in the real world having real life interactions with other live people. They only know how to regurgitate their "LOLDANKMEMES XD" but not how to interact properly with another human being in face to face situations so they freeze up and have no idea what to do.
>>7669141
>>7669127
Part of the UX design process is to figure out these pain points, whether they're social, logistical, or financial, and then try to design a process that lets the user feel much more positively about accomplishing their task. The fact that there is debate here at all suggests that there's still room for improvement, regardless of whether it's easy for some people.
Also, the waiter's job would be easier if they are in the weeds and that table of twelve that only ordered water and appetizers has an app that splits the check for them instead of requiring the waiter to do that. It's win-win, as far as I can see, but I'm still in the research phase of things!
>>7668951
> then everyone else goes dutch and Venmos the person who paid their portion
> goes dutch
> Venmos the person
>>7668855
Most waitresses will ask if it’s separate bills or a single bill, allowing the diners to pick whatever suits them at the moment.
>>7669180
Good point. Are there any waitstaff reading this post? What irritates you about splitting checks for your tables?
>>7669165
Any point of sale system the restaurant is using worth half a shit will allow for the waitstaff to easily split the check among multiple patrons already.
I could see writing an app that splits checks useful for a restaurant caught in the 1950's where they just wrote everything down on a paper check, but these days everyone runs an electronic POS system that handles all that shit already.
Once again, you're trying to solve a problem that isn't even a problem.
>>7669167
>bill is split evenly
that's what going dutch means. silly dog.
>>7669194
Could be. I still would love to hear from waitstaff about their experiences.
>>7669198
What about "Venmos the person"?
>>7668855
>I'm a UX design student
Lol
That industry is going to crash so hard it's going to make the early 2000s seem like the roaring 90s
I hope your tuition is free
>>7669167
>>7669371
how flyover do you have to be in order to not know what Venmo is?
you link it to your bank account or credit card, and as long as you know someone else's username, you can send them any amount of money, which they can either let sit in their Venmo balance or cash out and move it to their bank account. It is basically the only thing anyone under 30 uses for meals out with friends in my neck of the woods.
>>7669384
Very possibly, but for now it's still growing at a pretty healthy rate. I've got a pretty wide skill set, so I'm not too worried either way.
For now I'm more interested in user research around splitting the check, though.
>>7669408
That must be an LA thing, I live in NYC and I've heard venmo jokes but no one actually uses it. Almost all restaurants can split a check no problem, if they can't one of us just gets it and it's someone else's turn next time
Or, you just have fucked up credit and have to use weird fly-by-night pseudo-banks with shitty regulation and no consumer protections
>>7669188
I'm not a waitstaff but I can't imagine they give a fuck. They get to just stand there not doing much for 10 minutes instead of the 2 minutes it takes for a single payer.
>>7668945
This. I have literally never seen him say that.
>>7669919
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk5Io19RHGg
>>7669421
You have to be in the wrong crowds. I have friends in NYC that use it all the time.
It's an easy way to make it easier for everyone. Also great for people who want to get bonus points for their credit cards.
>>7669194
>Once again, you're trying to solve a problem that isn't even a problem.
This is what I hate about so many modern 'designers'. They're always trying to 'write an app' for shit that isn't even a fucking problem for anybody or 'rethink' technology that's, in some cases, hundreds or thousands of years old and functionally perfected.
You wanna solve a problem? Stop trying to completely redesign a the bicycle from the ground up when you got a c in physics and haven't touched one of the fucking things since you were 14 & write an app that gets me free blowjobs. Goddamnit I'm mad
>>7669408
Soooooo..... It's PayPal? You PayPal people money when they're sitting at a table across from you.
Instead of handing them cash or offering to buy them dinner next time or just do them a solid in the future
No wonder you millenials aren't building businesses and breaking boundaries. You're too busy trying to reinvent the wheel so that it doesn't roll as efficiently.
>>7668942
gotta be disruptive, gotta chase that first million,
alas i have nothing of real value to contribute so i'm going to try and stage an infomercial on /ck/
>>7670076
Yea it's basically an alternative to PayPal with a good mobile app.
I've only heard to when people go places to cover entering fees. Aka places where you would want to pay with credit but they don't have a credit card terminal since it's not really an established business
Waiter at Denny's, only takes a few minutes to split the checks. No one gives a shit and only a full blown autist would go total fedora and say
>Nay m'lords, I shall provide the monetary compensation for this joyous occasion at the local eatery. For you see, a fellow gentlesir on 4chan said I must and I shall!
It's no problem splitting checks, we do it all the time. Go outside sometime.
"teleports away"
>>7668855
when splitting a check, i usually carry cash with me if i anticipate the event, and just hand over to the nearest $5 the amount i spent. I couldn't care less about the $2.35 or whatever change. We usually don't share wine, but stick to beers with our meals, so individual drinks makes it a lot easier
tipping isn't a thing in australia so don't have to worry about that
I have literally no idea what any of you are talking about. Do restaurants in the US not do separate bills?
>>7669991
By "wrong crowds" you mean people who have normal credit cards and know how to ask for a split check? I fail to see the purpose of this thing.
>>7670761
It used to be a problem in the 90s when POS systems were rudimentary. Guessing that in flyover country where people don't trust these newfangled credit cards, there's little incentive to upgrade, or the staff is just too dumb to figure out how to work the computer, due to insufficient ocean fish in the diet
>>7668855
The problem you're trying to solve has already been solved by Splitwise, Venmo, DIvvy, and Tab
