This one's from high school/college and could backfire very quickly and be expensive. Things that have to work in your favor: A.) being broke and B.) having nice friends.

Here goes:

Go out to eat with a large group of friends with the expectation that everyone will pay for their own meal. All on one ticket or separate tickets? Separate tickets for large groups are a pain to deal with for the waitress/waiter. Everything has to be on one ticket. Shared appetizers help the plan, and gets you more food. During dinner, work into the conversation about your on-going job search and good prospects, or how you just sold another week's worth of plasma at the blood-letting facility and you're going to make rent this week. Just keep it positive. When dinner is over and the check comes, you make the announcement that you're paying for everyone's dinner.


This has to happen:

As you reach for the cash in your pocket, one or more of your friend's has to say, "Oh you don't have to do that." If you don't have even one friend who would say that, then do not try this stunt. If everyone looks at you and says, "Thanks, that'll be great." You either have to pay for the whole party or say, "Shoot, I left my plasma money back at the apartment. Sorry, looks like I just have enough cash for me. Can someone spot me a couple of bucks for tip. Thanks."


"Oh you don't have to do that."

If you get the magic saying, rebut with, "Hey, things have been tight lately, but I want to find some way to do something nice for all my friends who support me." Whatever you do, do not 'insist.' Once you insist on paying, it's insulting for your friends not to let you pay. So don't insist. Most likely they'll say something like, "Well that's a nice gesture but you really don't have to do that." As your friends start digging for their wallets and divvying up the check, discreetly excuse yourself to the restroom. When you get back, the money for the check plus tip is on the table and everyone is getting up to leave. (Or someone decides to put everything on the their credit card in exchange for cash from everyone else.) You walk out looking like a good guy with out paying a dime.


Why is there enough money?

For one thing, you ordered one of the cheapest menu items. Also, some people tip excessively more than others (usually former waiters and waitresses that know how demanding the job is). Others can't properly calculate their total and throw in a little extra just to be sure. Still others can't be bothered to have change made from a large bill. This all adds up to extra money that covers your meal.

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