[dillywho]

I still say that $5 per person on a $10-$15 meal is unreasonable. A reasonable charge could be acceptable ($1 - $2). That restaurant lost in many ways..1) no meals got ordered at that time, the people all left - cost, at least $20 - $30; 2) sounds like those people don't intend to go back ever and won't encourage their friends to go, either; 3) some on this board won't go in the first place if they like to share as opposed to overeat, waste, or carry out. Just looks to me like the $5 is costing them much more than the splitting would in the first place. Like I said before, serve smaller portions with a reasonable price and there is no need to split. I would rather go to a restaurant that states on the menu that splitting is not permitted than set a price to split. There are some restaurants that do this and I have seen that it is always the case at buffets which is reasonable. Years ago in Dallas, there was a cafeteria that you were allowed to go through as many times as you would like, but after the first time through you would be charged extra for whatever was left on your plate and there was no take out. It worked very well, too, because people would get only what they could consume. The people that try to make their own lemonade, etc. are the exception and not the rule. As for the A/C, bathrooms, etc. that is what's known as the cost of doing business regardless if it is a packed house or 2 customers or meals are split, and as such is tax deductible.