Current Events > Moral question

(+) Yeah! (+)

This isnt currently happening to me or anyone I know. Just a random thought I had.

If you invite someone out to eat, are you obligated to pay for their food?

no, unless you specifically say it's your treat.

Awakened_Link posted...

no, unless you specifically say it's your treat.

This. You're only obligated if you say "My treat," "It's on me," etc. Just a general "Let's go to ___,"/"Let's go out to eat" carries no obligation, and I'd question anybody who insists otherwise.

Depends on if it's a date or not.

Context matters a lot here. Who am I inviting out?

Not obligated no. But it depends on context like if it was implied it was your treat or if you were asking someone out on a date where they might feel like you were offering.

But with just friends and like "hey we should go out to eat" or "we should go check that place out" then no. That being said even in friend situations if I were to hypothetically ask someone out to eat I would probably treat them. I used to do that before giving up eating out years ago.

But that was usually more on a case by case basis like some of my friends I know don't have much money and I have a lot of disposable income so I felt like putting them in that position where they wanted to hang out but didn't really have much spare money meant I should treat them. I would do that like with food, or going to a music concert or something I would always pay for their ticket if they drove. Or like if I asked my dad to go out to eat. The guy raised me and put a roof over my head and fed me for 17 years. Yeah I'm going to pay that bill even though a few dinners can never make up for all he did for me.

But in a situation where finances are equal, unless it is stipulated you were treating them I would say no, definitely not an obligation.

steal the meal

prices theft either way
/terrIble jk.doc

I always assume I will be paying unless strictly told otherwise.