Let's go out to eat. Now pay up!

There's some truly hideous behavior out there, as this article on inviting friends to eat out demonstrates.

Think twice before accepting an invitation to a party. That's the lesson Tonya Bowman, 39, learned recently after a birthday bash for a newfound acquaintance at a pricey sushi restaurant.

While Bowman ordered economically -- rice, miso soup and tea -- everyone else acted as if money were no object.

"When the bill came," Bowman says, the birthday girl "smiled and made a big production by way of a toast, saying, 'Thank you all so much for my lovely birthday dinner. I really do appreciate it. You guys are great. Here's to you!' Then she just sat there, waiting for us to decide how to split the bill."

The bill for the birthday girl and her seven "guests" came to a whopping $3,450, which someone suggested splitting evenly. That worked out to $500 per person, plus tip.

Ah, the group meal. I have no problem with taking someone out to celebrate a birthday or other event (most often for me, that's a coworker's going-away party). But anyone who takes a group out to a RIDICULOUSLY OVERPRICED restaurant, especially if they aren't all Democrat-stupid-rich, is a total putz.

The article mentions that traditionally, if you invite someone to eat, you pay for the party. However, I'm used to going out in groups, where everyone pays. And never do we go out to these overpriced restaurants. (Just one benefit of not living in New York City.)