I chose a nice vegan restaurant to celebrate my birthday with 7 friends

I chose a nice vegan restaurant to celebrate my birthday with 7 friends.

When the $375 bill came, **no one moved.

My friend said,

“You should pay.

We hate vegan food, we only came here for you!”

I smiled and went out.

10 minutes later, they all froze when I came back holding a large to-go bag — full of desserts.

I placed the bag on the table and said, calmly:

“Actually, I just paid for my meal and the desserts.

The waiter is bringing your checks separately.”

Silence. Not a single word.

The server returned with seven individual bills, each showing exactly what they ordered.

No one could argue — because that’s how group dining works.

We finished the evening politely… but the friendship ended that night.

And here’s the lesson I learned:

Real friends don’t guilt you into paying.

Real friends celebrate you — not just the food.