Restaurant bill puzzle

[phl666]

I remember a puzzle about a group of people splitting a restaurant bill equally, yet still having a pound left over - which the waiter put in his pocket - but I can't remember the whole thing. Any ideas anyone?

[Jabba]

Three men eat a meal at a restaurant. The bill is �30 [it's an old story], so they pay �10 each. After they leave, the managerrealises ha has made a mistake and the bill should have been �25. He gives one of his employees �5 to return to the men. The employee thinks, "�5 can't be shared equally between three people, so I'll give them back �3 and keep �2 for myself." Now the men have paid �9 each, making �27, and the employee has kept �2. This makes �29. where is the missing pound. It is, of course, complete nonsense. The men have paid �27, the manger has �25, and the employee has �2. There is no reason to add the �27 and the �2.

[bernardo]

I remember hearing the riddle, but I don't remember the manger before...

[silverstorm7]

you're half right, I think... the men did indeed pay �27 - the �25 the manager had and the �2 the employee had. Therefore, you don't have to add the �2 again to make �29. Instead, you add the �3 the men got back, which makes �30 - the missing pound.