All of your comments on FMLs that I've seen are ridiculous. This makes no sense?? I'm sure OP wouldn't have accepted the meal they didn't know it was repayment for the loan. OP probably thought it was just an act of kindness from a friend.

this logic is wrong. suppose by some stretch of the imagination, OPs friend did actually spend $200 on a meal. She ate half, so OP would still be owed $100. Now think about the money OP lent. Her friend could spend that money on anything, yet for repay it via a meal, she doesn't allow OP to have choice in how it's spent. OPs friends position is morally indefensible

You are a moron. If you give out money, you return money. 'nuff said. I have been burned by a friend who thought buying me a statue was a good repayment on a loan. Do you think the pawn shop would let me resell them the statue for 100% price they sold it to my friend? (she threw away the receipt)

If someone owes you money, you expect money unless the person and you make other arrangements. OP obviously didn't know about this arrangement so it shouldn't be considered a repayment.

It's legally not considered a repayment either. If both of the involved parties agree to repay the debt through a meal, instead of actual money, then that'd be a different story. But as it is, if you owe someone e.g. 200 bucks, you HAVE to pay them back 200 bucks. You can seperately agree on something else, but the default is that you have to return what you borrowed from someone else, not just something you consider to be of equal value. Aside from that, this now basically comes down to word-against-word. If OP can get proof of the loan having been taken, better yet if the "friend" declares that they consider the loan repayed through the meal, then OP has the legal high-ground because there was never any agreement on substituting the 200$ through a meal. If OP can't get proof of the loan, though, then the "friend" is in the more favorable position.

I take friends out for dinner all the time and vice versa. If I lend someone money, I expect money back in return unless another arrangement has been made. OP obviously didn't know about this arrangement, so this is on the friend.

@32 How did you come to that conclusion? The friend told Op that she was going to treat her to a meal, it's not like Op just stuck her with the bill.

I have loaned many friends some money. Multiples times they pay me back AND treat me to dinner to show me that they are thankful. I have also split tabs and bought meals for friends on countless occasions. I am just saying that none of those are strange occurrences. If I give someone 200$ I expect that back in cash unless otherwise decided between the two of us.