By AmazonRed

July 7, 2008 5:38 PM | Link to this

Separate checks is much more acceptable then it used to be. That’s my first option.

If not an option, see nothing wrong with whipping out the calculator on my cell phone and calculating my share, tax and tip. Better to be right and accurate then to come up short. That’s what I call awkward.

The waiter hardly waits or watches anymore while the bill is being divided. I think they are used to getting multiple cards at the end of the meal. I don’t feel bad about it at all.

If everyone in the party had similar totals, then it’s no problem dividing the check evenly.

By elaine

July 7, 2008 5:55 PM | Link to this

This is one of my sticking points…I’m so glad you brought it up.

With close friends who dine similarly to us we split down the middle—just like you describe. I do not like the “math at the table” thing at all. I think it’s tacky. A few times the bill has been “lop-sided” as far as one family ordering more than another, and I think a gracious thing to do among friends is say “we’ll split the bill, but then let us get the whole tip.” Oftentimes that’s close enough to be fair.

But if it’s someone we don’t know well, we only invite if we’re prepared to buy…the whole thing. I’m old-school and I think that’s how it goes. If they offer to split it, then we do, but I think the “inviter” should only invite if prepared to buy. I am also totally willing to go out with them again, and then let them pick up the tab, taking turns, if it is a similarly-priced establishment.

But I cannot stand the “bill math.” I think it’s in poor taste.

By momtoAlex&Max

July 7, 2008 6:43 PM | Link to this

Elaine hit the nail on the head. I hate that whole table math thing. Is so tacky and cheap. I hate it when people do that.

I always offer to split in the middle even if I only ordered a salad and water and my companion ordered steak and wine. With good enough friends, it washes out in the end.

By Rodney

July 7, 2008 8:28 PM | Link to this

Down the middle - if 5 people eat, the bill splits 5 ways. That’s my (and thankfully, most of my friends) preferred way.

But every now and then you get the I-Had-This-And-This-And-This crowd … it drives me, and I’m sure the server, crazy.

I don’t think it’s being cheap, like the lady above, but I do think that it’s tacky and cumbersome.

By Rodney

July 7, 2008 8:29 PM | Link to this

Down the middle - if 5 people eat, the bill splits 5 ways. That’s my (and thankfully, most of my friends) preferred way.

But every now and then you get the I-Had-This-And-This-And-This crowd … it drives me, and I’m sure the server, crazy.

I don’t think it’s being cheap, like the lady above, but I do think that it’s tacky and cumbersome.

By AJ

July 7, 2008 8:49 PM | Link to this

Waiters totally don’t care as long as they get their TIP!!!

I don’t find it tacky at all. Some of my friends earn $25,000, some earn $125,000. Does that mean the $125K earner should pay for the $25K earner’s meal? No. But at the same time, the $25K earner shouldn’t be burdened with the steak and high end liquor tab when all he ate is a burger and beer.

My view is, if you and your guests want to split, go ahead and split. If you want to itemize, then itemize. It’s a preference thing. I don’t think tacky should come up - except that it would be tacky for people at the table next to you to call into question how you decide to split your check :-)

As for me - I do what the majority of the group wants, it’s that easy!

By FCM

July 7, 2008 9:58 PM | Link to this

Funny you mentioned that….the soon to be related by marriage folks in our family went to dinner tonight….two Dad’s 3 Mom’s, 5 daughters, one son, and a boy friend…there were 12 of us…see One Mom was a Daughter…only the two youngest (grand-daughters to one of the Dads) are not employed. Everyone was perpared to at least chip in if not pay their own way…Fair enough….

We all ordered what we wanted (wine, water, soda, etc….entrees….) with no thought of who was picking it up…because we each thought we were doing our own.Waiter gets to the check time….2 granddaughters, daughter, spouse, and Dad on one bill….everyone else (including the bridal couple) on the other Dad’s bill…6 on one, 7 on the other. Of course we thanked our Dads.

I have been other times and bought my parents or others dinner. Usually I try to determine ahead of time. Like when we go out from the office, we say ‘separate checks please’ to the server up front. Most of the time at lunch the server asks or just does it anyway.

I have many friends who do the 5 out split 5 ways. That way is usually the way we do it. I cannot think of when one of us didn’t pick up the check in total or just divide by # in group method when it was friends out at dinner. However, I never accept an invite unless I am sure I have enough to cover my share.

By ATLmom

July 7, 2008 10:15 PM | Link to this

We split down the middle most of the time, but if it’s a big crowd or if the bill is too lopsided, our group of friends just uses the back of the bill to jot down last names and how much to put on each card. I wish more restaurants offered separate checks! I agree with the others who think it’s tacky and uncomfortable to get down to pennies.

By Diamond Jim

July 8, 2008 12:51 AM | Link to this

Women divide this silly crap to the thousandth decimal point of pi. Men don’t. Just pay the damn check! And, if some freeloader abuses the hospitality with Dover sole, Dom Perignon and Baked Alaska, just don’t with the blackguard again.

By Heather H

July 8, 2008 5:10 AM | Link to this

Do whatever you want. If it bothers others, all the better. Its great to annoy nosy table neighbors anyways! Its nobody’s business what you do- and if others are concerned about how your bill is handled then they are sad sad lonely people who really hate themselves.

By shaggy

July 8, 2008 6:44 AM | Link to this

Why is this so hard?

Does separate checks have any meaning to you goofballs?

Me and my friends couldn’t care less about separate checks being “acceptable”. If the establishment wants to get paid in full, that is how they will “accept” the money. If there is ANY problem, the establishment will be “accepting” zero dollars in the future. The server gets a better tip, unless they grimace when told to separate checks or screw the service up.

By lovelyliz

July 8, 2008 7:00 AM | Link to this

If I am feeling generous, I’ll pay for the appetizer or the wine, but when the check comes, it’s split individually.

Perhaps it’s because we’ve all eaten with members of a party who as soon as we decide to split evenly are suddenly ordering the surf & turf, so each person or family group paying for their own has never been a problem.

By Critic

July 8, 2008 11:20 AM | Link to this

If you can’t afford to split it down the middle, then don’t go out. Another thing is, don’t hold back ordering anything because it’s expensive. The whole point is to just enjoy yourself.

By Splitter

July 9, 2008 3:51 PM | Link to this

For all of those posters who can afford to pay for others, buy the appetizers for the table, split the check evenly between all guests, that’s GREAT, but please don’t knock those of us who can’t. And if we can’t and our friends stop inviting us out, I would have to wonder if they are true friends. We go out all the time with a diverse group of families with different income levels. We all expect to tally up our meals if the servers don’t do it. Sometimes, as a family, we have discussed being excited about going out with the group but we need to limit our orders by a set amount per family member. So if that limit happens to be $10 (more or less) per family member, then we order within that and budget for our tip. We are thankful that our friends would much rather us go out to dinner on a budget than split the bill evenly when they have ordered $20 entrees and we can’t afford that. It’s much better for us and for our friends to stay within our budgets than to charge beyond what we can afford. I am so thankful that we treat our friends with that type of respect and they do the same. If I am invited out and all I can afford that week is a salad, I go and order my salad and ENJOY a nice night out. I don’t want nor expect my friends to pick up my check and vice versa. I have even been out when some friends only have ordered a small appetizer. We don’t make them feel bad. Life is too short. Enjoy the company of friends. Pay for your own meals and if everyone can afford it, split the bill evenly. Servers know and are not uncomfortable with guests tallying up the bill. The goal is to enjoy the company.

By Sugar

July 10, 2008 1:41 PM | Link to this

I tend to keep in my mind the amount I have spent. I also carry cash so it’s not that difficult. When you have multiple credit/debit cards paying the bill, it gets very confusing. I like they way they do it at Mexican Restaurants. Everything on one check, and you can divvy it up at the register.

When I go out with my girl friends, usually one of us will put the entire check on their credit card, and the rest of us give her cash for our share.

Now try doing this with 16 women and they won’t give you individual bills. We have had to whip out the calculator a time or two…..I don’t care if anyone thinks it’s tacky. I can’t control what people think.

By Mish

August 21, 2008 10:40 AM | Link to this

Simple solution, while it is tacky to split the meal down the middle when all you have eaten is a salad and you and your mate split an entree and a couple of drinks.. I should know my sister in law did just that.. They ordered both entrees and a couple of appetizers and several glasses of wine and they insisted that we split the check with them.. I was furious.. My hubby didn’t see any reason to pay for them but since she is his sister he didn’t say anything..

So the simple part is to seperate the checks when you order the food, then there would be no problem after dinner…

By bobby dee

September 1, 2008 1:12 AM | Link to this

Separate checks wins. But if the house says no separate checks,just an estimate is close enough and no EXTRA tipping in that case.