Making Etiquette Easy: Splitting the Tab

Just the other night, I was talking to a group of friends at dinner about a fairly common and somewhat uncomfortable topic of 'splitting the tab' in a group situation. What happens when you decide to have a salad and water and the guy three seats down orders lobster and wine? When it comes time for the check and everyone has a different preconceived notion of how the bill will be taken care of, the fiscal nightmare might be more heartburn than the food. All of this is without mentioning the toll it takes on both business and social relationships. Here are a few guidelines to ensuring you put yourself in the 'I ate this, I'll pay for this' or 'We'll split everything as one big happy group' camp by choice:

• One way to go about this is to determine who will handle the bill at the end of the night before even arriving at the restaurant. Probably the only acceptable circumstance to utilize your cell phone at a dinner - just be discrete - diners can use their calculator/tip applications to calculate their total fee. Add 27% to your food & drink bill to cover tax and tip and give the money to the designated person.


• Unless you have personally done the inviting and plan to take care of the whole bill, most people expect to split the bill evenly on a business lunch/dinner. An extra five or ten dollars isn't worth causing tension in a business relationship. It's the little things that show the business character in yourself and others.


• If you're concerned about splitting the bill--even the first time you dine with someone, it is not at all inappropriate to notify the waiter before the meal that you want a separate check. The key is to do this beforehand; afterward can cause tension for the waiter, who didn't plan for separate checks. Let the waiter know that they can add 20% gratuity to your check, giving them an incentive to make things go smooth as well.


• Try to bring cash and small bills, which can also alleviate the escalating fees of 'just put it on my card.' It is perfectly acceptable to budget beforehand and stick to your plan, especially in today's economy.

Making Etiquette Easy,

Susan K. Medina