The quickest way to get a server to cry at the end of a meal with a large group of people is to ask them to split the check individually. Better yet – hand them a stack of debit cards and cash with verbal instructions on how to handle each payment method. When it comes to dining in a large group, no one wants to be the cheap person at the table but it’s equally mood-killing to feel like you’re the table’s drink-buying Santa Claus.
When dining out with a large group, splitting the bill at the end of the meal can be an ordeal (especially since many restaurants don’t want to give everyone an individual bill). It doesn’t have to be though. Here are two check splitting techniques to take the “Wait – I owe what?” confusion out of settling the tab.
Check Splitting Technique 1: Split The Bill Between Everyone Equally
Honestly, there are very few circumstances where I think this is fair to everyone at the table, especially in a large group. If you’re out with friends who usually rotate who picks up the check or you’re out with a group of people who have agreed to equally split the check before the meal, this is definitely the easiest way to split a bill amongst a group of friends. However, this is not generally a fair way of handling things in a large group and I think it should certainly be discussed before everyone orders.
Inevitably, the person on a budget who orders a water and a sandwich gets screwed and ends up paying for part of the steak and bottle of wine the person at the other end of the table enjoyed. Not cool. Although I sometimes go out with people who like to split checks like this and I agree it’s easier, it’s not a fair option and I have seen people almost cry when realizing that their $10 appetizer is going to cost $45.
Simple Check Math: Bill (divided by) number of people at the table = portion of the meal everyone pays for.
Check Splitting Technique 2: Everyone pays for their food and drinks with the tip and tax split equally by everyone
When I’m out with a large group, this is how I prefer to split the bill and everyone seems to be happy with how this works out. To avoid confusion, appoint one person at the table to handle this.
For starters, add the tip (20% of the check or whatever the pre-added gratuity is) and the total tax on the check together. Then divide it amongst the people at the table. This total is going to be added to everyone’s individual check. It’s not a perfect system, but the difference between tax and tip on individual tabs is maybe $1. If you’re hanging out with people complaining over $1, you may need new friends. Just sayin’.
To get each person’s individual bill, tally up what they ordered and then add the tax and tip charge. Generally, I like to start with the person on my left and work clockwise around (or down) the table but this isn’t rocket science and the order doesn’t matter. What matters is that you add up that you ordered a coke, a small pizza and those yummy breadsticks and someone else ordered the philly cheesesteak and two Blue Moons. As you mark off what each person ordered, collect their method of payment. Preferrably, a credit or debit card because that just makes everything easier.
On the back of the check, write everyone’s last name (as it appears on their credit card) and note the portion of the bill they’re paying for next to their name. If they’re paying in cash, I still do this and make a note that they gave me cash (for my own sense of sanity).
After every item on the check has been accounted for, add up each person’s total to make sure it equals the entire check.
PRO TIP: Download the Billr App from the iTunes store. I just discovered it and it’s pretty amazing. Basically, it does exactly what I just described without anyone having to do any math. It is super, super quick and easy. Plus it’s visually appealing (not fugly at all). I’ll be using it from here on out.
Make Your Waitress Happy
In the interest of your time and keeping your waitress from crying, be as organized as possible when giving her back the check. I tend to give the server the credit cards in the order they are listed on the check breakdown and hand over a neatly stacked pile of cash. Not only is this just a polite thing to do, the server will be able to process everyone’s payment much, much quicker this way.
My boyfriends old roommates would play by “credit card roulette.” This is where everyone puts down their card and one by one the cards get eliminated until one is left. The last one pays for the entire bill. It’s my least favorite way of paying.
The splitting equally is really easy if everyone is within a couple of dollars difference. I once split the bill with a party of 10 and everyone wanted to split evenly. I was too cowardly to speak up so I spent 40 dollars for a 10 dollar meal. YUCK.
Linda´s last [type] ..Reuniting with My Sister
Credit card roulette sounds terrifying depending on who you’re out with.
If everyone is pretty even, I have no problem splitting a bill evenly down the middle. However, Nick and I were just out of town for a few weeks and had dinner several times with large groups. When we were with other bloggers, everyone split the bill based on what they ordered (which was great because it meant that everyone could order within their budget).
On the second leg of our journey, we were having dinner with a more business oriented crowd that happened to have a single mom. It definitely wasn’t fair to ask her to split the bill equally when it was obvious she was trying to minimize her expenses and ordering cheaper entrees or splitting whereas others (see: me) ordered a bottle of wine and a steak.
This is fantastic. I am very wary of Option 1, because if frequently, what I order and how much I spend is in direct correlation with how much money is in my bank account. Just like I wouldn’t want to pay for someone’s steak if I ordered a side salad, I also wouldn’t want to have to have someone pay for my martini spree when they’re drinking water. It’s only fair if everyone orders approximately the same dollar amount of food.
Around here, most places are REALLY good about automatically splitting checks, but for the ones that don’t, it works pretty well to designate whose meal was whose. I like the dividing evenly of the tip and tax, that seems to get overlooked and I’m sure someone has been getting stuck with that, involuntarily.
Kelly L´s last [type] ..It’s Never Funny, and it’s Never Okay
Option 3 is have a pocket Tiff Perry with you to work magic on those checks and that’s probably my favorite option of all time.
terra´s last [type] ..{5 Points} Foods I Could Eat Forever & Ever
It is true. She really does all of this. And when it comes to paying the bill, Tiff is the Master Of The Checks. I write names on the receipts now because of this lovely lady! Thanks for the pointers!
caryn´s last [type] ..The one where I kindly ask you to help me make my dreams of volunteering in Africa a reality. Please.
We did our best at VidCon without you and ended up attempting Technique 2. In the end, it took 5 of us to get it right. :]
Treavioli´s last [type] ..A Year of Voices and Mountains | A Mixtape by Treavioli