10 Simples Rules for Splitting the Check (Without Being a Jerk)

It can be fun to go out with friends to a restaurant, but what do you do when it’s time to pay the bill?

If you are trying to keep more cash in your wallet, you don’t want to pay more than your fair share. Here are some tips everyone should follow to make splitting the check easier.

Going out for a nice dinner at an expensive restaurant can be fun, but there's a time and place for that.

If you're going to eat out with a big group of friends, make sure you choose a place that's within everyone's budget.

It's better to recommend a lower-cost restaurant everyone can afford rather than put some of your companions in an awkward position when the bill arrives.

Don't forget to be honest about your own budget as well. If you can't afford the restaurant some of your friends prefer, speak up.

True friends will understand your situation and accommodate your needs. The important thing is spending time together, not where you go.

You'll make life much easier for your server by telling them you want to split the check immediately.

Don't spring this news at the last moment. That just creates unnecessary headaches.

Consider adding a little extra to the tip to cover any additional work your server might have to do to split bills.

Show a little courtesy and keep the splitting on the smaller side. Splitting a big check into four smaller ones isn’t difficult for servers. Splitting the check into a dozen smaller checks is a different matter.

If you agree to split the check, don’t view it as an opportunity to order the most expensive thing on the menu.

Instead, try to keep your costs reasonable. This is especially important if you know one or more of your dinner companions are struggling financially.

And if you want that expensive dish or glass of wine, maybe make up for it by covering more of the tip.

Speaking of tipping, don’t forget that you have to decide who will handle this part of the evening’s costs. Are you going to split the tip as well?

Make sure you and your companions decide how to handle this when discussing how to split the bill.

If you're celebrating a friend’s birthday or a co-worker’s retirement, don’t ask that person to help split the bill.

Instead, talk to the rest of the dinner party about how you want to cover the cost of that special someone’s meal.

Bring cash if you know ahead of time that you'll be splitting the check. It can be easier to use cash when splitting both the bill and the tip.

It's easy to forget about taxes. But they're part of your cost, so you'll need to account for them when splitting the bill.

Once you've figured out how to split the check and everyone is happy, depart from the restaurant on a high note by leaving the pen behind.

The last thing your server needs to worry about on a busy night is where their pen went. Leaving the pen on the table instead of viewing it as a freebie is simply classy.

Splitting checks can be difficult. But if you and your friends are all trying to get ahead financially, it’s important that everyone pays their fair share.

Following the tips on this list will help ensure that everyone leaves the table with warm memories rather than hard feelings.