Split the check
Split when you do not share a regular rhythm, the orders differ, or someone is on a tighter budget. Itemise if the totals differ. Rounding a little is fine. A surprise is not.
All comparisons
Everyday
Split the check or take turns
The awkward part is not the arithmetic. It is discovering the rule at the table.
Splitting means each person pays for what they had, or you divide a similar total. It is clear and a bit slow. Taking turns means one person pays this time and someone else pays next time. It rots if there is no next time, or the meals differ and nobody says so.
Pick the rule before you order. A group that mixes the two, with one person always grabbing the bill and resenting it, does not have a generous friend. It has an unclear rule.
Take turns paying
Take turns when you will see each other again and the meals are in the same range. The person who paid can say the next one is someone else’s. Then let that be true.
What actually differs
| Difference | Split the check | Take turns paying |
|---|---|---|
| Fair when | Orders differ | You eat together often |
| Needs | A bill you can divide | A next time that happens |
| Large group | Itemise | Risky |
| Say it | Before you order | Before you order |
| Resentment | The maths took too long | The same person always pays |
Questions about this choice
What if someone ate less?
Splitting the total equally is unfair to them. Split by what people ordered, or let them name a number. Do not make them perform a budget to get a fair bill.
What if someone insists on paying?
Let them, once, and set the rule for next time. A contest of insisting is not manners. It is a delay while the server waits.