How to split the check at a US restaurant

Splitting the check is completely normal in US restaurants. The easiest way is to tell your server when you sit down or order that you want separate checks, so each order goes on the right check from the start. For bigger groups, putting the meal on two or three cards and settling up afterward with a payment app is kinder to the server and quicker for everyone.

Can you ask for separate checks in the US?

Yes, and most restaurants are happy to do it. Ask at the start: "Could we have separate checks, please?" Then the server enters each person's order on its own check as you order. Asking at the end is still possible, but on a busy night it means the server has to divide the items by hand, which takes time and can lead to mistakes. Some restaurants limit how many ways they will split a check for large groups, and a few say so on the menu.

What are the common ways to split a check?

• Separate checks: each person pays for what they ordered. Best for groups who ordered very different amounts.
• Split evenly: the server divides the total by the number of cards. Fast and fine when everyone ordered about the same.
• One person pays: that person collects shares from the others, in cash or by payment app.
• A few cards: two to four people pay at the table and the rest settle up with them afterward.

How should a large group split the check?

With six or more people, agree on the plan before ordering. Many etiquette guides suggest using no more than a few cards on a busy night, because running several cards, each with its own tip, slows down service for everyone. A common approach is for two people to put the meal on their cards and for everyone else to send their share through a payment app. Sharing plates make itemized checks hard, so groups that share usually split evenly.

What happens with an automatic gratuity for groups?

Many restaurants add an automatic gratuity to large parties, often 18 to 20 percent, commonly for groups of six or eight or more. The menu usually mentions it. If it is on the check, the tip is already covered, and you should not add the full tip again when splitting. When the check is divided, the automatic gratuity is usually divided along with it. Read the check before anyone writes a tip on their slip.

How do you split the tip fairly?

Each person tips on their own share. If you split evenly, everyone tips the same percentage of the same amount. If one person pays and collects from the others, they should collect enough to cover tax and tip, not just menu prices, or they end up paying everyone's tip. A simple approach is to add tax and tip to each person's food and drink total before sending money.

How do you handle someone who ordered much less?

If one person had a salad and water while others had steaks and cocktails, an even split is not fair. Either ask for separate checks or let the person who ordered less pay only for their items plus tax and tip. Saying this before ordering avoids awkward moments later.

What should you not do when splitting a check?

• Do not ask to split a check into many parts with complex item lists at the end of a busy service.
• Do not split the check and then forget the tip on your own share.
• Do not hand over many cards, each with different instructions, without explaining them clearly.
• Do not assume the server knows a group wants to split. Say it early.

How does splitting work with a card terminal or tablet?

Many restaurants now bring a handheld terminal to the table or have a tablet at the counter. These can usually split a check evenly or by item, and each person taps their card and chooses a tip on the screen. The suggested tip amounts are often calculated on the total after tax, so if you want to tip on the pre-tax figure, choose the custom option. When each person tips separately, check that nobody skipped the tip screen by mistake, since the server sees the total at the end of the night.

What about splitting at a bar?

At a bar, each person can run their own tab or pay per round. Paying per round, with whoever orders paying and tipping for that round, is common and quick. If you open a tab, the bartender will usually hold your card until you close it, so remember to close it before you leave.

What is the polite way to tell the server?

Look at the server when you order and say what you need: "We will need three checks, I am with these two." Or, at the end: "Could you split this evenly across four cards?" Clear and early is always polite. After a good group dinner, Mosey lets you rate the place and the dishes you ordered, with photos, and share a list of good spots for groups with friends.

More guides to read next:

• US restaurant etiquette for visitors from Europe
• How restaurant health inspections and grades work in US cities
• Why the price on a US menu is not what you pay

More in the US food guides and the ranked lists of places.