30-04-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
How to Split a Restaurant Bill in 2025? We Asked an Etiquette Expert
Perhaps you're keeping a closer eye on the bottom line than your dining companion. What happens when the check arrives? This is precisely the sort of situation Nick Leighton discusses on the etiquette podcast 'Were You Raised By Wolves?' with co-host Leah Bonnema. 'Whether you're at a Michelin three-star or a food truck, we want to emphasize consideration and kindness,' he said. Hungry for more specifics, we lobbed Leighton a few pointed questions on how to dine out now in a manner both polite and fiscally prudent.
Nobody wants to feel taken advantage of, but our relationships aren't just transactional. If orders are similar, splitting evenly is fine. However, if somebody ordered the steak and four Martinis and another had a salad and wasn't drinking, it's perfectly fine to politely suggest splitting based on individual orders. For those who prefer precision, apps can make that happen.
Tipping is not optional. It's built into the wage of the server. Factor that 20% into your dining budget. Everything's more expensive now. If you can't afford a dish, you need to make a different choice.
