If you you go out to a restaurant with a group of people do you split the bill evenly or do you each pay for what you ordered?

I think everyone should pay for what they ate... I would also agree with splitting the bill evenly but then you run into problems if a couple of people will order extremely expensive dishes in comparison to what everyone else is ordering.

Divide individually.....

But the person making the cheshbon ALWAYS gets shafted, so NEVER be him.......

It depends. Usually I would say to pay for what you ordered, but if there's 4 of you and you all ordered 2 pizzas, I would split the bill even if 1 person may have had an extra slice, someone had 1 less.

We often have this problem. If on balance most of the group order similarly then we just split it evenly. But if one person has only a salad, say while someone else chooses something very expensive, then it's not fair. Also some people drink wine with the meal and some don't, so that would also be an individual cheshbon.

With my friends we always pay for our own meals but split the tax and tip evenly.

I find it easier to just ask for separate tickets (or go with people who will pay for you ).

Who in their right mind is gonna pay for YOUR meal....

Oh, I always get shafted no matter what. I usually end up paying more than my share, for instance 35% in a group of 4 people or 30% in a group of 5 people even though I usually order less food. I really need to get new friends...

or a better calculator...

I'd pre-emptively strike, by telling the waitperson that we'd like separate checks when the orders are being taken. I'm still a bit peeved at the cousin who ordered several rounds of mixed drinks and expensive entrees when the rest of us were splitting plates to save $$. After you've spent more than you've budgeted to subsidize someone's third Cosmo when you're drinking tap water (disclaimer: exaggerated to prove a point), you learn.

Lots of places are not accomodating with that.

I'd say take an average and anyone who is 2 or more standard deviations from the average gets to pay for their own meal.

ETA in this way people who are ordering close to what everyone else is ordering, if you have a little less you don't have to eat less and if you have a little more you can help people.

but if you're just ordering a salad or a major meal with wine and stuff you don't get to freeload or you can stay within your budget.

I've never been to a place that's said they wouldn't. I imagine it depends on the size of the group; I think the waiter would be fine with two separate bills, but perhaps not fifteen.

come to think of it another good way of doing what I mentioned would be to, by consensus, state a goal average price and also an acceptable deviation. those who do deviate can pay their own way and those who don't can ride.

depends. if it's a one-time gathering, it's usually separate checks and occasionally an even split. with friends with whom meals out is a regular routine, we alternate picking up the check. if there's someone in the group with a travel account to use up, s/he pays for everyone.