Restaurant Etiquette - Single or Multiple Checks?
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I recently went to lunch with a co-worker of mine. When we reached the end of our restaurant visit, my co-worker asked for separate checks. Apparently, here in Sioux Falls, SD that’s the way it’s done. All of my friends here ask for separate checks. This annoys me to no end. Why not make it easier on the waitress and get it all on one bill? Back in Chicago, the waitresses there may have stabbed you in the jaw if you asked for a separate check. When I brought this fact up to a few of my friends here, most couldn’t understand why it was such a big deal.
I explored the issue more to just see if it was just me that thought this behavior was bizarre. I read many different sources. My conclusions are as follows:
- It is generally considered rude to get separate checks at the end of a meal because it creates an inconvenience for the wait staff. It also may be interpreted by those that you are dining with that you believe they will skimp on paying their fair share of the bill.
- It is not considered rude if you let the wait staff know before you order that the meals will be on separate checks.
- If the check is to be shared and somebody is not putting down enough money, just bite the bullet and pay the extra money to avoid a situation. Just never eat out with that person again.
If you’d like to explore this topic further, I encourage you to read the following articles:
A Measure of Guidance: Dividing the Bill
Keeping it Social: Dining Etiquette
One Comment
Marcus Hamaker
August 4th, 2008
at 7:31am
This is an interesting topic. Being from Canada we always ask for separate checks here and it’s almost a given. When wait staff comes to the table and after the greeting, the first question is often if there will be separate checks.
I think in our culture this arises due to the extremely wide spread use of bank cards. We had the Interac (or ATM) card solution in place here long before I can remember from my trips down to the North East US. Given that we can’t give the other person cash because more and more we don’t carry any money on us. We tend to use the card for payment.
I remember asking for a separate check once in an IHOP in Vermont. The waitress said that she wouldn’t and we would have to arrange the bill amongst ourselves. We were floored because we didn’t know better.