How to Split a Restaurant Bill Fairly

Option 1: Split Equally

The simplest approach. Take the total and divide by the number of people. This works well when everyone ordered roughly the same thing, but it's not fair when orders vary significantly. The person who had a side salad ends up subsidising someone else's steak.

Option 2: Split by Item (The Fair Way)

Each person pays for exactly what they ordered. This is the fairest method but the hardest to calculate manually, especially when some dishes are shared between two or three people.

This is what EasySplit does automatically. You add the menu items, assign them to whoever ordered them, and the app calculates exactly what each person owes — including their share of service charge and tip.

What About Shared Dishes?

Shared starters, a bottle of wine, or a dessert that three people split — these make manual calculations messy. With EasySplit, you just tap the item and select everyone who shared it. The cost is automatically divided between them.

Handling Service Charge and Tip

Service charge and tip should be proportional to what each person ordered, not split equally. If your food cost twice as much as someone else's, your share of the tip should be higher too. EasySplit calculates this automatically based on each person's subtotal.

The Easiest Way: Use EasySplit

Instead of passing the receipt around and doing mental arithmetic, just open EasySplit on your phone. Add what everyone ordered, and share a live link so your friends can see exactly what they owe. No app to download, no account to create.

Tips for Splitting Bills Smoothly

• Decide how you'll split before ordering — it avoids awkwardness later
• Take a photo of the receipt so you have a reference
• Use a tool like EasySplit so there's no room for error or argument
• Remember to check if service charge is already included on the bill
• Round up slightly rather than chasing exact pennies — everyone appreciates it