Dining Out

How to Split a Group Dinner Bill

Someone always overpays. Someone always underpays. Here is how to split a dinner bill fairly without making it weird, and how to track it when one person picks up the check.

Three ways to split a dinner bill

Split evenly

Everyone pays the same amount. Simple when the group orders similarly.

Best for: casual dinners where nobody cares about a few dollars.

Split by item

Each person pays for what they ordered. Fair when orders vary widely.

Best for: mixed groups with big price differences (steak vs salad).

Split shared items

Appetizers, bottles of wine, and desserts are divided among those who shared them.

Best for: meals with a mix of individual and shared dishes.

The real problem: when one person pays

Splitting the bill at the restaurant is one thing. But when one friend puts the whole thing on their card, the group owes that person. Here is where things get lost in the group chat.

Friday dinner at Osteria

Alex

Steak + cocktail

$45

Jordan

Pasta + water

$18

Sam

Burger + beer

$24

Casey

Salad + glass of wine

$22
Subtotal$109
Tip (20%)$21.80
Total (Alex paid)$130.80

Alex paid the whole bill. Instead of figuring out Venmo amounts in the group chat, Alex logs it in Nudj. Each person sees what they owe and confirms. Done.

Why Nudj is better than the group chat

Running balance

When you eat out with the same group regularly, Nudj keeps a running tab. Cover dinner tonight, your friend covers brunch tomorrow. It all nets out.

No rush to settle

The expense is logged and confirmed. Pay your friend back whenever it is convenient. No pressure, no forgotten debts.

Full history

See every dinner, every split, every settlement. No more "did I pay you back for that sushi place?" conversations.

Works for any group size

Two friends or twelve. Nudj handles the math regardless of group size.

Stop doing dinner math in your head

Track every group meal. Nudj keeps the running tab so nobody forgets and nobody overpays.