Twenty eight year old media executive Shivani Goel does not hesitate to speak up in a situation like this. "Dividing the bill equally is fine if everyone has the same thing. But if I had something different from the group, I would prefer to pay for it only."

Split It!

Etiquette expert Anooradha Patel of the Dynamic Finishing Academy says, "One should not bother too much, especially when you are with close friends. The idea is to have fun and be together." 

Speak Up!

Etiquette expert Rukshana Eisa believes that the person who initiated going out together should be vocal enough when it comes to splitting the bill. Says Rukshana, "As soon as the bill comes, scrutinise it and let the group know how much each has to pay."

This is exactly what Pranay Srinivasan a 27-year-old business executive and his friends did on a recent trip to Goa. "We were 15 in all and most of us were couples. We split the bill based on who ordered what and made tabs on the couples," he informs.

Official Munching!

On an official lunch, when it comes to splitting the bill, it depends on whom you are with. If you are out with equals, pay for what you had. If you are out with your junior colleagues, it is polite to take the initiative to settle the bill, but don't insist on paying if they want to split.

If you have ordered for lunch or snacks at office and a team member pays the entire bill (usually a small amount), make it a point to ask your colleague on how much you owe them. If you have paid, inform them in a polite yet in friendly manner how much they owe you. This way you can avoid any discomfort later.

At the end of the day, everyone wants to have a bit of fun without money issues bogging your head!