The Rules To Live By When Tipping On A Split Check At A Restaurant

We've all been there. You're out to dinner with a large party, you've got your leftovers doggie-bagged and ready to go, and now it's time to settle up the check. With a lot of people covering their own portions of the meal, some common things can happen that will leave a harried waiter or waitress undeservedly shortchanged. This is where some basic dining-out etiquette can save the day and prevent faux pas and a disappointed server.

Restaurant tipping has a rather dark history, but since it's now standard practice and has been for a very long time, there are some rules every diner should live by. When eating with a big group of people, be they friends, family, or professional associates, rule number one is you should never assume that someone else is covering the tip. The obvious exception is if someone verbally says, "I'm covering the tip," in which case, if at all possible and appropriate for the company you're in, politely clarify that they're covering it for the entire table and that an acceptable amount is being left.

When in doubt, you can always drop some extra bills on the table after your associates have vacated, subtly hand it directly to your server, or tack on a tip with your card payment. The bottom line and overarching rule: Do everything you can to make sure your attendant is getting a fair gratuity (which common etiquette dictates is between 15-20% of the bill).

You should always calculate your tip based on the full amount that you owe. It is commonly held that a gratuity should be based on the total check before any coupons or discounts are applied. Not sure how to handle things when the dining establishment adds fees to the bill? One piece of must-know etiquette for tipping on top of a restaurant's service fee is that you absolutely must still tip on top of any add-ons.

Sloppy mental math has led to many a restaurant worker getting stiffed at the end of a meal, such as diners inaccurately estimating their portion of the food costs, or rounding down the amount on the check before calculating how much to leave for their server. Base your gratuity on the total amount owed before any discounts are applied, and if you're in doubt, err on the side of generosity. Good karma is worth a couple of extra dollars.

Something else to keep in mind: If anyone you're dining with is notoriously miserly, while you're obviously not responsible for their actions, consider upping your own tip to help compensate if you can. For more guidance on navigating this kind of situation, check out the etiquette rule to keep in mind when dining with bad tippers.