How to split a bar tab fairly
A bar tab seems like the easiest thing in the world to split — until one person had three cocktails, another nursed a single beer, and someone wasn't drinking at all.
Here's how to keep it fair without killing the mood.
The easy way with SplitMate
- 1
Keep one tab open
Run everything on a single card so the bar isn't splitting it for you.
- 2
Add the total to a group
Enter the tab and who paid it once you close out.
- 3
Split evenly or by drink
Divide evenly for a similar crowd, or itemize when orders varied.
- 4
Settle up instantly
Everyone sees what they owe the person who covered the card.
Ways to split it fairly
Buying rounds
Taking turns buying rounds works when everyone drinks a similar amount and stays for the whole night. It falls apart if people arrive late or leave early.
Itemize for mixed groups
If some people are on cocktails and others on soda, splitting by what each person actually drank is much fairer than an even split.
Look after the designated driver
It's customary to cover or heavily discount the share of whoever stayed sober to drive everyone home.
One card, settle later
Putting the whole tab on one card and splitting it in an app afterward is faster than asking the bartender to run eight separate checks.
Frequently asked questions
Is it fairer to buy rounds or split the tab?
Rounds are fine when everyone drinks similarly and stays all night. If consumption is uneven, splitting the actual tab — by item or by who drank what — is fairer.
How do you handle someone who isn't drinking?
Don't charge a non-drinker for alcohol. Either itemize so they only pay for what they had, or leave them out of the drinks split entirely.
What's the easiest way to split a tab among a big group?
Keep the whole tab on one card, then split it in the app afterward. It avoids making the bar run a stack of separate transactions.