Here's how to split the restaurant bill in any situation

一起吃饭最尴尬莫过于没人主动站出来买单，但是不该你买单的时候抢着付钱也可能让人心里不舒服，不过你也不能不分对象和谁都AA制。要知道，买单也是一门学问，现在咱们就来系统地学习一下。

Whether you're taking a client to dinner, grabbing lunch with a new friend, or sharing a meal with your in-laws, awkwardness can immediately settle in when the bill comes and everyone stares, silently wondering, "Who pays?"
无论你是在餐厅与客户谈生意，与新朋友外出觅食，还是与另一半的家人一起吃饭，最尴尬的时刻莫过于——服务员送来账单，大家大眼瞪小眼，心里默默盘算着：“谁来买单？”

Several potential scenarios can play out:
有以下几种场景可能会出现：

Should you split the check evenly?
所有人平摊饭钱？

Should everyone pay for their own meal?
大家各付各的？

Is it expected that your father-in-law will pick up the check?
等着岳父或公公请客？

Every dining situation, from a birthday dinner to a double date, commands its own nuances when it comes to handling the check.
从生日聚餐到四人约会，无论哪种聚餐情形在买单上都会有细微差别。

We spoke with three experts Diane Gottsman, national etiquette expert and the owner of The Protocol School of Texas, David Weliver, founder of financial advice website Money Under 30, and Patricia Napier-Fitzpatrick, founder and president of The Etiquette School of New York to definitively decide how to handle the bill in 10 common situations.
这次，我们与3位专家聊了聊如何解决10种常见就餐情形中的买单问题。他们分别是：全国礼仪专家及德克萨斯州礼仪学院的所有者黛安•戈特斯曼、金融建议网站Money Under 30的创始人大卫•韦利弗、纽约礼仪学校创始人及校长帕特里夏•纳皮尔•菲茨帕特里克。

"Other than business meals, there are no hard and fast rules for splitting the check," Napier-Fitzpatrick told Business Insider. In business, it's protocol for the person extending the invitation to pay.”
帕特里夏告诉我们：“与商务应酬不同，生活聚餐没有关于分摊账单的明确规定。在商务应酬中，发出邀请的一方请客，是一种惯例。

In terms of all other different scenarios, I would say there are certain guidelines, things one would do to make sure they didn't feel taken advantage of and that they're being considerate when it comes to paying for meals."
但其他的用餐情形仍然遵守着某些规则，正是这些规则能让人们觉得自己没被别人占了便宜，也能让人们觉得在付账时自己考虑的很周到。”

Read on to check out who's turn it is to pick up the bill when, and avoid those awkward "How do you wanna do this?" conversations for good.
继续阅读下面的内容，你就能知道什么时候买单、谁该买单，再也不用开口问“咱们怎么付账好？”这种尴尬的问题。

Dinner with a date
一对一约会餐

Whoever asks for the date pays, regardless of gender.
不分男女，谁提出谁买单。

Double Date Dinners
四人约会餐

Split between couples, and whoever asked for each respective day pays.
每对各付各的，或者轮流分天买单。

Dinner with a boyfriend/girlfriend
情侣餐

Take turns treating each other, or split evenly.
轮流请客，或者平摊。

Business dinners
商务餐

The inviter should always pay. The businesses should pay when taking clients out.
邀请人必须买单。跟客户在外面吃饭时，公司请客。

Dinners with an acquaintance
熟人餐

Split evenly if the meals are closed in price. It’s okay to ask for separate checks if one person’s meal is much more expensive.
点餐的价钱差不多时，大家平摊。如果某个人点的菜太贵，分开付也无妨。

Dinner with a close friend
闺蜜/基友餐

Split evenly if the meals are evenly in price. Sometimes close friends also take turns treating each other with the expectation that it will be one day reciprocated.
价格相当时两人平摊。好朋友之间有时也会请客，一定不要忘了回请哦。

Birthday dinners
生日餐

It’s the tradition for everyone to pitch in for the guest of honor, but if you throw your own celebration, other people are not expected to pay for you.
按传统，大家一起凑份子给寿星过生日，但如果你要用自己的方式庆祝，就不要指望别人替你付了。

Dinners with a coworker
同事餐

Each person usually pays for what they ordered.
通常是各付各的。

Dinner with a closed family member
家庭餐

Parents usually pay for their adult children, unless a child wants to make a gesture and cover the whole bill. With your siblings, pay your own bills or take turns treating each other.
父母通常会为自己的成年儿女买单，除非儿女为了表示心意而请客。和兄弟姊妹一起时，各付各的饭钱或者轮流请客。

Dinner with in-laws
姻亲餐

Handled on a case-by-case basis.
具体情况具体分析。

Typically, the most senior family member is expected to pay.
一般来说，家中最年长的长辈会买单。

If the younger family members have much more means or want to make a special gesture, as in the case of meeting a boyfriend or girlfriend’s parents for the first time, they might pick up the check.
年轻家庭成员如果家境更好、想表示心意时，可以请客，比如首次见男友或女友的父母。