When dining with a group of people, it's best to communicate in advance how the bill will be paid, an etiquette expert told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
To avoid this situation, said Gottsman, it's important to communicate in advance.
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Someone with financial constraints might be inclined to pay separately.
"Let the server know directly who you are going to be responsible for when the bill comes."
"The most desirable and sophisticated way to handle this situation is to look directly at the server when he approaches you and say, 'I'm going to take these two' or 'Please give me a separate check,'" said Gottsman.
"Let the server know directly who you are going to be responsible for when the bill comes. It's always better to separate it at the beginning rather than at the end."
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If you do decide to split the bill evenly, it's best to know what the others at your table are eating or drinking.
bottle of wine, for example, you can speak up and say, 'Hey guys, please enjoy, but I don't want to pay for that wine because I'm not drinking. Letting you know now.'"
Splitting a bill down the middle can sometimes be the easiest, least-complicated way to handle things, but people with children should consider paying separately, said Gottsman.
"You should also not expect for everyone to assume that splitting the bill is going to be appreciated," she said.
"If you speak out once, there are going to be several others [who] are going to take a huge sigh of relief because you verbalized what they were thinking."
Don't "assume that splitting the bill is going to be appreciated," according to an etiquette expert. (iStock)
Another piece of advice, Gottsman told Fox News Digital, is to avoid such scenarios with someone who you know "historically gouges you on the bill."
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"You can say, I'm going to pass on the invitation, but let's get together next week for lunch," said Gottsman. "In other words, accept an invitation where you can navigate how the bill is paid."
