Whether you're taking a client to dinner, grabbing lunch with a new friend, or sharing a meal with your in-laws①,awkwardness can immediately settle in when the bill comes and everyone stares, silently wondering, "Who pays?"

Every dining situation, from a birthday dinner to a double date, commands its own nuances②when it comes to handling the check.

Patricia Napier-Fitzpatrick, the founder and president of The Etiquette School of New York told us, "Other than business meals, there are no hard and fast rules for splitting the check③.In business, it's protocol for the person extending the invitation to pay."

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 considerate④when it comes to paying for meals.

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？”

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。

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。”

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得很周到。

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 respective⑤day pays.

每对各付各的，或者轮流分天买单。

①in-laws n. 姻亲（无血缘关系的亲戚）

② nuance 英 ['njuːɑːns] n. 细微差别

③split the check 分开付账，分摊账单

④ considerate 英 [kən'sɪd(ə)rət] 美 [kən'sɪdərɪt]adj. 体贴的；体谅的；考虑周到的

⑤ respective 英 [rɪ'spektɪv] 美 [rɪ'spɛktɪv]

adj. 分别的，各自的

⑥ reciprocate 英 [rɪ'sɪprəkeɪt] 美 [rɪ'sɪprəket]

vt. 报答；互换；互给vi. 往复运动；互换；酬答；互给

⑦ siblings 英 ['sibliŋz] n. 兄弟姐妹；同科

Dinner with a boyfriend/girlfriend情侣餐

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

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。

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。

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。

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 reciprocated⑥.

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。

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 siblings⑦, 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。