Seperate Checks or Not

[pennypinch]

I have a question for ya. When dining out with friends or family other than your own wife/husband or children, shoud you ask for seperate checks or should you all just split the bill evenly?

In example, say my husband and I go out with another couple to a restaurant and we order drinks before dinner, a nice meal and coffee and dessert after. The other couple only orders sodas and a cheeseburger. Should we have seperate checks or just split the bill?

Lots of people feel that it is rude to ask for seperate checks. They feel that everyone there is enjoying the same fun and experience even if not the same food so it should be split.

I don't agree with that. I think that if I want to order more then I should pay more. I would never expect someone else to pay more than their own share. I don;t think it's rude to ask for seperate checks either. If the people I am with are old enough to be out with me then they should be able to handle their own costs.