Agree on the split before reaching for a calculator
Dividing the total equally is easy when everyone ordered roughly the same amount. It gets awkward when someone did not drink, arrived late or skipped the shared starter. The maths is usually simple; remembering who had what is the hard part.
Decide on a rule first. If the difference is small and everyone is happy, an equal split is fine. If orders vary a lot, divide by item. More detail is useful only when it makes the bill clearer for the people paying it.
1. Record who paid and photograph the receipt
Choose who will pay the restaurant and record that person as the payer. Take a clear photo of the whole receipt, including its edges. For a long receipt, use several photos with a little overlap, then check that no line was missed or counted twice.
Rachou's AI reads item names, quantities, prices and extra charges. It saves typing, but you still need to check the subtotal, fees and final amount against the receipt before assigning items.
2. Separate individual orders from shared dishes
Work down the receipt. Assign an individual dish to the person who ordered it and shared food to everyone who had some. If two identical drinks went to different people, separate the units before assigning them.
A starter shared by three people belongs to those three, not the whole table. If someone took a different share, use weights or fixed amounts that reflect what you agreed. There is no need to pretend you measured every bite.
3. Check service charges, cover charges and discounts
You can share a service charge equally or in proportion to spending, depending on the table's agreement. A proportional split often suits very different orders. An individual cover charge belongs only to the person charged.
Apply the same care to discounts. A voucher for the whole bill can be shared proportionally; a discount on one item belongs to that item's participants. Watch for service or discounts already included in the printed total, so they are not applied twice.
4. Check the total before asking anyone to pay
Add the shares and compare them with the amount actually paid. Check the payer, everyone at the table and any money already sent. A minute of checking is easier than asking people to make several small correction transfers.
Rachou works out the balances and can simplify settle-ups when people owe each other money. It does not move the money. Use the method your group agreed on, then record the settle-up in the app.
Quick Split or an event?
Use Quick Split for one meal you want to finish at the table. For a weekend with several meals, transport and accommodation, create an event. Each bill then contributes to the same set of balances.
Record the costs first and settle once when practical. If someone spots a mistake, correct the expense before settling instead of compensating for it in a separate transfer.
Before you leave the table
- Agree on an equal or item-by-item split.
- Photograph the receipt and check charges and discounts.
- Assign each item only to the people who had it.
- Separate identical units when necessary.
- Confirm the payer and any earlier settle-ups.
- Share the result and record the money sent.
Small mistakes that make the bill harder
Do not start collecting money halfway through checking the receipt. A later correction becomes harder once several people have paid. Avoid rounding every item independently, too: those small differences can stop the shares adding up to the bill.
It is easy to forget someone skipped a starter, count a child's meal as a full adult share without asking or calculate service on an amount that was discounted. The app cannot know your agreement. Say the rule out loud and let everyone see the result before sending money.