separate / split checks

[Hansman]

I know that the phrase 'separate checks is fine like 'We want separate checks'. and the phrase 'split the check' is fine like 'We want to split the check, please'.
And then, how about 'separate the check' and 'split checks'?
Can I say, 'We want to separate the check, please' and 'We want split checks' at a restaurant?

 

[tedmc]

What check(s) at a restaurant are you talking about?

 

[Rover_KE]

AE checks = BE bills

AE bills = BE (bank)notes

 

[emsr2d2]

I know that the phrase 'separate checks' is fine, like in 'We want separate checks' and the phrase 'split the check' is fine, like in 'We want to split the check, please'.

Note my corrections above.

And then, How about 'separate the check' and 'split checks'?

Don't start sentences with "and".

Can I say no comma here 'We want to separate the check, please' and 'We want split checks' at a restaurant?

See above. I don't find either of those options natural. (That's not simply because we use "bill" for what you ask for at the end of a meal.)

 

[Skrej]

All those options work in AmE. I typically just say "These are separate checks".

AE checks = BE bills

AE bills = BE (bank)notes

AmE uses both 'check' and 'bill' for restaurant tabs, as well as using 'bill' for paper currency.

 

[Hansman]

All those options work in AmE. I typically just say "These are separate checks".


AmE uses both 'check' and 'bill' for restaurant tabs, as well as using 'bill' for paper currency.

Thank you so much. I have one more question.
Does this expression 'Let's split the check' mean 'pay it evenly like 50:50 and does this expression 'Let's have separate checks' mean 'pay for only the meal that each eats'?

 

[tedmc]

Thank you so much. I have one more question.
Does this expression 'Let's split the check' mean 'pay it evenly like 50:50 and does this expression 'Let's have separate checks' mean 'pay for only the meal that each eats'?

Though that seems logical to me, splitting doesn't necessarily mean 50:50.

 

[emsr2d2]

Though seems logical to me, ...

@tedmc There's something missing there.

 

[Skrej]

Thank you so much. I have one more question.
Does this expression 'Let's split the check' mean 'pay it evenly like 50:50 and does this expression 'Let's have separate checks' mean 'pay for only the meal that each eats'?

Normally 'split the check' would be taken to mean the same as separate checks - each paying for what they ate. Otherwise you'd say something like 'let's split the bill evenly" if you were proposing equal shares. Normally you'd only do that if you were trying to cover the cost of one person not paying (say the guest of honor).

There was an episode of Friends dealing with this very issue. Ross wants to split the bill evenly, while some of the others who purposely chose cheaper menu items object to paying more than what their individual total was.

 

[emsr2d2]

In the UK, if you said "We'll split the bill", the waiter would almost certainly take that to mean 50% each. We'd say "Can we have separate bills please?", that would be an indication we wanted to pay for what we ate only.
In order to "split the bill", they don't need to bring two physical bills. Let's say the bill is £50. They'll bring one bill, bring the card machine to the table, enter £25 in it for the first person's card, then another £25 for the second person. Done!