Dinner with a date

Whoever asks for the date pays, regardless of gender.

Double Date Dinners

Split between couples, and whoever asked for each respective day pays.

Dinner with a boyfriend/girlfriend

Take turns treating each other, or split evenly.

Business dinners

The inviter should always pay. The businesses should pay when taking clients out.

Dinners with an acquaintance

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.

Dinner with a close friend

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 reciprocated.

Birthday dinners

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.

Dinners with a coworker

Each person usually pays for what they ordered.

Dinner with a closed family member

Parents usually pay for their adult children, unless a child wants to make a gesture and cover the whole bill. With your siblings, pay your own bills or take turns treating each other.

Dinner with in-laws

Handled on a case-by-case basis.

Typically, the most senior family member is expected to pay.

If the younger family members have much more means or want to make a special gesture, as in the case of meeting a boyfriend or girlfriend's parents for the first time, they might pick up the check.