There is something always slightly awkward about splitting the bill, particularly in group settings. We've all been in that situation: someone suggests splitting the cost equally, even though you only enjoyed two glasses of Pinot while your mate tossed back several cocktails.
Then of course, there's always that one mate who promises to pay you back for their share - and you become the designated debt collector chasing them up for $16.58 in the group chat.
But payment predicaments could be a thing of the past for dinner deliveries, with Uber Eats announcing a raft of new features to make group ordering as seamless as possible.
Users can now split the bill under the latest updates, allowing people to pay for certain parts of the order, and also setting deadlines that trigger auto-reminders to group members letting them know when the order will be placed.
How Uber Eats' bill-splitting works
- Open the app, select the merchant you'd like to order from, and click group order
- Select bill-splitting
- Invite guests
- Select the items you want to order
- Go to checkout once guests have selected their items and payment method
- Checkout and place the order.
How deadlines work
Once you create a group, you now have greater control with three deadline options:
- Not setting a deadline and manually checking out
- Setting a deadline with auto-checkout when the deadline expires
- Setting a deadline and manually checking out when the deadline expires.
If you create a deadline, it will send auto-reminders to your group.
How auto-reminders and checkout work
- Click on 'no deadline' (the view to set your deadline)
- Set the deadline you want
- Select 'place order at deadline'
- And you're done!
"The new suite of features not only reflect the changing ways in which we dine with friends but also the demand for fuss-free payment technology," an Uber Eats spokesperson said.
Last year, a woman realised she should have simply split the bill after a man she went on three dates with asked her to cough up the money for her orders - after they decided to stop seeing one another.
And in 2020, the age-old question as to who should pay on a date divided the internet after an intense debate was sparked on Reddit.
So if you're planning to Netflix and chill, perhaps consider splitting the Uber Eats' bill - it may not save you money now, but it could save you some awkward conversations down the line.
