Have you ever gone out to dinner or lunch with a group of friends with everybody ordering different things, some plates to share, others, like that ridiculous salad whatshername always gets and keeps to herself (as if anyone else wanted any of it in the first place), some friends getting wines by the glass and others, like ol’ Salad Sal, getting elaborate cocktails? And then at the end of the meal, someone, usually you-know-who, will suggest you split the check evenly? Of course you have. And then you spend the time after the check is delivered painstakingly trying to determine who ordered what, because there’s no way your paying for that extra dressing and the top-shelf cocktail (she had three of them, of course). Then you cave and just split it evenly.

Well, next time it happens — and you know it will — whip out your smartphone and open the Plates app. It will help you figure out who ordered what, what was shared evenly and what each person owes, including his or her fair share of the tax and tip.

There is still some painstake involved in the process; it isn’t all done with a quick flip of a switch, but the drag and drop process makes it somewhat easier. This article at Yahoo! shows the steps involved. And when you get down to who owes what make sure you also have your Square credit card swiper so when your tipsy friend says she doesn’t have any cash you can say, “MasterCard or Visa?”