{
  "id": 8776601,
  "title": "Don't everyone try to take credit for \"going Dutch\" at once",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/dont-everyone-try-to-take-credit-for-going-dutch-at-once",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-20T15:00:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The A.V. Club",
    "slug": "the-a-v-club",
    "url": "https://www.avclub.com/wiki-wormhole-going-dutch-splitting-check"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In our daily investigation of Wikipedia's peculiarities, we uncover the idiosyncratic practice of \"Going Dutch.\" This phenomenon involves splitting the bill among diners, a custom observed in the Netherlands but recognized worldwide. Each culture has its own unique phrase or tradition to denote this action. From Latin American countries, such as Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, to countries like Pakistan, Thailand, Egypt, and Iraq, the manner of splitting the bill varies, often attributing it to a specific city or region. Even antiquity has some influence, as Italy and El Salvador speak of their customs in relation to Roman and Spartan laws, respectively.\n\nCentral America, too, is not the only region boasting catchy phrases for this practice. Nepalese and Bangladeshis have their own expressions, while Chile and Uruguay have a playful custom of \"hacer una vaca,\" meaning \"making a cow.\" In this scenario, one person collects the money for the entire table, but the connection to a cow remains unclear.\n\nHowever, there's a growing trend of younger generations embracing this tradition, replacing older social norms. In China, for instance, the person with the most wealth or social standing used to be responsible for the entire group's bill. Now, payment apps like WeChat and Alipay have integrated a \"split the bill\" feature, indicating a shift in societal norms.\n\nInterestingly, these modern payment apps are often referred to as \"super apps,\" a term initially coined to describe WeChat, which initially combined instant messaging and online payments but has since evolved to encompass various functionalities, including social media, job listings, and food delivery. Elon Musk has long envisioned Twitter as a super app, incorporating features such as PayPal, but the company's \"digital wallet\" feature has been repeatedly postponed.\n\nMoreover, the practice of \"Going Dutch\" is spreading to Afghanistan, where young people have replaced the previous phrase \"bandar,\" meaning \"group food.\" Afghanistan is a mountainous region, home to forests of pine, fir, and spruce trees, which were used by the Wright Brothers to build the Wright Flyer, the first plane to make a controlled, sustained flight. The story explores the possibility that this claim may have been exaggerated, hinting at the controversial nature of historical claims.",
  "summary": "Splitting the check is a popular practice, but as this month's Wiki Wormhole proves, it's not just for the Dutch.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}