At the end, do you just ask for your ticket?
Do you toss a cash payment on the table toward a joint bill and call it good?
Do you preempt the confusion and make it clear that your bill is separate from the group when ordering?
Do you pay for everyone to avoid the awkwardness or to avoid looking cheap?
Something else?
Most of my friends will split it between them, because they don't seem to care when they've had one too many and really love each other more than anything in the whole wide world! It maybe not be until they sober up that they might object that this or that person didn't pay enough :) There are a couple of us who don't drink so we have separate tabs, however we normally end up as the norminated taxi service for the rest of the mob!
I think as long as everyone knows how they are paying before the meal then there shouldn't be a problem