On a double date how do you work out the check?

Before the date, talk to the other guy (without the girls around) and straighten it out with him. Do not have this conversation in front of the girls and certainly not at the table. The manly thing to do is split the bill for the two parties - you pay for you & your date, he pays for him & his date, though there are exceptions (see below). Unless one of the girls asks, make no mention of the arrangement. Establish the pay arrangement when the waiter/waitress comes over near the end and starts clearing dishes. A good waiter/waitress will ask "Is this all together or separate?" at which point one of you guys looks at the waiter and says "Two checks, please." (if you can't decide which of you says this, agree ahead that the driver will say it) and he/she will know how to handle it. An inexperienced waiter/waitress will say "Are you ready for the check?" to which you respond "Yes, separate checks please." If the waiter is grossly inexperienced or incredibly dumb, he/she won't ask and will just plop down a single check - you pick it up, hand it back and say "I'm sorry, could we have separate checks please?" Don't forget the 20% tip. Even if you don't think the service rated that much tip, do it anyway. Otherwise, your date will think you're a cheapskate ... which you may be, but you don't want to show her that on the first few dates.

You should split the bill. Not doing so makes the one not paying appear to be a freeloader. One exception is if it is one of the guy's birthday - it can be a single check with the non-birthday guy paying. If it's a girl's birthday, her guy makes the choice to pay for all or split. Another exception (similar) is if one of the guys wants to celebrate something big, like a big promotion at work or moving into his own place for the first time. If he knows the owner or manager or chef at the restaurant and starts bragging and making a big deal about it, then he SHOULD pay. Winning a lottery or being given money by someone is not an exception - don't permit someone to use their gift money to pay your way, even if they insist. Using lottery winnings to pay for a dinner for four is very gauche because playing the lottery is gauche. The subject shouldn't even be brought up. In any case, the person who wants to pay should make a point before orders are placed, or preferably before arriving at the restaurant, to announce "Hey, I'm celebrating such-and-so, so everyone pick whatever you like. This one's on me." or "Hey, I know the owner of this place, the food is fabulous and I really wanted you all to try it. So the evening is on me."

You could probably go halfers. Or everyone pitches in some cash. That could work.

I would think each couple would pay their own bill.