This is one of the most common bill-splitting pain points. Someone has water while others order $17 cocktails, and then the table splits evenly. The non-drinker just subsidized everyone else's drinks.
The considerate approach: Split food evenly (appetizers, entrees, dessert) and have alcohol drinkers split the bar portion among themselves. This adds maybe 30 seconds to the calculation and is far more equitable.
How to bring it up without awkwardness: The drinkers should offer, not the non-drinker. Say something like "Hey, let's just split the food evenly and we'll cover the drinks separately — that's more fair." This shows awareness and generosity.
When even splitting is fine: If the drink difference is minor (one $8 beer vs. water), most non-drinkers will not mind splitting evenly. The issue arises when there is a significant gap — multiple rounds of craft cocktails vs. nothing.
The easiest solution: Use the Forks app. Scan the receipt, assign cocktails to the people who ordered them, and split shared appetizers across everyone. Each person gets an exact total reflecting what they actually consumed.