Tip Calculator

Last Updated:

Calculate tip and split the bill. Choose your tip percentage or enter a custom amount, then divide evenly between any number of people.

Quick answer: To calculate a tip, multiply the bill by the tip percentage, then add that to the bill for your total. Standard US restaurant tipping runs 18–20% for good service. Splitting an $86.40 bill with a 20% tip four ways comes to $25.92 per person.

Required

18%

Required

Total with Tip

$0

Bill$0
Tip Amount$0
Per Person$0
Tip/Person$0

📐 Formula

Tip = Bill × Tip%. Total = Bill + Tip. Per Person = Total ÷ Number of People

How to Use the Tip Calculator

1

Enter the bill total

Input the subtotal from your receipt: the amount before any tip or tax. If the tip is calculated on the pre-tax amount (common practice), use the pre-tax subtotal.

2

Select tip percentage

Use the preset buttons or enter a custom percentage. Standard US sit-down restaurant tipping is 15% for adequate service, 18–20% for good service, and 22–25% for exceptional service. See the guide below for other service categories.

3

Enter number of people

Input the number of people splitting the bill. The calculator divides the total (bill + tip) equally and shows the per-person amount.

4

Choose rounding

Check "Round up per-person amount to the nearest dollar" for easier cash splitting. The extra cents go toward a slightly higher tip, which is always appropriate.

US Tipping Guide by Service Category

Tipping customs vary by service type, region, and quality of service. These are current US norms:

  • Sit-down restaurants: 18–20% is now the baseline for satisfactory service; 22–25% for excellent. 15% is considered minimal. Tip on the pre-tax subtotal, though most people tip on the full amount.
  • Counter service / fast casual: Optional, 0–10%. Tip prompts on point-of-sale systems have normalized smaller tips here. Not obligatory if you collected your own food.
  • Bartenders: $1–2 per drink for simple orders; 15–20% for cocktails and attentive service.
  • Food delivery: 10–20% of order total, minimum $3–5. Delivery drivers cover fuel and vehicle wear, and often don't receive the full tip immediately, so tip in cash if possible.
  • Taxi / rideshare: 10–20%. Lyft and Uber allow in-app tipping; consider tipping for longer trips, heavy luggage, or great service.
  • Hotel housekeeping: $2–5 per night, left daily (not at checkout, since different staff may clean each day). Often overlooked but one of the most impactful tips for low-wage workers.
  • Hair salons: 15–20% of service cost. Tip the stylist directly, even if the salon collects payment centrally.
  • Spa services: 15–20% is standard. Some spas include gratuity automatically, so check before adding more.

Tipping Outside the US

Tipping norms differ dramatically by country. In Japan, tipping is considered unnecessary or even awkward: service staff take pride in their work, and a tip can be seen as questioning that pride. In Australia and New Zealand, tipping is appreciated but not expected; exceptional service might warrant 10%. In the UK and Europe, rounding up or leaving 10–15% at sit-down restaurants is customary; service charge is often included (check the bill). In Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia), small tips ($1–3) are appreciated and meaningful. When traveling internationally, research local norms before defaulting to US customs, since overtipping can be as culturally awkward as under-tipping in some countries. Working out a tip in local currency first is easier with the site's Currency Converter, and a trip's total tipping budget is worth folding into the Vacation Budget Calculator rather than treated as an afterthought.

How to Calculate a Tip and Split a Bill by Hand: Worked Example

A restaurant bill totals $86.40, and the group wants to leave a 20% tip, splitting evenly among 4 people.

Step 1: calculate the tip. $86.40 × 0.20 = $17.28.

Step 2: find the total bill including tip. $86.40 + $17.28 = $103.68.

Step 3: divide by the number of people. $103.68 ÷ 4 = $25.92 per person.

Should tip be calculated on the pre-tax or post-tax amount?

Etiquette guidance is split on this, but calculating tip on the pre-tax subtotal is the more traditional convention, since sales tax isn't compensation for service. On an $80 pre-tax subtotal with $6.40 in tax (bringing the bill to $86.40), a 20% tip on the pre-tax amount is $16.00 rather than the $17.28 calculated on the post-tax total, a difference of $1.28 that becomes more noticeable in high-sales-tax jurisdictions or on larger bills.

How Do Tipping Norms Vary by Service Type and Country?

What are typical US tipping percentages by service category?

Full-service restaurant dining commonly runs 18–20% for good service, rising to 22–25% for exceptional service; counter service or takeout is more often 0–10% or a small flat amount; hair salons and personal services typically see 15–20%; taxi and rideshare drivers commonly receive 10–20%. These are cultural norms rather than fixed rules, and they shift over time: the commonly cited "standard" restaurant tip has crept upward from roughly 15% a couple of decades ago to closer to 20% today in many US markets.

Is tipping expected outside the United States?

Tipping culture varies enormously by country. Many European countries either include a service charge automatically or consider a modest rounding-up sufficient; in Japan, tipping is generally considered unnecessary, and can even be perceived as awkward, since service pride is built into the job; some countries fall in between, with a smaller (5–10%) tip appreciated but not strictly expected. Researching the specific destination's norm before a trip avoids both under-tipping (perceived as rude in tip-dependent service economies) and overtipping (unnecessary in service-charge-inclusive cultures).

How should a large group split a bill fairly when orders were very uneven?

An even per-person split works cleanly when orders were roughly similar, but becomes noticeably unfair when one diner ordered a $12 salad and another ordered a $45 steak with wine: itemized splitting (each person paying for their own items plus a proportional share of tax and tip) is more equitable for uneven orders, though it requires more calculation than a simple even divide.

⚠️ Disclaimer Tipping percentages shown here reflect common US service-industry norms, not a legal requirement or fixed rule. Tipping customs vary by service type, region, and country; some countries consider tipping unnecessary or even awkward. Use these figures as a starting point and adjust for service quality and local expectations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Standard restaurant tipping in the US: 15% for adequate service, 18–20% for good service, 22–25% for exceptional service. Some cities or upscale restaurants expect 20% as the baseline.
Both are acceptable. Tipping on the pre-tax amount is technically correct and common. Tipping on the total (including tax) is also common and makes the math easier. The difference is usually small.
Restaurants (15–25%), food delivery (10–20%), taxis and rideshares (10–20%), hotel housekeeping ($2–5/night), hair salons (15–20%), and valet parking ($2–5).
Leave $2–5 per night for housekeeping, left daily rather than only at checkout since different staff may clean your room each day. Tip bellhops $1–2 per bag, and valet parking attendants $2–5 when they retrieve your car. These service workers are often overlooked because the tip isn't itemized on a bill the way a restaurant tip is, but the amounts add up to a meaningful part of their income.
Yes, significantly. In Japan, tipping is often considered unnecessary or even awkward, since service pride is built into the job. In the UK and much of Europe, rounding up or leaving 10–15% is customary, and a service charge is sometimes already included on the bill. In Australia and New Zealand, tipping is appreciated but not expected. Check local norms before a trip rather than defaulting to US percentages, which can read as overtipping in some countries.

Sources & Methodology

Calculations are based on the most current publicly available data from authoritative government and industry sources: