Tip Calculator
Work out the tip and total, split the bill evenly or by shares, round up to a whole amount, and tip on the pre-tax or pre-discount amount — with a quick table of tips from 10% to 25%.
How it works
Tip = tip base × tip% · Tip base = bill − tax (optional) + discount (optional) · Total = bill + tip · Per person = total ÷ people · By shares: person pays = total × their shares ÷ all shares
The tip is a percentage of the tip base. Normally that is the bill itself; turn on Don’t tip on the tax to take the tax out first, and enter any discount or coupon to tip on what the meal would have cost at full price. The total is the bill plus the tip. To split evenly, the total is divided by the number of people and shared out to the cent, so the parts always add up to the bill. To split by shares, give each person a weight — 1 for a full meal, 0.5 for someone who only had a drink, 2 for someone paying for two — and each person pays the total times their share of all the weights. Rounding can bump up the tip, the total or each person’s share to the next 1, 5 or 10, and the calculator then shows the tip rate you actually left. The table compares tips from 10% to 25% on the same bill.
Worked example
A $68.50 bill with an 18% tip adds 68.50 × 0.18 = $12.33, for a total of $80.83 — $40.42 and $40.41 between two people. If $5.50 of the bill is tax and you tip on the pre-tax $63.00 instead, the tip is $11.34 and the total $79.84. Rounding that total up to the next whole $1 gives $80.00, a tip of $11.50 (18.3% of the pre-tax amount). Split by shares of 1, 1 and 2 at 18% with no tax adjustment, the $80.83 total is 4 shares of $20.21: two people pay $20.21 each and the third pays $40.41.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I tip in the US?
At sit-down restaurants 15%–20% of the pre-tax bill is customary, with 18%–20% common in cities. Takeout and counter service usually get 0%–10%, delivery 15%–20% (with a few dollars minimum), and bartenders $1–$2 a drink or 15%–20% of the tab. Hairdressers and massage therapists usually get 15%–20%.
Should I tip on the pre-tax or post-tax amount?
Traditional etiquette is pre-tax, and many people also tip on the full price before a coupon or discount. Turn on Don’t tip on the tax and enter the tax from the receipt, and enter any discount, and the calculator tips on the right base. On an 8% tax the difference is small — about $1.50 on a $100 meal at 18%.
How do I split a bill when people ordered different amounts?
Choose By shares and give each person a number: 1 for a normal meal, 0.5 for half, 2 for someone covering two. Each person pays their part of the total, tip included, and the table shows the bill and tip in each share.
What does rounding up do to the tip?
Rounding the tip, the total or each person’s share up to the next 1, 5 or 10 makes paying in cash easier. The extra goes to the tip, and the Effective tip rate shows the real percentage you left.
Do other countries tip like this?
No. In much of Europe service is included and rounding up or 5%–10% is generous; in Japan tipping is not customary. Check the bill for a service charge — if one is included, an extra tip is optional.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.