Tip Calculator
Work out the tip, total and split per person for any bill, with pre-tax tipping and a US tipping guide. Free, no sign-up, and it runs in your browser.
Dedicated page: /en/tip-calculator
US tip is normally worked out on the pre-tax amount. Enter the tax here and switch the toggle on.
Tap a button or type your own percent.
Rounding up is handy when you pay in cash.
US tipping guide: sit-down restaurant 15% to 20%, bar $1 to $2 per drink, food delivery 15% to 20% (at least $3 to $5), haircut 15% to 20%, coffee counter $1 to $2 or spare change. Tipping is a choice, not a rule.
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Quick answer
A tip calculator works out the tip, the total and what each person pays. Enter the bill, pick a percent or type your own, tip on the pre-tax amount if you like, split evenly or by item, and round up for cash. It also includes the US tipping guide by service.
About this Tip Calculator
Work out the tip, total and split per person for any bill, with pre-tax tipping and a US tipping guide. It is one of the Money and Finance on ToolUstad, and like every tool here it runs entirely in your browser: nothing you type, paste or open is uploaded to a server, and there is no sign-up or usage limit.
What is a tip calculator?
A tip calculator does the small piece of arithmetic that slows down every meal: what is 20% of the bill, what is the total, and what does each person owe. The numbers are small, but the awkwardness is real, and it gets worse with tax, with split bills, and with a group where everyone ordered something different. This calculator handles all of it: the bill, the tax inside it, the tip percent, the split, and the rounding. The default is 18%, the most common tip in the US. The quick buttons cover 10%, 15%, 18%, 20% and 25%, and the custom box takes any number.
Tip on the pre-tax amount or the full bill?
US custom is to tip on the pre-tax subtotal, the cost of the food and drink before tax. Most people tip on the total, because the bill shows one number. On an $80 bill with $6 of tax, tipping 20% on the pre-tax $74 gives $14.80, a total of $94.80, and $23.70 each for four people. Tipping on the full bill gives $16.00, a total of $96.00, and $24.00 each. One more rule: tip on the discounted price, not the original. If a coupon takes $20 off a $100 meal, tip on the $80 you actually paid.
Splitting the bill
Splitting evenly is the default: the total divided by the number of people. It is fair when everyone ordered about the same. When one person had the lobster and another had a salad, split by item. Each person enters what they ordered, and the calculator divides the tip and the tax in proportion to what each person spent. Rounding matters when you pay in cash: on a $23.70 share, each person puts in $24 and the extra covers the tip.
US tipping guide by service
Restaurants are 15% to 20% of the pre-tax bill. Bars are $1 to $2 per drink, or 15% to 20% on a tab. Food delivery is 15% to 20% of the food total, at least $3 to $5, more in bad weather or for a long drive. Haircuts are 15% to 20%, and the same for a barber. Coffee shops are $1 to $2 in the tip jar or 10% on a card. Hotel housekeeping is $2 to $5 a night, left daily rather than at checkout. Valet is $2 to $5 when the car comes back. Taxi and rideshare drivers get 10% to 15%. In most US states, the tipped minimum wage is $2.13 an hour.
Best practices
- Tip on the pre-tax subtotal: it is the custom, and it is what the calculator defaults to when you enter the tax.
- Check for a service charge first: if the menu adds 18% or 20%, that is the tip. Do not add another 20% on top.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Tipping on the total including tax, which over-tips by the tax on the tip.
- Double-tipping when a service charge is already added.
Who is the tip calculator for?
Anyone eating out, ordering delivery, getting a haircut, or splitting a bill with friends. It is used at the table, in the taxi, and at the bar, which is why the results update live and the page works on a phone. There is no market value to check here: a tip is a percent you choose, not a price that changes.
Learn: how to use the Tip Calculator
- Enter the bill total and the tax included in it.
- Pick a tip percent from the quick buttons, or type your own.
- Choose split evenly and set the number of people, or split by item and enter what each person ordered.
- Turn on rounding if you are paying in cash.
Features
- Quick buttons for 10%, 15%, 18%, 20% and 25%, plus any custom percent
- Tip on the pre-tax amount or the full bill, your choice
- Split evenly or by item, with tip and tax shared in proportion
- Round each person up or round the total up to the nearest dollar
- Tip table from 5% to 50% with tip, total and per-person amounts
- US tipping guide by service: restaurant, bar, delivery, hair
Worked example
An $80 bill includes $6 of tax. Tipping 20% on the pre-tax $74 gives a tip of $14.80 and a total of $94.80. Split 4 ways, each person pays $23.70. Tipping on the full bill instead would be $16.00, a total of $96.00, and $24.00 each. The difference is small on one meal, but it adds up over a year of eating out.
Frequently asked questions
Should I tip before or after tax?
Before tax, on the pre-tax subtotal. That is the US custom and what etiquette guides recommend. Most people tip on the total because the bill shows one number, which over-tips by the tax on the tip.
How much should I tip at a restaurant?
15% to 20% for sit-down service, 18% as a common default. 10% is fine for counter pickup or a coffee. Tip more for great service or a large group, less only if the service was poor.
How much do I tip for delivery?
15% to 20% of the food total, at least $3 to $5, more in bad weather or for a long drive. Delivery drivers pay for their own gas and car, so a flat $2 on a $40 order is low.
Do I tip the bartender per drink or on the total?
Either works. $1 to $2 per drink is the usual rule, which is about 15% to 20% on most drinks. On a large tab, tipping on the total is easier.
What if the restaurant adds a service charge?
A service charge is not a tip unless the menu says it goes to the server. If a 20% service charge is added, you do not need to tip on top, though many people add a little for great service.
How much should I tip for takeout?
10% is generous for counter pickup, where you did the work of collecting it. Many people leave $1 to $2 or nothing. Tip more if the staff packed a large order or the food was complicated.
Do you tip on alcohol?
Yes, 15% to 20% on the drink total, the same as food. At a bar, $1 to $2 per drink is the usual rule, which works out to about the same.
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