Tip Calculator
A tip calculator works out how much to tip on a restaurant bill, what the total comes to, and what each person owes when the bill is split. Enter the bill, pick a tip percentage, and the answer appears instantly. The free tip calculator above does exactly that, with presets for the percentages Americans use most: 10%, 15%, 18%, 20% and 25%.
Tipping is a big part of everyday spending in the United States. A sit-down meal, a food delivery, a taxi ride, a haircut — in each case the person serving you is often paid partly in tips, and the amount you leave matters to their income. Getting the maths right should be the easy part, and that is what this page is for. Below you will find how the tip is calculated, worked examples on real bills, the difference between tipping before and after tax, how to split a bill fairly, and the mistakes that cost people money.
How a Tip Is Calculated
A tip is a percentage of the bill, and the maths has three steps: find the bill amount, multiply it by the tip percentage, and add the tip to the bill to get the total. If the bill is split, divide the total by the number of people. That is the whole calculation, and the calculator above does it instantly for any bill and any percentage. The only decision you make is which bill amount to use — the pre-tax subtotal, which is the US convention, or the post-tax total, which is what many card terminals suggest.
On the default bill of $85.00 with a 20% tip, the steps are: the bill is $85.00, 20% of $85.00 is $17.00, and the total is $85.00 plus $17.00, which is $102.00. Split between two people, each person pays $51.00, of which $8.50 is tip. The comparison table under the result shows the same bill at 15%, 18%, 20% and 25%, so you can see the cost of each level before you decide.
Step 1 — Start with the bill
Use the subtotal printed on the check, before sales tax. The subtotal is usually printed above the tax line, so you do not need to subtract anything yourself. If the check already includes a service charge or an auto-gratuity, that amount is the tip — check before adding more.
Step 2 — Multiply by the tip percentage
Multiply the bill by the tip percentage divided by 100. For 20% on an $85.00 bill, that is $85.00 times 0.20, which is $17.00. For 15% it is $85.00 times 0.15, which is $12.75. The calculator’s preset buttons do this step for the four percentages people use most.
Step 3 — Split the total
Add the tip to the bill to get the total, then divide by the number of people. On the $85.00 bill at 20%, the total is $102.00, so two people pay $51.00 each, three people pay $34.00 each, and four people pay $25.50 each. The tip per person is the tip divided by the number of people: $8.50 each for two people, $5.67 each for three, and $4.25 each for four.
Worked Examples: Tips on Real Bills
Each row below starts from a bill amount and gives the 20% tip, the total, and the share for two people, all taken from the calculator above. The 20% level is used because it is the modern standard for good sit-down service in the United States.
| Bill | 20% tip | Total | Per person (2 people) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50.00 | $10.00 | $60.00 | $30.00 |
| $60.00 | $12.00 | $72.00 | $36.00 |
| $75.00 | $15.00 | $90.00 | $45.00 |
| $85.00 | $17.00 | $102.00 | $51.00 |
| $100.00 | $20.00 | $120.00 | $60.00 |
| $120.00 | $24.00 | $144.00 | $72.00 |
| $150.00 | $30.00 | $180.00 | $90.00 |
| $200.00 | $40.00 | $240.00 | $120.00 |
The pattern is simple: the tip is one-fifth of the bill at 20%, so a $100.00 bill always gives a $20.00 tip and a $120.00 total. Try your own bill in the calculator above and check the tip per person against the table — the per-person figure is the one people get wrong most often, because they split the food cost and forget to split the tip as well.
How to Use the Tip Calculator
The calculator is designed to be used at the table, in seconds, with no sign-up and nothing to install. Follow these steps and you will have the answer before the server returns with the card machine.
- Enter the bill. Type the subtotal printed on the check, before tax, for the most accurate US-style result.
- Pick a tip percentage. Tap 15%, 18%, 20% or 25%, or type a custom percentage. The 20% button is marked typical for sit-down service.
- Add sales tax if you like. Enter the tax rate from the receipt. The tip stays on the pre-tax subtotal unless you switch the basis to post-tax.
- Split the bill. Enter the number of people sharing the check. The calculator divides the total and the tip evenly.
- Round up if you want. Tick the round-up box and each person’s share rises to the next whole dollar, with the extra cents going to the tip.
That is all there is to it. The result updates as you type, so changing the tip percentage from 18% to 20% instantly shows the difference — on an $85.00 bill, that is $15.30 versus $17.00, a difference of $1.70.
What the Calculator Shows
The result box shows the tip, the total, the amount per person, and the tip per person. Below that, a comparison table shows four tip levels side by side on your bill. It is useful when the service was somewhere between good and great and you are deciding between two percentages. On the $85.00 default bill, 15% gives a $12.75 tip and a $97.75 total, 18% gives $15.30 and $100.30, 20% gives $17.00 and $102.00, and 25% gives $21.25 and $106.25.
| Tip % | Tip on $85.00 | Total | Per person (2 people) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15% | $12.75 | $97.75 | $48.88 |
| 18% | $15.30 | $100.30 | $50.15 |
| 20% | $17.00 | $102.00 | $51.00 |
| 25% | $21.25 | $106.25 | $53.13 |
Notice how small the steps are. Moving from 18% to 20% on an $85.00 bill adds $1.70 to the tip and $0.85 per person for two people. Moving from 20% to 25% adds $4.25. When the service was genuinely good, the difference between a decent tip and a generous one is usually less than the cost of a coffee.
Common Tipping Mistakes to Avoid
Most tipping mistakes are small, but they repeat every time you eat out, so they add up. Here are the ones to watch for.
- Tipping on the post-tax total without noticing. Card terminals suggest post-tax tips, which quietly add a dollar or two. Use the pre-tax subtotal unless you mean to be generous.
- Tipping twice on an auto-gratuity. Check the check for a service charge before adding a tip for a large party.
- Forgetting the delivery minimum. A 20% tip on a $12 order is only $2.40. Delivery drivers count on a $5 minimum.
- Splitting only the food cost. The split should include tax and tip, not just the subtotal, or the payer ends up covering the difference.
- Leaving no tip for bad service without saying why. If the service was genuinely bad, tell a manager. A zero tip with no explanation fixes nothing.
- Rounding the tip down. Rounding $16.80 down to $16.00 saves you $0.80 and costs the server the same. Round up, not down.
Where You Will Use a Tip Calculator
Tipping extends well beyond restaurants. The calculator works for any bill where a percentage tip is expected, and the situations below are the ones Americans meet most often.
- Sit-down restaurants. The main use: 18% to 20% of the pre-tax bill for good service.
- Food delivery. 15% to 20% with a $5 minimum, more in bad weather or for a large order.
- Taxi and rideshare. 15% to 20% of the fare, with a $2 minimum on a short ride.
- Bars. $1 to $2 per drink, or 15% to 20% of the tab when you run one.
- Haircuts and salons. 15% to 20% of the service cost, the same range as restaurants.
Tips for Accurate Results
The maths is simple, so accuracy is mostly about entering the right bill and reading the right figure.
- Use the subtotal, not the total. The tip goes on the bill before sales tax, which is the US convention.
- Check for a service charge first. An 18% to 20% auto-gratuity is already a tip — do not add another 20% on top by accident.
- Count every person at the table. A split between three people is $34.00 each on an $85.00 bill, not $51.00.
- Use the comparison table. When you are torn between 18% and 20%, the table shows the dollar difference — usually $1.70 on an $85.00 bill.
- Round up, not down. Rounding each share to the next whole dollar adds a little to the tip and makes the maths clean.
Tip Quick Answers
These are the tipping figures people look up most often, all from the calculator above.
| Situation | Usual tip | On an $85.00 bill |
|---|---|---|
| Sit-down restaurant, good service | 18–20% | $15.30–$17.00 |
| Fine dining | 20–25% | $17.00–$21.25 |
| Food delivery | 15–20%, $5 minimum | $12.75–$17.00 |
| Takeout or counter service | 10% | $8.50 |
| Taxi or rideshare | 15–20% | $12.75–$17.00 |
Related tools on this site: the main tip calculator, the percentage calculator for raw percentage maths on any numbers, the discount calculator for sale prices, and the sales tax calculator for the tax line on the receipt. For the US norms behind these figures, the NerdWallet tip calculator guide explains the pre-tax convention and the usual percentages in detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good tip percentage in the US?
For sit-down restaurants, 18% to 20% of the pre-tax bill is the modern standard for good service. Fifteen percent is acceptable for adequate service, and 20% to 25% is right for excellent service or fine dining.
How much is a 20% tip on $85?
A 20% tip on $85.00 is $17.00, and the total is $102.00. Split between two people, each person pays $51.00, including $8.50 of tip per person.
Should I tip on the pre-tax or post-tax amount?
Pre-tax is the US convention: tip on the subtotal before sales tax. Tipping on the post-tax total is slightly more generous and is what many card terminals suggest, but it is not the standard. On an $85.00 bill with 8% tax, the difference is $1.36.
How much should I tip for delivery?
Tip 15% to 20% with a $5 minimum, more in bad weather or for a large order. On a small order the percentage alone can be too little, which is why the minimum matters.
Do I need to tip if a service charge is already on the bill?
No. A service charge or auto-gratuity of 18% to 20% is already a tip. Check the check first so you do not tip twice, and add extra only if the service was outstanding.
Disclaimer: This calculator is for general information only. Tipping norms vary by region and establishment; the amounts shown are estimates, not legal or financial advice. Always check your bill for service charges before adding a tip.