Tip Calculator
Enter your bill amount and tip percentage to get the tip, total, and optional per-person split.
How tip percentage works
A tip is calculated as a percentage of the pre-tax bill. Multiply the bill by the tip percentage divided by 100 to get the tip amount.
Example 1 (restaurant): You have an $85 dinner bill and want to tip 20%. $85 x 0.20 = $17.00 tip. Total with tip: $102.00.
Example 2 (splitting a bill): A $120 bill with 18% tip between 3 people. $120 x 0.18 = $21.60 tip. Total = $141.60. Each person pays $47.20.
Standard tipping rates by service type
| Service | Standard Tip | Exceptional Service |
|---|---|---|
| Sit-down restaurant | 18-20% | 22-25% |
| Food delivery | 10-15% (min $3-5) | 18-20% |
| Bartender | $1-2 per drink or 15-20% | 20%+ |
| Hair/nail salon | 15-20% | 20-25% |
| Taxi / rideshare | 10-15% | 20% |
| Hotel housekeeping | $2-5 per night | $5-10 per night |
| Valet parking | $2-5 on pickup | $5-10 |
| Tour guide | 10-15% | 20% |
Pro tip
Tip is calculated on the pre-tax subtotal, not the total with tax. If your bill shows $85 + $7.65 tax, your tip base is $85, not $92.65. This is the etiquette standard in the US.
When to use the tip calculator
- ✓Splitting a restaurant bill evenly between a group
- ✓Figuring out the right tip on a large catering order
- ✓Calculating how much to leave when service was average vs. exceptional
- ✓Checking how much everyone owes before paying separately
- ✓Tipping on a delivery order where the app shows a flat dollar amount
Why tip math feels awkward
Calculating a tip in public feels high-stakes -- you don't want to under-tip service staff or over-tip on a large bill, and you don't want to hold up the table while doing math. The social pressure is real: a tablet screen prompting you to choose between 20%, 25%, and 30% while the server watches is a very different experience from doing the math quietly at home. The calculator removes the pressure, but understanding the underlying numbers helps you interpret the result confidently and make the call that actually fits the situation.
In the US, tipping is not optional at full-service restaurants -- it is the primary income for most servers, who earn a tipped minimum wage as low as $2.13 per hour federally before tips. Understanding this context helps frame the percentage decision as what it is: compensation math, not charity math.
How to interpret your tip result: a step-by-step framework
- 1Use the pre-tax subtotal as your base: Enter the bill amount before tax is added. Tipping on the pre-tax total is the US etiquette standard -- the difference on most bills is under $2 at 20%. On a $100 tab with 8% tax, tipping 20% on $100 vs. $108 is a $1.60 difference. Either is acceptable; the pretax method is technically correct.
- 2Choose a percentage that reflects both service quality and context: 15% is the historic floor for adequate service. 18-20% is the current standard for good table service in most US cities. 25% or more signals genuinely exceptional service -- or a choice to support a smaller local spot where tips make a real difference to the staff. For counter service, delivery, and takeout, 10-15% with a $3-5 minimum is the appropriate range.
- 3Check the per-person amount before splitting: If splitting, confirm the per-person total with everyone before anyone pays. Small rounding differences (a few cents) are normal -- the last person typically covers the gap. Agree on rounding before splitting, since rounding each person up to the nearest dollar usually produces a few extra dollars toward the tip.
- 4Adjust downward deliberately, not by default: Leaving less than 15% should be a conscious decision about service quality -- not the result of forgetting to adjust. If service was genuinely poor, 10% communicates that. If there was a serious problem (wrong order, lengthy delays, rude treatment), speaking to the manager is more effective than reducing the tip silently.
- 5Check for auto-gratuity on large parties: Many restaurants add 18-20% automatically for groups of 6 or more. Always scan the itemized bill before adding an additional tip. Paying twice on a party of 8 is a common and expensive mistake.
Tipping norms by service type
The 20% rule is a useful default for sit-down restaurants, but different service contexts carry genuinely different norms. Using the same percentage everywhere either under-tips or over-tips depending on the situation.
20% is the current standard; below 15% reads as dissatisfaction.
100% of tip reaches the driver. Higher for bad weather or long distances.
No obligation on drip coffee; $1-2 for specialty espresso drinks is appropriate.
Running a tab? Tip 20% at end rather than per-drink.
Optional but appreciated. Tip in-app after the ride ends.
Leave daily -- different staff may clean on different days.
Standard applies whether you pay the stylist directly or at a front desk.
3 common tip calculation mistakes
What to do next
Now that you have the tip, use the Sales Tax Calculator to see exactly what tax was added to your bill -- helpful if you want to confirm the subtotal before tipping. If the group used a coupon or promo code, the Discount Calculator shows the discounted total so you can tip on the correct base amount. For a full breakdown of fair tipping across every service type and city, see the guide on tipping etiquette by city and service type.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
About this calculator
This tip calculator uses the standard US tipping convention: tip amount equals bill subtotal multiplied by the tip percentage divided by 100. Per-person split divides the total (bill plus tip) equally among the number of people entered.
Tipping norms referenced on this page reflect guidance from the Emily Post Institute, a recognized authority on US etiquette standards since 1922, and wage data from the US Department of Labor's tipped-minimum-wage schedule (currently $2.13/hr federally for tipped employees, with state variations). Delivery tipping ranges are consistent with industry guidance published by DoorDash and Uber Eats in their driver-facing support documentation.
This tool is maintained by the MyPctCalculator editorial team and reviewed periodically for accuracy against published tipping standards. No user data is stored or transmitted; all calculations run locally in your browser.