How Much to Tip, and How to Split the Bill
Work out the tip and each person's share, whether to tip before or after tax, and how rounding changes the total, with a free tip calculator.
Published
Free tool: Tip CalculatorFiguring out the tip at the end of a meal shouldn't need mental arithmetic, especially when you're splitting the bill. This guide covers how much to tip, how to calculate it quickly and fairly, and what to do about tax and rounding, using the free Tip Calculator.
How to calculate a tip
Tip = bill × tip percentage
Example: an $86.40 bill with an 18% tip:
- Tip: $15.55
- Total: $101.95
- Split between 2 people: $50.98 each
A quick mental shortcut: 10% is the bill with the decimal point moved one place ($8.64), so 20% is double that ($17.28), and 15% is 10% plus half of it ($12.96).
| Tip | Tip amount | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 15% | $12.96 | $99.36 |
| 18% | $15.55 | $101.95 |
| 20% | $17.28 | $103.68 |
| 25% | $21.60 | $108.00 |
How much to tip
In the US, common guidelines are:
- Sit-down restaurants: 15% to 20%, more for excellent service or a large group.
- Bars: $1 to $2 a drink, or 15% to 20% of the tab.
- Delivery: 10% to 20%, with a few dollars minimum.
- Hair and beauty services: 15% to 20%.
Customs differ widely between countries; in many, service is included or tipping is modest. Check whether a service charge is already on the bill.
Before or after tax?
Many people tip on the pre-tax amount, since tax isn't part of the service. If the $86.40 bill includes $6.40 of tax, an 18% tip on the $80 pre-tax amount is $14.40, for a total of $100.80. Either approach is acceptable; tipping on the full total is slightly more generous.
Rounding
Rounding makes paying easier. Rounding each person's share up to a whole dollar makes it $51 each, a $102 total and a tip of $15.60, which works out to 18.06%.
How to use the Tip Calculator
- Open the Tip Calculator.
- Enter the bill total and the tip percentage, or pick a quick tip amount.
- Enter how many people are splitting the bill.
- Optionally enter the tax to tip on the pre-tax amount, and choose a rounding option.
- Read the results: the tip, the total, the tip per person and the total per person, with a breakdown of the total and a table of tip amounts at different percentages.
For bigger money decisions, see The 50/30/20 Budget Rule.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate a 20% tip?
Move the decimal point one place to the left to get 10%, then double it. On an $86.40 bill, 10% is $8.64 and 20% is $17.28.
Should I tip on the total before or after tax?
Either is acceptable. Tipping on the pre-tax amount is common; on an $80 meal with $6.40 tax, an 18% tip is $14.40 before tax or $15.55 after.
How do I split a bill with the tip?
Add the tip to the bill and divide by the number of people. $101.95 split two ways is $50.98 each.