Tip Calculator

How It Works

1. 1

   Enter the bill amount

   Type your pre-tax bill total. Choose a tip percentage from the preset buttons (10%, 15%, 18%, 20%, 25%) or enter a custom percentage.

2. 2

   Set the number of people

   If splitting the bill, adjust the number of people to see each person's share of both the tip and the total.

3. 3

   Review and round up

   See the tip amount, total bill, and per-person cost. Toggle 'Round up' for a clean total that's easy to pay.

How Tipping Works

Tipping customs vary dramatically around the world, and understanding local expectations can save you from awkward moments when dining out or using services. In the United States, a 15–20% tip is considered standard for sit-down restaurant service, with 18% being the most common default. This convention dates back to the post-Civil War era and has become deeply embedded in American service industry economics — servers in many states earn a base wage below the standard minimum wage, with tips making up the difference. In contrast, many European and Asian countries include service charges in the bill price, and additional tipping is either minimal (5–10% in Germany) or even considered rude (Japan). Our calculator handles all these scenarios: enter your bill amount, select or customize your tip percentage, and instantly see the tip amount, total bill, and per-person split. The round-up feature ensures clean totals that simplify payments. For large groups, many restaurants add an automatic gratuity of 18–20% — our calculator lets you account for this and still see the per-person breakdown clearly.

Common pitfalls

• Tipping on the post-tax total adds a tax-on-tip in high sales-tax areas. A $100 pre-tax bill with 8.875% NYC tax plus a 20% tip on the post-tax line is $21.78, vs. $20.00 tipped on pre-tax. Over a year of weekly dining, the tax-on-tip alone adds roughly $90.

• Auto-gratuity on parties of 6 or more is a service charge, not a tip. California Civil Code §1770 and similar state rules require it to be disclosed on the menu. Adding a second tip on top of an auto-gratuity line is double-tipping.

• Coupons and gift cards reduce what you pay, not what your server handled. A $100 meal redeemed with a $25 coupon still calls for tipping on the full $100 if the service covered the full meal. The Emily Post Institute follows this convention.

• Buffet and counter-service tips run lower than sit-down. Standard is about 10% at buffets where servers refill drinks and clear plates, and $1-$2 for counter pickup. Tipping 20% everywhere transfers real money to situations the convention does not require.

• Delivery app tips go to the driver, not the restaurant. DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub pass the in-app tip to the driver; the restaurant gets nothing. US convention is 15-20% of the food cost with a floor around $3-$5 for short trips.

Frequently Asked Questions

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