A tip calculator takes the mental math out of dining, so you can leave a fair gratuity and split the bill evenly without anyone reaching for their phone's calculator app. Enter the bill, choose a tip percentage, and set how many people are sharing — the tip, total, and per-person amount update instantly.
How much should you tip?
In the United States, the customary range for sit-down restaurant service is 15% to 20% of the pre-tax bill, with 18% a common middle ground and 20% or more for excellent service. Counter service, coffee shops, and takeout are more discretionary — many people tip a dollar or two or round up. For larger parties, restaurants often add an automatic gratuity of 18% to 20%, so check the bill before adding more on top.
A worked example
Your table of four rings up a $120 bill and you want to leave 20%. The tip is $24, bringing the total to $144. Split four ways, that is $36 per person. Prefer 18%? The tip becomes $21.60, the total $141.60, and each person owes $35.40. Seeing the per-person figure instantly makes splitting fair and avoids the awkward under-collection that happens when everyone estimates their own share.
Tipping on the pre-tax vs. post-tax amount
Technically, tipping is meant to be calculated on the pre-tax subtotal, since sales tax is not part of the service. In practice many people tip on the total for simplicity, which adds a small amount. Either is acceptable — if you want to be precise, tip on the pre-tax figure; if you want to be generous or simply round to an easy number, tip on the total.
Splitting bills without the friction
- For uneven orders, split the tip proportionally rather than evenly so the person who ordered the steak pays their share.
- Rounding the per-person total up to the nearest dollar makes collection easier and slightly boosts the tip.
- When a service charge is already included, additional tipping is optional — read the receipt carefully.
- For delivery, factor in a minimum tip regardless of order size; drivers often cover their own vehicle costs.
- Keep tipping norms in mind when traveling abroad — many countries tip far less than the US or not at all.