How much should I tip at a restaurant?

Tipping customs vary by country. In the US, 15–20% is standard for sit-down restaurants. In the UK, 10–15% is typical, though service charges are often already included. In many European countries, rounding up the bill or leaving 5–10% is common. Always check your bill for an included service charge first.

How do I split a bill equally between people?

To split a bill equally, add the tip to the total bill first, then divide by the number of people. For example, a £120 bill with a 15% tip = £138 total ÷ 4 people = £34.50 each. Use the calculator above to handle this instantly.

Should I tip on the pre-tax or post-tax amount?

In the US, it is generally accepted to tip on the pre-tax subtotal, though tipping on the total (including tax) is also common. The difference is small — on a £100 pre-tax bill with 8% tax, tipping 20% on pre-tax gives £20 versus £21.60 on post-tax.

Tip Calculator

Calculate the tip and split the bill between any number of people

Currency:

Bill Details

Bill Amount $80.00

$0$5,000

Tip Percentage 18%

0%50%

Number of People 2 people

or enter manually:

Each Person Pays

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Enter details above to calculate

Bill

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Tip

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Total

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// Round Up Options

Exact per person —

// Per Person Breakdown

// Compare Tip Percentages

Tip %	Tip	Total	Per Person

// Uneven Split (different amounts per person)

Enter what each person ordered — tip is split proportionally.

How to Use the Tip Calculator

Enter the total bill amount, select a tip percentage using the quick buttons or slider, and set the number of people to get the per-person total instantly. Use the round-up options to find the nearest clean amount per person, and the uneven split section to divide a bill proportionally when people ordered different amounts.

Tip Calculation Formulas

Tip Amount = Bill × (Tip% / 100) Total = Bill + Tip Amount Per Person = Total / Number of People Rounded per person: Rounded = CEILING(Per Person, round_to) Total collected = Rounded × People Effective tip % = ((Total collected − Bill) / Bill) × 100 Uneven split (proportional tip): Person's tip = Tip total × (Person's order / Bill total) Person's total = Person's order + Person's tip

Standard Tipping Guidelines

USA: 15–20% is standard at restaurants. 20–25% for excellent service. Tipping is expected and forms a significant part of server wages.

UK: 10–15% is common at restaurants, though not always expected. Some restaurants add a service charge automatically — check the bill first.

EU: Tipping is less mandatory than in the USA. Rounding up the bill or leaving 5–10% is appreciated. In Germany it's common to tell the server the total you're paying.

Poland: 10% is a common tip at restaurants. Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory.

Tipping: The Math, the Norms, and the Mental Shortcuts

Built and verified by Andrius R. · Updated June 2026

The arithmetic of tipping is trivial; the etiquette is a minefield that changes at every border. Here's both — the two-second mental methods, and an honest map of who expects what.

The numbers on a real bill

Worked example — $64.50 dinner, five people

Tip	Amount	Total	Per person (÷5)
15%	$9.68	$74.18	$14.84
18%	$11.61	$76.11	$15.22
20%	$12.90	$77.40	$15.48

Convention note: in the US, tip on the pre-tax subtotal — tax isn't service. On a $64.50 food bill with $5.50 tax printed below it, 20% of 64.50, not of 70.

Mental math that works at the table

20%: take 10% (move the decimal: $64.50 → $6.45) and double it → ~$12.90. Two seconds, no phone.
15%: 10% plus half of that ($6.45 + $3.23 ≈ $9.70).
18%: 20% minus a tenth of itself — or honestly, round the bill up and take 20%; the difference is cents.
Splitting: compute the tipped total first, then divide. Splitting first and tipping individually breeds the classic under-tip where five people each "round generously" and the pot comes up short.

What's expected where (the honest map)

Region	Restaurant norm	Notes
USA & Canada	18–20% expected	Tips are core income; servers' base wage can be far below minimum
UK	~10–12.5%, often added as a "service charge"	Check the bill — if service is included, no extra needed
Western Europe	Round up or ~5–10%	Service is typically in the price ("service compris")
Japan, South Korea, China	None	Tipping can cause genuine confusion or polite refusal
Lithuania & Baltics	~5–10% for good service	Appreciated, not obligatory

The deepest rule of tipping abroad: the local norm wins. US-style 20% in Tokyo isn't generous, it's a misunderstanding; skipping the tip in Texas isn't thrifty, it's part of someone's wage.

Why US tipping math carries higher stakes

In much of the US, the federal "tipped minimum wage" for servers has stood at $2.13/hour for decades (states vary widely; some mandate the full minimum before tips) — employers must top up if tips don't reach the standard minimum, but in practice tips are the income. That's the context behind the 18–20% norm and behind "tip creep" on payment screens: the suggested-percentage buttons (often 22–28%, sometimes computed post-tax) are a vendor's choice, not a rule. The custom button and this calculator exist for the same reason: the polite number is yours to decide, ideally calculated rather than guilt-clicked.

Disclaimer: CalculatorXP calculators are for informational purposes only. Tipping customs vary by country, establishment, and service. Always check whether a service charge has already been added to your bill before tipping.

// Service Charge

Always check if a service charge is already included — usually 10–12.5% in UK restaurants. No need to tip twice.

// Cash Tips

In some countries, cash tips go directly to the server. Card tips may be pooled or shared with other staff differently.

// Round Up

Rounding up to the nearest £5 or $5 per person keeps the maths simple and often results in a slightly higher tip.

// Pre-Tax Tip

In the USA, you can calculate the tip on the pre-tax amount rather than the total — both are acceptable practice.