Tip amount
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Tip Calculator
Work out a tip at any percentage, split it across the table, and round up or down. Default presets 15%, 18%, 20%, 25% for quick comparison.
$0.00
total with tip
Per person
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Tip per person
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Effective %
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Tip is calculated on the pre-tax amount. Split evenly across all people; if someone ordered much more, divide the food items by hand instead of trusting the even split.
How much to tip
Standard US restaurant tipping is 15-20% of the pre-tax bill. 18% is a safe default. Lower than 15% reads as a complaint; 25% is for genuinely excellent service. Outside the US, tipping norms differ wildly (often already included, or not expected) — adjust accordingly.
How this calculator works
The calculator multiplies your pre-tax bill amount by your chosen tip percentage, then divides the total (bill plus tip) by the number of people to get each person's share. The "effective percentage" display corrects for the common situation where tax has been added to your bill before tipping — if you tipped the stated percentage on a post-tax total, the effective tip rate is lower than you intended. By entering your pre-tax bill amount and the percentage you meant to tip, the effective percentage shows you exactly what percentage of the pre-tax amount you are actually leaving.
The tip percentage itself is not arbitrary — it reflects the service industry's labor model. In the United States, tipped servers are paid a subminimum cash wage (as low as $2.13 per hour in some states) on the assumption that tips will bring total earnings to at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. This creates a system where service quality is directly compensated by customers, not by employers. This is different from most other countries where service charge is included in the menu price or a service charge is added by default.
Tipping customs around the world
Tipping norms vary dramatically between countries, and what is generous in one place can be rude in another. In Japan and most of East Asia, tipping is generally not expected and can be interpreted as condescending — good service is simply part of the transaction. In parts of Europe (Germany, France), tipping is customary but modest — rounding up 5-10% is standard. In the United States, tipping is effectively mandatory because servers' wages depend on it — not tipping or tipping below 15% is generally understood as a signal of service failure. In Australia and New Zealand, a service charge may be added automatically by restaurants; additional tipping is appreciated but not expected.
For delivery workers (food delivery, Amazon, etc.), $2-5 per delivery or 10-15% of the order value is standard in the US, depending on distance and weather conditions. Hotel housekeeping tipping ($1-2 per night in the US) is customary but often overlooked. Bartenders typically receive $1-2 per drink or 15-20% of the tab. Ride-share drivers receive 15-20% of the fare. Tipping in cash is generally preferred because delivery apps deduct a portion of card tips as "service fees."
Frequently asked questions
How much should I tip in the US?
Standard restaurant tipping in the US is 15-20% of the pre-tax bill. 18% is a safe default for acceptable service. Below 15% reads as a complaint to most servers; 20% is considered generous; 25% or above is for genuinely exceptional service (such as the server proactively remaking a dish without complaint or handling a difficult situation with grace). The "no tip" outcome should be reserved for genuinely hostile or dangerous service experiences, not merely average food or slow kitchen times.
Should I tip on the pre-tax or post-tax amount?
Tip on the pre-tax amount. Sales tax is a government charge, not a service the restaurant provided — tipping on it effectively tips on money that never reached the server. Most US tipping guides and etiquette columns (Emily Post, Departures magazine) recommend pre-tax tipping. The "effective percentage" display in this calculator helps you verify that you are actually tipping the percentage of the pre-tax amount that you intended.
How do I split a bill fairly when people ordered different amounts?
Splitting evenly is only fair if everyone ordered roughly the same value. When people ordered significantly different amounts, the fair method is to calculate each person's food and drink total, add the tip proportionally to what each person ordered, then have each person pay their share of the total (food plus their portion of the tip). A simpler approximation: whoever ordered more pays a proportionally larger share of the tip. The even split is most defensible when the differences are small (within $10-15 per person) or when the group pre-agreed to split evenly.
What if the service was bad — should I still tip?
Context matters. If the kitchen was slow, the food was wrong, or the restaurant was understaffed, the server is often not responsible and tipping accordingly reflects that reality. If the service itself (order taking, drink refills, check-ins, attitude) was poor, a reduced tip (10-12%) signals that something was wrong without the server interpreting zero as malice. Speaking to a manager is more effective than under-tipping for systemic issues — if the server was caring for a sick table and could not give you adequate attention, that is a management problem, not a tip problem. Zero tips in the US should be reserved for rude, hostile, or discriminatory service.
Is tipping expected for takeout or pickup orders?
For takeout or pickup orders, tipping is not obligatory but is increasingly common and appreciated — particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic normalized higher tipping norms and highlighted the economic precarity of food service workers. A tip of $1-3 or 10% for takeout is reasonable and appreciated. You are not tipping for table service (which you did not receive), but for the labor of accurately preparing, packaging, and managing your order. For large catering orders, 10-15% of the food total is standard for the kitchen staff.
How does tipping work with a discount or coupon?
Always tip on the pre-discount amount, not the amount after the coupon is applied. If your bill was $100, you have a $20 coupon, and you tip 20%, you tip $20 (20% of $100), not $16 (20% of $80). The server performed the same service regardless of whether you used a coupon — the restaurant's pricing and discounting are not the server's concern. Some restaurants have policies against servers adjusting tip percentages based on coupons, but ethically, the service provided is what the tip compensates.
Do delivery drivers and other service workers expect tips?
Yes, in the US context. Food delivery drivers (DoorDash, Uber Eats, etc.) typically receive $2-5 per delivery as a base, with the remainder of their earnings coming from tips — the gig economy model mirrors the restaurant server model in this respect. A $0 tip on a $30 DoorDash order means the driver earned approximately $3-6 for 30-45 minutes of work including driving, parking, waiting, and hand-delivery — below minimum wage in most cities. Amazon Flex drivers and Instacart shoppers similarly rely heavily on tips as a primary compensation mechanism. For hotel housekeeping, $1-2 per night is standard in the US. Bartenders receive $1-2 per drink or 15-20% of the tab. Ride-share drivers receive 15-20% of the fare.
Last updated — typical tip norms change slowly, but always use your judgment for the actual service you got.
Estimates for general information only, not financial advice — see our disclaimer.