How to use the tip calculator
- Type the Bill amount. Use the subtotal before tax if you tip on the pre-tax amount, or the full total if you tip on that.
- Pick a Tip percentage (10, 15, 18, 20 or 25), or choose Custom and type any rate from 0 to 100.
- Set Split between to the number of people sharing the check, from 1 to 99, with the plus and minus buttons or by typing.
- Turn on Round the total up to the next dollar if you want a cleaner amount. The extra cents go to the tip, and the note under the tip shows the effective rate.
- Read the tip, the total and what each person pays.
How the tip is calculated
Tip = bill × tip percent ÷ 100
The total is the bill plus the tip, and each share is the total divided by the number of people, rounded to the nearest cent. The math runs in whole cents, so rounding never drifts. With round up on, the total is raised to the next whole dollar before it is split. Emily Post's tipping guide lists 15 to 20 percent, pre-tax, for sit-down table service.
Worked example
The calculator opens with an $85.00 bill, a 20% tip and four people. The tip is $85.00 × 0.20 = $17.00, the total is $102.00, and each person pays $25.50. Switch to 18% and the tip is $15.30 for a $100.30 total. Turn on round up and the total becomes $101.00, which makes the tip $16.00 (an effective 18.8%) and each share $25.25.
Tip chart
| Bill | 15% | 18% | 20% | 25% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $20 | $3.00 | $3.60 | $4.00 | $5.00 |
| $30 | $4.50 | $5.40 | $6.00 | $7.50 |
| $40 | $6.00 | $7.20 | $8.00 | $10.00 |
| $50 | $7.50 | $9.00 | $10.00 | $12.50 |
| $60 | $9.00 | $10.80 | $12.00 | $15.00 |
| $75 | $11.25 | $13.50 | $15.00 | $18.75 |
| $100 | $15.00 | $18.00 | $20.00 | $25.00 |
| $150 | $22.50 | $27.00 | $30.00 | $37.50 |
| $200 | $30.00 | $36.00 | $40.00 | $50.00 |
Limits and edge cases
- The split is even. If everyone ordered different amounts, the tip splitter divides a check by who ordered what.
- When the total does not divide evenly, the shares can differ from the total by a few cents. The calculator tells you how many cents to add or take off one share.
- Check the receipt first. Many restaurants add an automatic gratuity for large parties, and you do not need to tip on top of it.
- Sales tax is not added here. To work out tax on a purchase, use the sales tax calculator; for any other percentage, use the percentage calculator.
Tip calculator FAQ
How much should I tip at a restaurant?
For sit-down table service in the United States, Emily Post lists 15 to 20 percent of the pre-tax bill, and many diners choose 18 or 20 percent for good service. Servers depend on it: federal law lets an employer pay a tipped worker a cash wage of $2.13 an hour when tips bring pay up to the $7.25 minimum.
Should I tip on the pre-tax or post-tax amount?
Etiquette guides say pre-tax, and many people tip on the total instead because it is simpler. The gap is small. On an $85.00 subtotal with 8% tax ($6.80), a 20% tip is $17.00 on the subtotal or $18.36 on the $91.80 total, a difference of $1.36.
How do I work out a 20% tip in my head?
Move the decimal point one place left to get 10%, then double it. For $85.00, 10% is $8.50 and 20% is $17.00. For 15%, add half of the 10% figure to it: $8.50 plus $4.25 is $12.75.
How do we split the bill and tip evenly?
Add the tip to the bill, then divide the total by the number of people. Set Split between and read Per person. If the shares are a few cents off the total, one person covers the difference.
Are tips taxable?
Yes, tips are income for the worker who receives them. For tax years 2025 through 2028, the IRS says workers in listed tipped occupations may deduct up to $25,000 of qualified tips, with the deduction phasing out above $150,000 of modified adjusted gross income ($300,000 for joint filers).
Sources: Emily Post, tipping guide; U.S. Department of Labor, Fact Sheet #15; IRS, No Tax on Tips deduction. Tip amounts here are estimates for convenience, not tax advice.