How Much to Tip, and How to Split the Bill Fairly
Tipping customs vary by country, and even within the US the "right" percentage has drifted up over the years. Here's a practical guide plus the math to do it quickly.
Typical US tips
| Service | Common tip |
|---|---|
| Sit-down restaurant | 18–20% (15% for basic service) |
| Bar | $1–2 per drink or 15–20% of the tab |
| Food delivery | 15–20%, with a few dollars minimum |
| Taxi or rideshare | 15–20% |
| Hairdresser | 15–20% |
Elsewhere, customs differ: many European restaurants include service and people round up; in Japan tipping is generally not expected. Check the bill for a "service charge" before adding a tip — otherwise you may tip twice.
Tip before tax
Etiquette guides generally recommend tipping on the pre-tax amount. On an $80 meal with $7.10 tax, an 18% tip is $14.40, not $15.68.
Quick mental math
- 10%: move the decimal point one place — $80 → $8.
- 20%: double the 10% — $16.
- 15%: 10% plus half of it — $8 + $4 = $12.
- 18%: 20% minus 2% — $16 − $1.60 = $14.40.
Splitting the bill
In the tip calculator, enter the pre-tax bill, the tax, the tip percentage and the number of people. For the example above split between two: total $101.50, or $50.75 each. Tick "round up" if you'd rather each pay a whole number — the extra goes to the tip.
If one person ordered much more, it's fairer to split by what each ordered and apply the same tip percentage to each share. Other percentage questions? Try the percentage calculator.