What's a standard tip in the US?

For sit-down restaurant service, 18–20% of the pre-tax bill is customary; 15% is the low end for adequate service. Counter service is discretionary, and delivery usually runs 10–15% with a few-dollar minimum. Tipping on the pre-tax amount is standard.

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

Convention is to tip on the pre-tax subtotal — tipping on the tax rewards the government rather than the server. The difference is small, but on a large bill it adds up. This calculator applies the tip to the amount you enter.

How do I split a bill and tip evenly?

Add the tip to the bill, then divide by the number of people. The calculator does both at once and shows the per-person total and per-person tip. For uneven orders, tip on the shared total but split the base by what each person ordered.

Tip Calculator

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

Quick answer

A tip is the pre-tax bill multiplied by the tip rate — 18–20% is standard for good table service in the US. To split it, add the tip to the bill and divide by the number of people; rounding each share up to the nearest dollar keeps the tip from falling short.

The bill

Bill amount

Tip

Split between

people

Total with tip

$80.83

Tip

$12.33

Per person

$40.42

Tip per person

$6.17

Quick mental tipping

10% is one decimal shift ($68.50 → $6.85); 20% doubles that; 15% is 10% plus half again. U.S. sit-down service commonly runs 18–20% pre-tax; counter service is discretionary; delivery typically 10–15% with a minimum.

Splitting fairly

Even splits are simplest and usually fair within a few dollars. For lopsided orders, tip on the shared total but split the base by consumption — or use one person's card and settle by app, which beats making a server run six cards.

Frequently asked questions

What's a standard tip in the US?: For sit-down restaurant service, 18–20% of the pre-tax bill is customary; 15% is the low end for adequate service. Counter service is discretionary, and delivery usually runs 10–15% with a few-dollar minimum. Tipping on the pre-tax amount is standard.
Should I tip on the total or the pre-tax amount?: Convention is to tip on the pre-tax subtotal — tipping on the tax rewards the government rather than the server. The difference is small, but on a large bill it adds up. This calculator applies the tip to the amount you enter.
How do I split a bill and tip evenly?: Add the tip to the bill, then divide by the number of people. The calculator does both at once and shows the per-person total and per-person tip. For uneven orders, tip on the shared total but split the base by what each person ordered.

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