Tip Calculator
Calculate tip amount and total bill with tip. Perfect for restaurants, delivery, and service gratuity calculations.
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Formula
Tip Amount = Bill Amount × (Tip % / 100)Example
Complete Guide
Reviewed by PercentLab Editorial Team · Last updated:
A tip calculator removes the most awkward math in American dining: how much to add, on what amount, split how many ways. The formula is one line — tip = bill x (percent / 100), total = bill + tip — but US etiquette adds three decisions the formula alone cannot make: pre-tax or post-tax, what percent for this service, and who pays what in a group.
The standard to memorize: 18-20% for sit-down restaurants (20% is the safest default), 15-20% for delivery with a $5 minimum, 15-20% at salons, $1-2 per drink at bars, and $2-5 per night for hotel housekeeping. Note that 15% — the old default — has drifted down to the floor for merely adequate service; 18% is now the practical minimum for acceptable full-service dining.
The rule most diners get wrong: tip on the pre-tax subtotal, and on the pre-discount price. Tax is not service, and a coupon does not reduce your server work. Compute any discount first with our discount calculator, add tax with our sales tax calculator if needed, then tip here on the service amount.
Worked examples
Standard: 20% tip on a $50 bill
- Convert the percent: 20 / 100 = 0.20.
- Multiply by the bill: $50 x 0.20 = $10.00 tip.
- Add: $50 + $10 = $60.00 total.
Tip is $10.00 and the total is $60.00.
Pre-tax vs post-tax: $80 bill with 8% tax at 20%
- Pre-tax: $80 x 0.20 = $16.00 tip, total $86.40 + $16.00 = $102.40.
- Post-tax: $86.40 x 0.20 = $17.28 tip, total $103.68.
- Difference: $1.28 — post-tax is simply a slightly more generous tip.
Pre-tax is the cleaner standard; post-tax matches receipt suggestion lines.
Group split: $120 bill, 20% tip, 4 people
- Tip: $120 x 0.20 = $24.00.
- Total: $120 + $24 = $144.00.
- Divide: $144 / 4 = $36.00 per person.
Each person pays $36.00 — no awkward Venmo math.
US tipping norms by service (starting points, adjust for quality)
| Service | Typical tip | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Sit-down restaurant | 18-20% | 20% is the safest default |
| Bar / drinks | $1-2 per drink | Or 15-20% of the tab |
| Food delivery | 15-20% ($5 min) | More in bad weather |
| Hair salon / barber | 15-20% | On the pre-discount price |
| Taxi / rideshare | 10-15% | Round up for clean totals |
| Hotel housekeeping | $2-5 per night | Leave daily, not at checkout |
Mistakes to avoid
Tipping on the post-tax total without realizing
Receipt suggestion lines are often computed on the after-tax total. That is fine if you choose it — just know a 20% post-tax tip on an $80/8% bill is $17.28 versus $16.00 pre-tax.
Tipping on the discounted price
With an $80 meal discounted to $50, tip 20% on $80 ($16), not $50 ($10). Coupons cut your bill, not your server labor.
Double-tipping over an automatic gratuity
Parties of 6-8+ often include a mandatory service charge. Read the receipt first — it is a fee, not a tip. Add extra only for exceptional service.
Frequently Asked Questions
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