How to use the tip calculator
- Enter the bill amount. Most people tip on the pre-tax subtotal; use whichever total you prefer.
- Set the tip percentage. It starts at 18%, but you can type any value, including decimals like 17.5.
- Enter how many people are splitting the bill. Leave it at 1 if you're paying alone.
- Tick round up if you'd rather hand over whole dollars. The extra is added to the tip, and the effective tip percentage updates so you can see what you are actually leaving.
Quick mental check: for 20%, move the decimal point one place left and double it. On an $86.40 bill that's 8.64 × 2 ≈ $17.28. For 15%, take 10% and add half of it again. If a service charge or gratuity is already on the bill (common for large groups), check the receipt before adding a tip on top.
How it's calculated
Total = bill + tip
Per person = total ÷ number of people
Amounts are rounded to the nearest cent at the end, not during the calculation, so small rounding errors don't pile up. With round-up switched on, each share is raised to the next whole dollar, the new total is share × people, and the tip is recalculated as new total − bill. The effective tip line shows that final tip as a percentage of the bill.
When a split doesn't divide evenly to the cent, the per-person figure is rounded to the nearest cent, so the combined payments can differ from the exact total by a cent or two.
Worked example
Three friends have dinner with an $86.40 bill and want to leave 15%.
- Tip: 86.40 × 15 ÷ 100 = $12.96
- Total: 86.40 + 12.96 = $99.36
- Each person: 99.36 ÷ 3 = $33.12
A group of four with a $120 bill at 20% leaves a $24 tip, pays $144 in total, and each person pays exactly $36. Rounding up changes nothing because $36 is already a whole dollar.
FAQ
Should I tip on the total before or after tax?
Etiquette guides usually suggest tipping on the pre-tax amount, but many people tip on the full total for simplicity. Enter whichever amount you want the percentage applied to.
How much should I tip at a restaurant in the US?
Around 15% to 20% of the bill is the common range for sit-down service in the US. Local customs and service quality vary, so the tool lets you choose any percentage.
How does the round-up option work?
It raises each person's share to the next whole dollar, then works out the new total and tip from that. The effective tip percentage shows what you are actually leaving.
Can I split the bill unevenly?
This calculator splits evenly. For uneven splits, run it once per person with their own subtotal and the same tip percentage.