How it works
The tip is the bill multiplied by the tip percentage. The total (bill plus tip) is then divided by the number of people to give each person's share.
Tip = Bill × Tip % ÷ 100 Per person = (Bill + Tip) ÷ People
Worked example: splitting a dinner bill
Four friends have a bill of $86.40 and want to leave 18%.
- Tip: $86.40 × 18 ÷ 100 = $15.552, which rounds to $15.55.
- Total: $86.40 + $15.55 = $101.95.
- Each person: $101.952 ÷ 4 = $25.488, shown as $25.49.
Because each share is rounded to the cent, four payments of $25.49 come to $101.96, one cent over the total. When splitting by card, that extra cent usually just goes to the server.
Many people also round the total to a whole number. Paying $102 instead of $101.95 makes the tip $15.60, which is 18.06% of the bill, so rounding up barely changes the percentage but makes paying in cash much simpler.
Tip amounts for common bills
| Bill | 10% | 15% | 18% | 20% | 25% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25 | $2.50 | $3.75 | $4.50 | $5.00 | $6.25 |
| $50 | $5.00 | $7.50 | $9.00 | $10.00 | $12.50 |
| $75 | $7.50 | $11.25 | $13.50 | $15.00 | $18.75 |
| $100 | $10.00 | $15.00 | $18.00 | $20.00 | $25.00 |
| $150 | $15.00 | $22.50 | $27.00 | $30.00 | $37.50 |
| $200 | $20.00 | $30.00 | $36.00 | $40.00 | $50.00 |
Mental math shortcuts
- 10%: move the decimal point one place left. 10% of $64.00 is $6.40.
- 20%: double the 10% figure. 20% of $64.00 is $12.80.
- 15%: take 10% and add half of it again. $6.40 + $3.20 = $9.60.
- 25%: divide the bill by four. 25% of $64.00 is $16.00.
Tipping tips
- Check for a service charge first. Some restaurants add one automatically, especially for large groups. If it is already on the bill, an extra tip is optional.
- Pre-tax or post-tax is your call. On an $80 meal with $6.40 tax, 18% of the pre-tax amount is $14.40 and 18% of the full $86.40 is $15.55, a difference of $1.15.
- Uneven orders? If one person ordered far more, work out each person's own subtotal and run the calculator once for each of them.
- Travelling? Switch the country in the site settings to see the default tip and quick buttons used there.