How to Calculate a Tip and Split the Bill Fairly

To calculate a tip, multiply the bill by the tip percentage and divide by 100: a 15% tip on 86.40 is 12.96, making the total 99.36. To split it, divide that total by the number of people, so two people pay 49.68 each. The only real decisions are which amount to tip on, what percentage to use, and what to do with the odd cent.

What percentage should I tip?

Customs differ a lot from country to country:

Where	Typical restaurant tip
United States	Around 15–20%
Much of Europe	5–10%, or rounding up
Japan	None; tipping is not expected

Within the US, 15% is generally treated as the baseline for sit-down service and 20% for good service. Check whether a service charge has already been added to the bill; if it has, an extra tip is usually optional.

Should I tip on the amount before or after tax?

Etiquette guides usually suggest tipping on the pre-tax amount, because tax is not part of the service. Many people simply tip on the total because it is easier to read off the receipt. The difference is small but real.

Say the food comes to 80.00 and 8% sales tax brings the bill to 86.40:

• 15% of 80.00 (pre-tax) = 12.00
• 15% of 86.40 (with tax) = 12.96

Either is reasonable. If you want to tip on the pre-tax amount, enter the subtotal as the bill, then add the tax back yourself when you pay.

Quick mental math for tips

• 10%: move the decimal point one place left. 10% of 86.40 is 8.64.
• 20%: double the 10% figure. 8.64 × 2 = 17.28.
• 15%: 10% plus half of it. 8.64 + 4.32 = 12.96.
• 18%: 20% minus 2% (2% is a fifth of 10%). 17.28 − 1.73 = 15.55.

Four common splitting situations

Dinner for two

Bill 86.40, tip 15%, two people. Tip 12.96, total 99.36, each person pays 49.68, of which 6.48 is tip.

A group of five with an awkward total

Bill 243.75, tip 18%, five people. The tip is 43.875 and the total 287.625, which show as 43.88 and 287.63 after rounding to cents. Each share is 57.525, shown as 57.53.

Notice that 5 × 57.53 = 287.65, two cents more than the rounded total. When shares don't divide evenly, rounding each one up means the group overpays by a few cents, which just becomes part of the tip. If you need it exact, one person pays a cent or two less.

Splitting with no tip at all

Set the tip to 0% to use the tool as a plain bill splitter. A 62.00 bill between three people is 20.67 each (62 ÷ 3 = 20.666…).

Changing your mind on the percentage

Same 86.40 dinner at 20% instead of 15%: tip 17.28, total 103.68, 51.84 each. Going from 15% to 20% costs each person 2.16 more.

How to use the Tip Calculator

The Tip Calculator has three fields:

1. Enter the Bill amount.
2. Set the Tip percentage and the number of people under Split between. Whole people only; the count is rounded and can't go below 1.
3. Read the Total per person at the top, along with the Tip amount, Total bill with tip and Tip per person.

The calculation happens instantly in your browser, which makes it handy at the table on a phone.

When an even split isn't fair

The tool divides the total evenly. That works when everyone ordered similar amounts, but not when one person had a salad and another had steak and wine. In that case:

1. Have each person add up their own items.
2. Run each subtotal through the calculator separately with the split set to 1 person.
3. Share any items ordered for the table, like appetizers, using an even split.

For other everyday percentage questions, such as "what percent of the bill was the tip?", the Percentage Calculator works in both directions. If you are shopping rather than dining, the Discount Calculator handles sale prices.

FAQ

How do I tip a fixed amount instead of a percentage?

Work out the percentage first: divide the tip by the bill and multiply by 100. A 10.00 tip on a 62.00 bill is about 16.13%, which you can then enter in the Tip field.

Should I tip on a discounted or voucher bill?

Many people tip on the original, pre-discount amount, because the service was the same. Enter the full price as the bill if you want to do that.

Does the calculator round the tip up?

No. It rounds each figure to the nearest cent. If you prefer a round number, adjust the tip percentage until the total looks right, or simply round up when you pay.

Settle the bill in seconds with the Tip Calculator.