Tip Calculator

Tip calculator at a glance#

How do you calculate a tip?#

To calculate a tip, multiply the bill by the tip percentage expressed as a decimal. A 20% tip is the bill times 0.20. For example, an $84.00 bill results in a $16.80 tip and totals $100.80. Enter the bill, the tip percentage, and the number of people in the calculator above to determine the tip amount, the total, and each person's share.

How much is a 20% tip on $50?#

A 20% tip on $50 amounts to $10, making the total $60. To quickly calculate, take 10% of the bill by moving the decimal point one place left, which gives $5, and then double it.

How much should you tip at a restaurant?#

The Emily Post Institute suggests leaving at least 15% for table service in the US, with many people opting for 15% to 20% for standard service. According to a 2023 survey by the Pew Research Center, 57% of US adults indicated they would tip 15% or less for an average meal at a sit-down restaurant, while about a quarter would tip 20% or more.

How a tip is calculated#

A tip represents a percentage of the bill. The term percent means per hundred, so a 20% tip is $20 for every $100 you spend, or 20 cents on every dollar. To convert a percentage into a number for multiplication, divide it by 100: 20% becomes 0.20, 15% becomes 0.15, and 18% becomes 0.18. The decimal to percent calculator goes the other way.

Consider a dinner for three with an $84.00 bill and a 20% tip:

• Tip: $84.00 × 0.20 = $16.80
• Total: $84.00 + $16.80 = $100.80
• Per person: $100.80 ÷ 3 = $33.60

To get the total in one step, multiply the bill by 1 plus the tip as a decimal: $84.00 × 1.20 = $100.80. The calculator performs the same calculations and lists the tip and total at 5%, 7%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, and 50%, along with the percentage you entered. This allows you to compare several tip levels simultaneously.

How to work out a tip in your head#

The 10% shortcut covers most tips without needing a phone. Moving the decimal point one place to the left divides a number by 10, which equals 10% of it. You then construct the desired tip from that 10%.

• 10% of $84.00 is $8.40.
• 20% is double that: 2 × $8.40 = $16.80.
• 15% is 10% plus half of 10%: $8.40 + $4.20 = $12.60.
• 25% is a quarter of the bill: $84.00 ÷ 4 = $21.00.

For 18%, the shortcut becomes less efficient, and the calculator above or the percentage calculator is faster: 18% of $84.00 is $15.12. If you favor a round number, you can round either the tip or the total up to the next dollar. The rounding calculator can round any amount to your chosen place.

Splitting the bill and the tip#

To divide a bill evenly, add the tip first and then divide the total by the number of people. In the example, $100.80 split three ways results in $33.60 per person. Each share includes $28.00 of the bill and $5.60 of the tip, combining to the same $33.60.

Dividing the bill before adding the tip yields the same per-person amount, provided everyone tips the same percentage on their share. The Split the Bill field in the calculator divides the total evenly. If people ordered significantly different amounts, calculate each person's subtotal and apply the same tip percentage, as the calculator doesn't accommodate uneven splits.

Tipping at a restaurant#

According to the Emily Post Institute, tipping at a sit-down restaurant is an expectation, not an option. It recommends a minimum of 15%, with many people tipping between 15% and 20% for standard service. It also advises leaving 15% even if the service was poor and addressing the issue with a manager.

Actual tipping habits tend to hover near the lower end of that range. The Pew Research Center surveyed 11,945 US adults in August 2023. Among diners at sit-down restaurants, 92% report always or often leaving a tip. 57% would leave 15% or less for an average meal, including 2% who would leave nothing, while about a quarter would leave 20% or more.

For takeout, the Emily Post Institute views tips as optional, suggesting up to 10% for large or complex orders. For food or grocery delivery, it suggests about 10% or a minimum of $5 per order.

Tipping at a hair salon, nail salon or spa#

For services such as hair, nails, waxing, massages, and spa treatments, the Emily Post Institute recommends a 15% to 20% tip added at payment. Haircuts are among the services with consistent tipping. In the Pew survey, 78% of adults who get haircuts stated they always or frequently tip.

To use the calculator for a salon visit, input the service price as the bill. A $65 haircut with a 20% tip means a $13.00 tip and a total of $78.00. At 15%, the tip is $9.75. For a $45 pedicure, 20% is $9.00, and 15% is $6.75.

Gratuity, service charges and large parties#

Gratuity is another term for a tip. However, on a restaurant bill, a gratuity line usually means a charge the restaurant adds itself, often for large groups. If your bill includes this, verify the amount before adding anything to avoid double tipping.

The IRS distinguishes between tips and service charges. IRS Publication 531 outlines four criteria for a payment to qualify as a tip: it's paid freely by the customer, the amount is customer-determined, it's not negotiated or set by employer policy, and the customer generally decides who receives it. In its example, a restaurant adds an 18% charge for parties of six or more. The IRS considers this a service charge, not a tip, because the customer cannot set the amount freely. On a $240 group dinner, that 18% charge would be $43.20.

Automatic charges aren't well-received by diners. In the Pew survey, 72% of adults expressed opposition to businesses adding automatic service charges or tips to customers' bills.

Should you tip before or after tax?#

The calculator applies the tip to whatever amount you enter as the bill. To tip on the pre-tax subtotal, input the subtotal. To tip on the entire amount, input the total with tax. The difference is generally minor. With 8% sales tax, an $84.00 dinner totals $90.72, and a 20% tip on that is $18.14 instead of $16.80, a difference of $1.34.

Tip amounts for common bills#

The table lists tips at four common percentages, rounded to the cent. Add the tip to the bill for the total. At 20%, a $50 bill becomes $60, and a $100 bill becomes $120.

Sources#

• Emily Post Institute, Etiquette Today: Everyday Tipping (October 2025)
• Pew Research Center, Tipping Culture in America: Public Sees a Changed Landscape (November 2023)
• IRS Publication 531, Reporting Tip Income

Frequently asked questions#

What is a 20% tip on $100?#

A 20% tip on $100 amounts to $20, bringing the total to $120. Since 10% of $100 is $10, doubling it gives the 20% tip.

How do you calculate a 15% tip quickly?#

To quickly find 10%, shift the decimal one place left, then add half of that amount. On $84.00, 10% equals $8.40, half of that is $4.20, and the 15% tip is $12.60.

How much do you tip on a $65 haircut?#

For a 15% to 20% tip (as suggested by the Emily Post Institute for salon services), the tip on a $65 haircut is $9.75 to $13.00. With a 20% tip, the total cost is $78.00.

Is a tip the same as a gratuity?#

In general terms, yes. However, on a bill, a gratuity line often means an automatic charge set by the restaurant. The IRS classifies such charges as service charges, not tips, since the amount isn't customer-determined.

Do you tip on the total with tax or before tax?#

It's up to you. Enter the pre-tax subtotal to tip on that, or the total with tax to include everything. With 8% tax on an $84.00 bill, the gap at 20% is $1.34.

How do you split a tip between several people?#

Add the tip to the bill, then divide by the number of people. An $84.00 bill with a 20% tip totals $100.80, which is $33.60 each for three people. Enter the number of people in the Split the Bill field and the calculator provides the tip and total per person.

Which tip percentages does the calculator show?#

It lists 5%, 7%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, and 50%, plus any other percentage you enter, displaying the tip, total, and amount per person for each one.