Tip Calculator FAQ

Is 15% a good tip?

In the United States, 15% now reads as the minimum acceptable tip for sit-down restaurant service, not a generous one. It's fine for service that was just okay, but leaving 15% often signals that something fell short. On a $50 bill, 15% is $7.50.

Is 18% a good tip?

Yes, 18% is a solid, respectable tip that sits just below the 20% standard. It's the default many restaurants preset on card machines and receipts. On a $60 bill, 18% is $10.80.

Is 20% a good tip?

Yes. In the United States, 20% is the current standard tip and what most diners now leave by default for satisfactory sit-down service. Going above 20% is a warm gesture for service that truly stood out.

What is a 20% tip on $50?

A 20% tip on $50 is $10, which makes the total $60. To get 20% of any amount quickly, take 10% (move the decimal one place left, so $5) and double it. For 15% the tip would be $7.50, and for 18% it would be $9.

How do I calculate a tip in my head?

Start with 10% by moving the decimal one place to the left: 10% of $80 is $8. Double that for 20% ($16), or add half of the 10% figure for 15% ($8 plus $4 is $12). For an exact amount and an even split, the tip calculator does it instantly.

Is the suggested tip printed on my receipt calculated on tax?

Usually yes. The tip amounts printed at the bottom of a receipt, and the percentages on a card reader, are normally worked out on the final total, which includes sales tax and sometimes service fees. So the button labeled 20% is often a little more than 20% of the food. On a $60 meal with $4.80 of tax, the printed 20% is $12.96 rather than $12. It's a small gap, but if you prefer to tip on the pre-tax subtotal, enter a custom amount instead of tapping a preset.

Why do card readers start their suggestions at 20% or higher?

Those presets are chosen by the business or its payment provider, not by any etiquette standard. Many now open at 20%, 25%, and 30%, including at counters where tipping was never customary. Treat them as a menu, not an instruction. For sit-down restaurant service, 18-20% remains the standard; for a coffee counter, rounding up or nothing at all is still perfectly normal. Every reader has a custom amount or a no-tip option, even when it takes an extra tap to find.

How do I split a bill with tip?

Add the tip to the bill first, then divide the total by the number of people. Splitting before adding the tip leaves the gratuity unshared. For example, an $85 bill with a 20% tip ($17) comes to $102, which is $34 each between three people.

How do I work out the tip per person?

Multiply the bill by the tip percentage, then divide that tip by the number of people to get each person's share of the tip. On a $120 bill with a 20% tip, the tip is $24, so between four people that's $6 of tip each, or $36 per person including the meal. The tip calculator shows the tip per person and the total per person automatically.

How do we split the bill when one person ordered much more?

Apply the same tip percentage to each person's own items rather than to the average. If one diner had a $45 steak and another a $12 salad, a 20% tip means $9 and $2.40 respectively, so each person covers the tip on what they actually ordered. When the gap is only a few dollars, the common shortcut is to itemize the food but split the tip evenly, which keeps the math quick without anyone feeling shortchanged.

Should I tip on the pre-tax or post-tax total?

Tipping on the pre-tax subtotal is customary and slightly cheaper, because the tax isn't part of the service. Many people tip on the final total simply because it's easier, and the difference is only the sales tax portion. Both are acceptable.

Do I need to tip if a service charge is included?

No. If a service charge or gratuity is already listed on the bill, you don't need to tip again. This is common in Europe and for large parties in the United States. Always check the itemized bill before adding a tip.

How much should I tip for food delivery?

Tip 15 to 20% of the order total, with a minimum of about $3 to $5 even on small orders. Tip more for long distances, bad weather, or large orders. The delivery fee usually goes to the app, not the driver, so it's not a substitute for a tip. See our food delivery tipping guide for the full breakdown.

How much should I tip a hairdresser?

The standard is 15 to 20% of the service price, with 20% being the norm for good service. For a $50 haircut that's $10. Tip on the full pre-discount value of the service, and tip each person who worked on you. Our hairdresser tipping guide covers who to tip and how to split it.

Do I tip on the total after a coupon or discount?

Tip on the pre-discount amount. A coupon, voucher, or loyalty credit reduces what the business charges you, not the work that was done for you. If two $22 entrees become $22 with a buy-one-get-one coupon, a 20% tip is $8.80 (20% of $44), not $4.40. Happy hour and lunch specials are the exception, because those are simply the menu price at that hour, so tip on what is printed.

How much do I tip for a free or comped service?

Tip on what the service would normally have cost. If the kitchen comps a $30 entree that came out wrong, or a stylist throws in a free bang trim, the person serving you still did the full job and the discount came out of the business's pocket. Work out the tip on the standard price and leave it as normal, usually in cash when the printed total no longer reflects the real value.

Should I still tip if the service was bad?

In most cases yes, and 15% is the practical floor for service that was merely disappointing. First separate what the server controls (attentiveness, accuracy, pacing) from what they don't (a slow kitchen, understaffing, menu prices). Raising the problem quietly while you're still at the table usually fixes it and is more useful than a silent low tip. Anything below 15% reads as a formal complaint, and a zero tip communicates nothing unless you also explain why.

How does auto-gratuity work on a large group bill?

Restaurants commonly add gratuity automatically for parties of six or more, typically 18-20%, and it should be printed on the check and often noted on the menu. That charge is the tip, so nothing further is required. On $340 of food, an 18% auto-gratuity is $61.20, bringing the check to $401.20 before tax. To split it, divide the final total including the gratuity by the number of people rather than adding a second tip on top.

Do you tip the owner of a salon?

Yes, in current practice. The old etiquette rule was that you don't tip an owner because they set their own prices, but that convention has largely faded and most salon owners are treated like any other stylist. Tip 15-20% of the service price, the same as you would for an employee. If an owner genuinely waves it off, don't push; a good review or a referral is the alternative they'll actually value.

Should I tip in cash or on the card?

Both are acceptable. Cash reaches the staff the same night, while a card tip runs through the payment system and typically arrives in a paycheck after payroll processing. Neither choice is rude, and neither is expected. Cash is slightly better if you want the money in the server's hands quickly or the printed total no longer reflects the real value of the service; the card is better if you want a record of what you left.

Does my server keep the whole tip?

Often not. Many restaurants run a tip pool, where front-of-house tips are collected and divided, or a tip-out, where the server passes a share to bussers, food runners, bartenders, and hosts. So a tip is usually shared among the people who made the meal work, which is a good reason to tip on the whole experience rather than on one person. Under US federal rules, owners, managers, and supervisors may not take a share of employees' tips.

Do delivery fees go to the driver?

Usually not. The delivery fee, service fee, and small-order fee on most apps are charges from the platform and the restaurant, not driver pay, so they are not a substitute for a tip. Tip 15-20% of the order with a minimum of about $3-5, added in the app or handed over in cash; both reach the driver. Our food delivery tipping guide breaks down which charge goes where.

Do I tip for takeout?

It's optional, but someone packed, checked, and bagged the order. A dollar or two is a fair gesture for a normal pickup, and around 10% is generous for a large, complicated, or catering-sized order. There is no expectation of a full restaurant percentage, and declining the tip prompt on a takeout card reader is completely normal.

Do I tip at a buffet?

Yes, though less than at table service. About $1-2 per person, or roughly 10% of the bill, is customary. You're serving your own plate, but staff are still bringing drinks, clearing plates, and resetting the table between courses. Tip toward the higher end if servers kept drinks topped up all evening or the group left a lot of dishes behind.

How much do I tip a bartender?

The standard is $1-2 per drink, or 15-20% of the total tab if you're running one. Tip toward $2 or more for cocktails that take real work, and round up on a single beer. Tipping well on the first round tends to be remembered for the rest of the night. At an open bar where gratuity is already covered by the host, cash tips are welcome but not expected. See our bartender tipping guide for more.

How much do I tip at a nail salon or spa?

15-20% of the service price is the norm, the same range as hair. For a $45 manicure that's $7 to $9. Tip each person who worked on you if the service was split between technicians, and check the bill at a spa first, since many add a service charge automatically for treatments and packages. Our nail salon guide and tattoo tipping guide cover the personal-service cases in detail.

Does the tip calculator store my data?

No. All of the math runs in your browser, so nothing you type is uploaded, saved, or shared. There's no sign-up and no tracking of the bill amounts you enter.

Can I use the calculator in another currency?

Yes. It picks up your local currency automatically from your device's region and supports 24 currencies, from euros to yen, with a dropdown to override the choice. The math is identical everywhere; only the symbol changes. For what to actually leave once you're abroad, see the tipping by country guide.