How much should I tip in the US?

18–22% of the pre-tax bill at sit-down restaurants (20% is the safe default), 15–20% for delivery, $1–2 per drink at bars.

How do I split a bill with tip?

Compute total = bill + tip, then divide by diners: each = total ÷ n. Example: £97.20 ÷ 4 = £24.30. For uneven orders, split items first then add tip per share.

In the UK tax is embedded, so just tip the total. In the US, tip the pre-tax subtotal — check the receipt lines.

What if service was bad?

In the UK you may reduce or remove discretionary service and explain politely to management. In the US, 10–15% still recognises waged labour while signalling dissatisfaction — speak to a manager for serious issues.

Are delivery-app fees tips?

No — service/delivery fees go to the platform. Add an explicit driver tip (10–20%) if you want the courier paid.

Financial · Free tool

Tip Calculator

Fair tips and clean bill splits — per-person totals included.

A £86.40 bill, 12.5% service, split four ways — who owes what without the awkward phone-calculator huddle? Tipping sits at the intersection of maths and manners: under-tip and you short-change staff; over-split and friends overpay. This tip calculator returns the gratuity, the total, and per-person shares (bill split evenly) for any percentage and party size, with rounding guidance so cash and card both work.

Customs differ sharply. In the UK, 10–12.5% for good table service is standard and often discretionary (you can ask to remove auto-service); in the US, 18–22% is the norm because gratuities are wages. Large parties, buffets, delivery apps and bars each have their own rules, covered below. The maths, however, is universal: tip = bill × %, total = bill + tip, each pays total ÷ people.

Enter the bill (pre- or post-tax per local custom — we explain which), choose a percent, set diners, and press Calculate. The per-person card is what to actually send or tap.

By DailyCalc Editorial Team · Updated 2026-09-01 · 6-min read · 2 sources cited

● Tip calculator

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Tip formulas

tip = bill × p/100 • total = bill + tip • each = total ÷ n

A single multiplication gives the gratuity; adding it back gives the settlement total; dividing by headcount splits evenly. For uneven shares (one diner had steak), split the bill first, then apply the percent to each share — order does not matter because multiplication distributes.

bill: Pre-service total. UK: usually the menu total; US: often pre-tax subtotal.
p: Tip percent: UK 10–12.5% restaurants, US 18–22%, delivery 10–20%.
n: Diners splitting evenly (1–100). For itemised splits, run each share separately.

Worked example: £86.40, 12.5%, 4 people

Friday dinner, good service, even split:

Tip: 86.40 × 12.5 ÷ 100 = £10.80.
Total: 86.40 + 10.80 = £97.20.
Each: 97.20 ÷ 4 = £24.30.
Cash rounding: £24.30 × 4 = £97.20 exact — no fudge needed; for odd totals round up to the nearest £1 and leave the change.
Card: one person pays £97.20 and collects £24.30 × 3 via bank transfer.

Result: Tip £10.80 — total £97.20 — £24.30 each (4 diners).

How to use this tip calculator

Thirty seconds from bill to fair split.

Step 1: Enter the bill

The amount service applies to. Exclude auto-added service if you plan to replace it with your own %.

Step 2: Set the percent

Use presets (10/12.5/15/20%) or type any value to 200%. Zero is allowed for counter service.

Step 3: Set diners

Headcount for even splits. For couples splitting with friends, run 2-person and 4-person passes.

Step 4: Calculate and settle

Send the 'each' figure. Round up, never down, when cash cannot make exact change.

Use cases

Tipping beyond restaurants:

Restaurants

UK: 10–12.5% for table service, 0% at counter. Check for 'discretionary 12.5%' already added before doubling.

US dining

18% adequate, 20% good, 22%+ excellent — on pre-tax subtotal. Bars: $1–2 per drink or 18–20% of tab.

Delivery & takeaway

10–15% UK / 15–20% US for drivers, more in rain or for large orders. App fees are not tips — tip separately.

Groups & events

Parties of 6+ often face auto-gratuity (18% US). The calculator verifies the venue's maths before you sign.

Holidays abroad

Japan/Korea: no tipping (can offend). France: service compris, round up. Research before you fly.

Pro tips

Be generous without being careless:

Judge service, not kitchen delays — tip the humans who served you.
Tip on pre-discount totals when a voucher fed you well; staff did full work.
For great service on a small bill, tip a floor (£2–3) not just a % — £1 on £8 is 12.5% but thin.
Note 'cash tip' on card slips so servers keep 100% where pooling rules differ.
Screenshot the split for group chats — '£24.30 each (incl. 12.5%)' ends debates.

Common mistakes

Avoid the classic table errors:

Double-tipping auto-service

If 'discretionary 12.5% £10.80' is printed, adding another 12.5% pays 25%. Ask to adjust, not stack.

Tipping on tax

US custom is pre-tax. Tipping on the after-tax total quietly adds ~0.8–1.5 points.

Even split on uneven orders

Lobster vs salad should not split evenly. Itemise first, then apply % per share.

Card-only blind spots

Some platforms deduct processing from tips. Cash for small independent spots when you can.

Sources & references

The formula, thresholds and guidance on this page were checked against these primary sources. Written and reviewed by DailyCalc Editorial Team; last updated 2026-09-01. Spotted an error? Tell us.

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

10–12.5% for good restaurant table service is standard; bars, cafes and takeaways expect little or nothing. Service charges labelled 'discretionary' can be adjusted or removed.