Should I tip on the pre-tax amount?

Etiquette guides say pre-tax is technically sufficient; in practice most people tip on the printed total and the difference is pennies.

What about tipping on discounted bills?

Common courtesy is to tip on the undiscounted value of what you received, since service effort was unchanged.

Do I tip on takeout orders?

Norms vary; 10% or spare change in the tip jar is common for counter service, versus 15–20% for full table service.

Finance

Tip Calculator

What this does

Calculate the tip and total for any bill, splitting evenly across any number of people.

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Good to know

Tipping customs differ worldwide

In Japan and South Korea tipping can confuse or even offend; much of Europe includes service (“service compris”) with small rounding-up expected; US restaurant servers rely heavily on tips due to tipped-minimum-wage rules. When traveling, a quick check of local norms saves awkwardness.

Group bills made fairer

Even splitting rewards heavy eaters at light eaters’ expense. Apps that itemize solve this, but for casual meals, even splits with a generous tip round preserve friendships better than spreadsheet justice.

How it's calculated

The math behind this calculator

Tip = bill × (tip% / 100) Each pays = (bill + tip) / people

Straightforward multiplication: the tip is a percentage of the bill, and the total splits evenly across diners. Rounding of the per-person share is left to you; many people round up to the nearest dollar or fifty cents.

Assumptions & limitations

Tip is computed on the full bill, before any discounts or coupons.
Tax is generally included in the base you tip on in US custom.
Customary US restaurant tipping ranges 15–20%; service quality and venue norms vary.

Worked example

An $84.50 bill with an 18% tip adds $15.21, making $99.71 total; $33.24 each if three people split evenly.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Should I tip on the pre-tax amount?: Etiquette guides say pre-tax is technically sufficient; in practice most people tip on the printed total and the difference is pennies.
What about tipping on discounted bills?: Common courtesy is to tip on the undiscounted value of what you received, since service effort was unchanged.
Do I tip on takeout orders?: Norms vary; 10% or spare change in the tip jar is common for counter service, versus 15–20% for full table service.

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