Restaurant Tip Calculator
Quick, fair tips for your next meal out. Defaults to the 20% standard for full-service dining.
Tip %
Tip
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Total
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Who's Splitting?
Items (tap a name to assign it)
Tip
Tip is calculated on the pre-tax subtotal. Tax and tip are split in proportion to what each person ordered rather than evenly.
Who Owes What
Subtotal
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Tax
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Tip
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Total
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Restaurant Tipping, Explained
The standard for good service at a full-service restaurant in the US is now 20%, up from the traditional 15%. The calculator above handles the arithmetic: pick a percentage, split it between however many people are paying, and round up if you'd rather hand over a clean number.
How much to tip at a restaurant
| Situation | Common tip |
|---|---|
| Full service, everything went fine | 18-20% |
| Service that stood out | 25% |
| Service with real problems | 10-15% |
| Buffet | 10% |
| Takeout or counter service | Optional, around 10% |
| Party of six or more | Check for a gratuity first |
Why the tip carries so much weight in the US
Federal law lets restaurants pay servers a cash wage as low as $2.13 an hour, counting tips toward the rest of the $7.25 federal minimum wage. If tips fall short in a given week the employer has to make up the difference, and some states require a higher cash wage or don't allow the practice at all. Where it does apply, tips are most of what a server takes home.
Automatic gratuity and service charges
Large groups are the thing to watch. Many restaurants add an automatic gratuity of 18-20% once a party hits six or eight people, and it's easy to tip again on top without noticing. Read the bill before you reach for the calculator.
A line marked "service charge" works differently from a tip, even when it's the same size. The IRS counts a mandatory charge as wages the restaurant pays out, and a payment only counts as a tip when you decide to leave it and choose the amount. Since the charge is the restaurant's money until it's paid to staff, it's fair to ask whether it goes to your server. If it doesn't, a few dollars in cash makes sure the person who looked after you sees something.
Buffets, takeout and counter screens
Less table service means a smaller tip. At a buffet, where staff clear plates and refill drinks but don't take orders, 10% is the usual figure. Takeout tipping is optional, with around 10% a common courtesy.
Counter tip screens often suggest 15% or more on a coffee or a sandwich you carried to your own table. Those percentages are defaults set in the payment system, and tipping at a counter is optional. A dollar or two is a courteous amount when someone made something to order, and skipping the prompt for a bottled drink handed across the counter is normal.
When service goes wrong
Bad service is still worth 10-15% rather than nothing. Kitchen delays, understaffing and most of the other things that ruin a meal are outside your server's control, and the tip is a blunt instrument for commenting on any of them. If something genuinely went wrong, say so to a manager.
Coupons, discounts and comped dishes
Tip on what the meal would have cost at full price. A coupon, a promotion or a dish the kitchen took off the bill comes out of the restaurant's margin, and your server carried the same plates either way. The simplest way to handle it here is to enter the pre-discount total in the calculator.
FAQ
Is 20% still standard at restaurants?
Yes. While 15% was once the baseline, 18-20% is now considered standard for typical service in the US, with 25% reserved for exceptional service.
Should I tip on the pre-tax or post-tax total?
Both are common. Tipping on the pre-tax subtotal is the traditional basis; tipping on the post-tax total is widespread and a little more generous. On a $50 bill with 8% tax, the difference at 20% is about 80 cents. This calculator applies your percentage to whatever amount you enter, so type in the subtotal or the full total depending on which you prefer.
What about takeout or counter service?
Tipping is optional for takeout, but 10% is a common courtesy if a tip jar or prompt is offered.
Is gratuity automatically added for large groups?
Often, yes. Many restaurants add an automatic 18-20% gratuity for parties of 6-8 or more, so check the bill before adding another tip on top of it.
Do I tip at a buffet?
Yes, but less than full table service. A 10% tip is standard, since staff are clearing plates and refilling drinks rather than taking orders.
What if the service was bad?
Tip 10-15% rather than nothing. Kitchen delays and other issues are often outside the server's control, and a manager can actually fix a serious problem where a stiffed tip only signals vague displeasure.
Why is tipping so expected in the US?
Federal law lets restaurants pay servers a cash wage as low as $2.13 an hour, counting tips toward the rest of the $7.25 minimum wage. Some states require more, but where that rule applies, tips are most of what a server takes home.
Is a service charge the same as a tip?
No. The IRS treats a mandatory service charge or automatic gratuity as wages the restaurant pays out, while a tip is something you choose to leave and choose the amount of. Check the bill before tipping again, and if it is unclear where a service charge goes, ask.
Do I tip on a discounted or comped meal?
Tip on what the meal would have cost at full price. A coupon or a comped dish comes out of the restaurant's margin, and your server did the same work either way.
Do I tip on alcohol?
Yes. Alcohol is part of the bill and is normally tipped at the same rate. With an unusually expensive bottle of wine, some diners tip a flat amount on the bottle and a percentage on the rest.
