Standard Tipping Guidelines
Tipping norms vary by country, type of service and level of service quality. In the United States, where tipping is an important part of service worker income, the following guidelines are widely accepted:
Restaurants (sit-down): 15-20% for adequate service, 20-25% for excellent service, 10-15% for poor service. For exceptional experiences, 25% or more is appreciated.
Bars: $1-2 per drink for simple drinks, 15-20% of the tab for complex cocktails or extended service.
Food Delivery: 15-20% of the order total, with a minimum of $3-5 for small orders. More for long distances, difficult deliveries or inclement weather.
Taxis and Rideshare: 15-20% for standard service, rounding up for convenience.
Hair Salons and Barbershops: 15-25% for stylists, $5-10 for assistants who shampoo or assist.
Hotel Housekeeping: $2-5 per night, left daily (housekeeping staff may change daily).
Spa and Massage: 15-20% of the service total.
How to Calculate a Tip
Calculating a tip is straightforward with three simple formulas:
Tip Amount = Bill × (Tip % ÷ 100)
Total Bill = Bill + Tip Amount
Per Person = Total Bill ÷ Number of People
Should You Tip on the Pre-Tax or Post-Tax Amount?
This is a common question with no universal answer, but the conventional recommendation is to tip on the pre-tax subtotal. The logic is that the tax represents money going to the government, not the restaurant, and it seems unnecessary to tip on money that doesn't actually represent the service value.
In practice, the difference is small. On a $100 pre-tax bill with 8% tax ($108 total), tipping 20% on pre-tax = $20.00, while tipping on post-tax = $21.60. The $1.60 difference is not significant for the diner, but tipping on the lower pre-tax amount is technically correct by convention.
Our calculator allows you to enter the exact amount you want to tip on — simply enter the pre-tax subtotal for strict calculation, or the full amount if you prefer.
Bill Splitting Strategies
Splitting a restaurant bill among a group has several approaches, each with different trade-offs:
Even Split: Divide the total equally. Simple and efficient, but can cause resentment if people ordered very different amounts. Works best among close friends with similar spending patterns.
Individual Amounts: Each person pays for exactly what they ordered plus a proportional share of tax and tip. More equitable but requires tracking orders precisely — ask for separate checks or use an itemizing app.
Rotating Bill: One person pays the entire bill this time, and another person pays next time. Works well for regular dining companions with roughly equal spending habits.
Host Pays: One person (the host) pays for everyone — appropriate for celebrating someone, business dinners and some formal occasions.
Our tip calculator's bill split function divides the post-tip total evenly, which is the most common approach for casual group dining.