Enter your bill, pick a tip %, and see exactly how much to leave — with bill splitting for groups
Restaurant Tip Calculator
1people
Subtotal$0.00
Tip (20%)$0.00
Total$0.00
Each Person Pays$0.00
How Much to Tip at a Restaurant
A restaurant tip calculator takes the guesswork out of one of dining's most common dilemmas: how much do I leave for my server? In the United States, tipping is a standard expectation at sit-down restaurants, and the expected range has risen over the past decade. The national standard in 2026 is 18–20% of the pre-tax bill for good service.
Restaurant servers typically earn a tipped minimum wage of just $2.13 per hour at the federal level — far below standard minimum wage. Their take-home pay depends almost entirely on tips. A 20% tip on a $60 bill is $12 — a meaningful contribution to someone working a demanding job on their feet for hours.
Use the calculator above to enter your bill amount, choose a tip percentage, and optionally split the total among your group. It handles any bill size and any number of diners instantly, with no mental math required.
Restaurant Tip Amounts by Service Quality
Service Level
Tip %
On a $60 Bill
On a $100 Bill
Below average
10–15%
$6–$9
$10–$15
Good service
18–20%
$10.80–$12
$18–$20
Excellent service
20–25%
$12–$15
$20–$25
Outstanding
25–30%
$15–$18
$25–$30
Should You Tip on Pre-Tax or Post-Tax?
The etiquette standard is to tip on the pre-tax subtotal — the amount before sales tax is added. The tax is a government charge, not part of the service your server provided. In practice, the difference on a typical restaurant bill is usually $1–3, so many people tip on the total for simplicity. Either approach is acceptable.
Tipping for Large Groups
Many restaurants automatically add an 18–20% gratuity for parties of 6 or more. Always check your bill before adding an extra tip — you may already have paid one. Look for "auto-gratuity," "service charge," or "mandatory gratuity" in the itemized bill. If no auto-gratuity is added, use the "Split between" control in the calculator above to divide the tip and total fairly among everyone at the table.
Quick Tip Reference Table
Bill
15% Tip
18% Tip
20% Tip
25% Tip
$20
$3.00
$3.60
$4.00
$5.00
$35
$5.25
$6.30
$7.00
$8.75
$50
$7.50
$9.00
$10.00
$12.50
$75
$11.25
$13.50
$15.00
$18.75
$100
$15.00
$18.00
$20.00
$25.00
$150
$22.50
$27.00
$30.00
$37.50
$200
$30.00
$36.00
$40.00
$50.00
Frequently Asked Questions
The minimum expected tip at a US sit-down restaurant is 10–15%, even for poor service. Leaving nothing is considered very rude — servers earn a tipped minimum wage as low as $2.13/hr federally and depend on tips to reach standard minimum wage.
On a $50 restaurant bill: 15% = $7.50, 18% = $9.00, 20% = $10.00. Most diners leave $9–10 on a $50 bill. Use the calculator above for any amount instantly.
Yes, though less than at a full-service restaurant. At a buffet where staff refill drinks and clear plates, a tip of 10% or $1–2 per person is appropriate. No tip is expected at completely self-service buffets.
Yes — tipping reflects the quality of service. If your server was rude, negligent, or made multiple mistakes, tipping 10–15% is acceptable. If the issue was with the kitchen (slow food, wrong order), consider that your server may not be at fault before reducing the tip.
A 20% tip on a $100 bill is $20.00, making the total $120.00. Quick mental math: move the decimal left one place to get 10% ($10), then double it for 20% ($20). The calculator above handles any amount instantly.
At fast casual spots (Chipotle, Panera, etc.) where you order at the counter, tipping is optional — not expected. If you tip at all, $1–2 or rounding up is generous. The tip prompt on tablets is a design choice, not an obligation.
On a $100 restaurant bill: 15% = $15, 18% = $18, 20% = $20, 25% = $25. For good service at a sit-down restaurant, $18–20 is standard. Leave $25 for exceptional service or a special occasion.
The percentage stays the same (18–20%) regardless of the restaurant's price level. At a fine dining restaurant, 20% on a $200 bill is $40 — already a large tip. Some diners tip 15% at high-end restaurants where the bill inflates the math.
Yes, tip on the full bill including drinks. Your server recommends, pours, and manages your drinks just like your food. Tipping only on food and skipping the bar tab is bad etiquette and unfair to your server.
Most restaurants automatically add an 18–20% gratuity for parties of 6 or more. If they don't, tip the same 18–20% as normal. Serving a large group is significantly more work — don't reduce the percentage because the bill is already big.
In the US, yes — not tipping at a sit-down restaurant is considered very rude. Servers earn $2.13/hr federal tipped minimum wage and depend on tips for their income. Even for mediocre service, 10–12% is a polite minimum. No tip sends a harsh message and hurts the worker directly.