How much should you tip?
Restaurants: 15–20% for good service, 20–25% for exceptional service. 18% has become a common baseline in many US cities.
Delivery: 15–20% of the order total, with a $3–5 minimum even on small orders.
Takeout: Optional — 10–15% is appreciated but not expected.
Bars: $1–2 per drink, or 15–20% of the tab.
Hotels: $2–5 per night for housekeeping, $1–2 per bag for bellhops.
Quick tip math without a calculator
The fastest mental shortcut: find 10% by moving the decimal one place left, then scale from there. On a $42 bill, 10% is $4.20 — double it for 20% ($8.40), or add half of the 10% figure for 15% ($6.30).
Splitting the bill fairly
An even split works fine when everyone ordered roughly the same amount. It breaks down fast when one person had a $40 steak and another had a $12 salad. For uneven orders, it's usually fairer to split by what each person actually ordered, then have everyone tip the same percentage on their own portion — or have the group agree on the percentage first, then split the total (tip included) evenly. Splitting apps and most point-of-sale systems can itemize this automatically if the group wants precision over simplicity.
Tipping norms outside the US
Tipping percentages above are typical for the United States. Norms vary a lot elsewhere: many European countries already build a service charge into the bill, so an additional 5–10% (or simply rounding up) is plenty. In Japan, tipping isn't customary and can occasionally come across as awkward rather than generous. If you're traveling, it's worth a quick check of local customs rather than applying US percentages by default — our Currency Converter is handy for converting the bill itself before you do the tip math.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I tip at a restaurant?
The standard is 15–20% for good service, 20–25% for great service. In the US, 18% is increasingly the baseline. On a $100 bill, that's $18–$20 for the tip.
How do I calculate 20% tip quickly?
Find 10% by moving the decimal left one place, then double it. On a $65 bill: 10% = $6.50, doubled = $13.00 tip. Your total is $78.00.
Should I tip on pre-tax or post-tax?
Tipping on the pre-tax subtotal is technically correct, but the difference is small. Either is acceptable. This calculator uses the total bill amount you enter.
Is tipping required in the US?
Tipping isn't legally required in most situations, but it's a strong social expectation in the US restaurant and service industry, where many workers are paid a lower base wage specifically because tips are expected to make up the difference.
What's a fair tip for bad service?
Most etiquette guides suggest not dropping below 10% even for poor service, since kitchen delays or understaffing are often outside a server's control — and reserving 0% for genuinely exceptional cases. If service was a real problem, mentioning it to a manager addresses the issue more directly than the tip amount does.
Do you tip on a discounted bill?
Tip on the original pre-discount total when the discount is a coupon or promotion you used — the staff did the same work regardless of the deal. If the restaurant comped an item due to a mistake on their end, tipping on the adjusted total is reasonable.