The bill arrives, and the mental math starts: 15%? 20%? On the total or before tax? Split how many ways? Tipping etiquette varies by service and by country, and getting it right doesn't have to mean doing math in your head at the table.
Standard Tipping Percentages by Service
| Service | Typical Tip |
|---|---|
| Sit-down restaurant | 15–20% |
| Food delivery | 10–15% (often with a minimum) |
| Bar / bartender | 15–20%, or $1–2 per drink |
| Hair salon / barber | 15–20% |
| Taxi / rideshare | 15–20% |
| Hotel housekeeping | $2–5 per night |
These are starting points, not hard rules — exceptional service is often rewarded with more, and some venues (especially larger groups) add a mandatory service charge automatically.
How the Calculation Actually Works
A tip is simply a percentage of the bill: tip amount = bill × (tip percentage ÷ 100). The total you pay is the bill plus that tip. The one detail worth knowing: in most places it's customary to tip on the pre-tax subtotal, not the total after tax — though plenty of people round using the final total anyway for simplicity, and either is generally accepted.
Splitting the Bill Fairly
When a group is splitting a bill evenly, the fairest and simplest method is to calculate the tip and total first, then divide both by the number of people — rather than each person tipping individually on their own estimated share, which tends to under-tip once everyone rounds down.
Tipping Around the World
When (and Whether) to Adjust Your Tip
Exceptional service is a reasonable reason to tip above the standard range; genuinely poor service is a more personal judgment call — many etiquette guides still suggest tipping something rather than nothing, and addressing the service issue directly with management instead.
Step-by-Step: Calculate and Split a Tip
- Enter the bill amount
- Choose a tip percentage, or enter a custom one
- Enter the number of people splitting the bill
- See the tip amount, total bill, and the amount each person owes