10%
Poor service
15%
Acceptable
18%
Good service
20%
Great service
25%+
Exceptional
Tip Amount
???
???
Total Bill
???
bill + tip
Per Person
???
???
Round up for a cleaner split?
What each person owes
Tipping Guide by Service Type
Restaurants & Bars
- Sit-down restaurant: 18%???20% is the current US standard for good service. 15% for acceptable, 25%+ for exceptional. Tip on the pre-tax amount.
- Bar tab: $1???$2 per drink for simple orders, 15%???20% for complex cocktails or attentive service.
- Buffet: 10% is customary ??? servers still refill drinks and clear plates.
- Counter/fast casual: No obligation, but 10%???15% is appreciated if there's a tip screen.
- Food delivery: 15%???20% of the order total, with a minimum of $3???$5 for small orders.
Other Service Industries
- Hair salon / barbershop: 15%???20% to the person who cuts your hair; 10% to assistants who shampoo.
- Taxi / rideshare: 10%???15% for Uber/Lyft, 15%???20% for traditional taxis.
- Hotel housekeeping: $2???$5 per night, left daily (different staff may clean each day).
- Valet parking: $2???$5 when retrieving your car.
- Movers: $20???$50 per mover for a local move; more for long-distance or heavy loads.
- Tattoo artist: 15%???20% ??? tip in cash when possible.
When Gratuity Is Already Included
Many restaurants automatically add an 18%???20% service charge for groups of 6 or more. Always check your bill before adding an additional tip. The line marked "gratuity" or "service charge" is the mandatory tip ??? the additional "tip" line is truly optional in these cases.
Tip on Pre-Tax or Post-Tax?
Etiquette varies ??? tipping on the pre-tax subtotal is technically correct and what this calculator uses by default. In practice, the difference is small: on a $100 bill with 8% tax, tipping 20% on pre-tax ($20) vs post-tax ($21.60) is a $1.60 difference. Many people simply tip on the post-tax total for mental simplicity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 20% now the standard tip at restaurants?
20% has become the de facto standard for good service at sit-down restaurants in the US as of the mid-2010s, up from 15% a generation ago. The shift happened partly due to tablet payment systems that default to suggesting 20%???25%???30%. That said, 18% is still widely considered acceptable for good service, and 15% is appropriate if service was merely satisfactory. The important thing is tipping something ??? servers in most US states earn a sub-minimum "tipped wage" and rely on gratuities for most of their income.
How do I split a bill when people ordered different amounts?
Use the "Custom split" mode above ??? enter each person's name and their individual subtotal and the calculator figures out each person's proportional share of the tip plus their food total. This is fairer than even splitting when there's a big disparity in what people ordered. Alternatively, for smaller differences it's often easier socially to split evenly and call it square ??? the math friction usually costs more in goodwill than the dollar difference.
Should I tip on alcohol?
Yes ??? the standard restaurant tip percentage applies to the full bill including drinks. Alcohol is often a high-margin item for restaurants but servers still need to carry, pour, and track those orders. The exception might be an open bar at a wedding or event where a gratuity is typically built into the event contract ??? check with the host or venue.
What happens if I don't tip?
In the US, tipping is culturally expected in most service contexts. Servers typically earn a federal tipped minimum wage of $2.13/hour (though many states have higher minimums), with the expectation that tips bring total compensation to at least the regular minimum wage ??? with the employer responsible for making up the difference if they don't. Leaving no tip on a restaurant bill effectively means the server worked your table for $2.13/hour. In other countries (Japan, Australia, parts of Europe) service charges are included in menu prices and tipping is not expected or may even be considered rude.