Tipping norms vary a lot by country and by type of service, so there's no single "correct" percentage — but in the US, the most common benchmarks for sit-down restaurants are 15% for adequate service, 18–20% for good service, and 20%+ for exceptional service. Counter service, delivery, and bars typically run lower (0–15%), while some full-service contexts (large groups, holidays) may expect more.
Outside the US, tipping is often smaller or built into the bill already — many European countries include a service charge, and in parts of Asia, tipping can even be considered unusual or mildly awkward. If you're traveling, it's worth a quick check on local norms before assuming US-style tipping applies.
United States and Canada: Tipping is expected and often factors into service workers' actual wages, especially in restaurants where the base hourly wage can be legally lower for tipped positions. 15-20% is standard for sit-down service.
United Kingdom and much of Western Europe: A "service charge" of around 10-12.5% is frequently already added to the bill (check before tipping again on top of it). Where it isn't included, rounding up or leaving 5-10% is common but far less obligatory than in the US.
Japan and South Korea: Tipping is not customary and can occasionally come across as confusing or even mildly rude — excellent service is considered a standard part of the job, not something requiring extra payment.
Australia and New Zealand: Service staff are paid a full living wage by law, so tipping is optional and appreciated for great service rather than expected as income.
This calculator's default split divides the tip and total evenly, which is fine when everyone ordered similarly. But if one person had a $15 salad and another had a $40 steak plus drinks, an even split shortchanges the higher spender and overcharges the lighter one. For a fairer split by item:
1. Add up each person's own subtotal from the receipt. 2. Apply the same tip percentage to each person's individual subtotal, not the group total. 3. Each person pays their own subtotal plus their own tip share. This takes a bit more arithmetic than an even split, but it's the fairest method when order sizes vary significantly — and it avoids the awkward group-chat conversation about who owes what.
Most etiquette guides suggest tipping on the pre-tax subtotal, though many people simply tip on the total for convenience — the difference is usually small. This calculator uses whatever bill amount you enter, so enter the pre-tax subtotal if you want to be precise.
This calculator splits both the tip and total evenly across the group, which works well when everyone ordered roughly similar amounts. For itemized splitting, calculate each person's subtotal separately, then apply the same tip percentage to each individually.
Yes — tipping is meant to reflect service quality, and reducing a tip for genuinely poor service (not just food you didn't like) is broadly considered acceptable. Many people still leave a small tip (10% or so) rather than nothing, since a very low or zero tip is typically reserved for serious issues.
Delivery drivers are commonly tipped 10–20% or a flat $3–5 for smaller orders, since delivery pay often depends heavily on tips. Straightforward takeout/counter pickup is more optional and often lower, if tipped at all.
No — in countries like Japan, South Korea, and much of East Asia, tipping isn't expected and can occasionally cause confusion for the staff. When traveling, it's worth researching local norms before your trip rather than assuming your home country's tipping culture applies everywhere.
An even split works fine for similar orders, but for larger gaps, calculate each person's own subtotal from the receipt, apply the same tip percentage to each individually, and have each person pay their own subtotal plus their own tip share — rather than splitting one combined total evenly.