Tipping: the full table
The table gives the tip and the total for common bills at the four rates people actually use. If you would rather not look it up, the mental method below gets you within a few cents in about two seconds.
Open the tip calculator →Tip and total by bill size
| Bill | 15% tip / total | 18% tip / total | 20% tip / total |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00 | $2.25 / $17.25 | — | $3.00 / $18.00 |
| $20.00 | $3.00 / $23.00 | — | $4.00 / $24.00 |
| $25.00 | $3.75 / $28.75 | $4.50 / $29.50 | $5.00 / $30.00 |
| $30.00 | $4.50 / $34.50 | — | $6.00 / $36.00 |
| $35.00 | $5.25 / $40.25 | — | $7.00 / $42.00 |
| $40.00 | $6.00 / $46.00 | — | $8.00 / $48.00 |
| $45.00 | $6.75 / $51.75 | — | $9.00 / $54.00 |
| $50.00 | $7.50 / $57.50 | $9.00 / $59.00 | $10.00 / $60.00 |
| $60.00 | $9.00 / $69.00 | — | $12.00 / $72.00 |
| $75.00 | $11.25 / $86.25 | — | $15.00 / $90.00 |
| $80.00 | $12.00 / $92.00 | — | $16.00 / $96.00 |
| $100.00 | $15.00 / $115.00 | $18.00 / $118.00 | $20.00 / $120.00 |
| $125.00 | $18.75 / $143.75 | — | $25.00 / $150.00 |
| $150.00 | $22.50 / $172.50 | — | $30.00 / $180.00 |
| $200.00 | $30.00 / $230.00 | $36.00 / $236.00 | $40.00 / $240.00 |
| $250.00 | $37.50 / $287.50 | — | $50.00 / $300.00 |
| $300.00 | — | $54.00 / $354.00 | $60.00 / $360.00 |
| $500.00 | — | $90.00 / $590.00 | $100.00 / $600.00 |
Doing it in your head
Move the decimal point one place left — that is 10%. Half it again for 5%. From those two you can build the rest: 15% is 10% plus 5%, 20% is 10% doubled, 25% is 20% plus 5%.
On a $47 bill: 10% is $4.70, 5% is $2.35, so 15% is about $7.05 and 20% is $9.40. Rounding up to the nearest dollar is normal and nobody minds.
Tip on the pre-tax total
Convention in the US is to tip on the bill before sales tax. Tipping on the post-tax figure adds roughly 1.5–2% depending on the state — not enormous, but it is why two people can compute "20%" and get different answers from the same receipt.
Card terminals that suggest tip amounts usually calculate on the post-tax total, and sometimes on the total including a service charge that has already been added.
What the rates mean
In US table service, 18–20% is the current normal for adequate-to-good service, 15% reads as a mild complaint, and 25% or more marks something genuinely good. Counter service, where a terminal asks before you have been served anything, carries no comparable expectation.
This is specific to the US. Much of Europe includes service and rounding up is sufficient; in Japan tipping can cause awkwardness. None of the arithmetic changes — only what number you decide to use.
Splitting a bill
Tip on the whole bill, then divide, rather than each person tipping their own share and adding those up. The two agree mathematically but the second invites rounding drift, and it is where a group total ends up short.
Common questions
Should I tip on the pre-tax or post-tax total?
Pre-tax is the convention in the US. Post-tax adds roughly 1.5–2% depending on the state.
What is a standard tip now?
18–20% for US table service. 15% reads as a mild complaint; 25% marks genuinely good service.
How do I calculate 20% quickly?
Move the decimal one place left for 10%, then double it. A $60 bill: 10% is $6.00, so 20% is $12.00.