What next?
A tip is one line on a shared bill.
How to use this calculator
- Enter the bill amount.
- Choose a tip percentage, or switch to Cash tip to enter a rounded figure and see what percentage it works out to.
- Set how many are splitting and read each share.
Watch it in action
A £60 bill split two ways — setting the tip percentage and reading each person’s share.
Recorded from this page, not a mock-up. The steps below say the same thing in words.
What your result means
The result is each person’s share of the bill plus tip. Tipping norms vary by country and service, so adjust the percentage to local custom rather than assuming one rate fits everywhere.
Why this one is different
The tip can be entered either as a percentage or as a flat cash amount, and the bill splits across any number of people — so the output is the per-person figure the table actually needs. The page also covers how tipping practice differs by country, which is the part that causes the arguments.
Why tipping customs can ruin a great meal
Nothing sours the end of dinner like fumbling the tip — especially abroad, where 20% is expected in one country and mildly insulting in another. Tipping is as much etiquette as arithmetic.
Splitting a bill fairly between friends is another quiet flashpoint. Sorting both in seconds means the evening ends on the meal, not the maths.
How it works
The tip is a percentage of the bill, added on top. The total is then divided equally by the number of people. Tipping customs vary by country — in the UK 10–15% is common when service isn't already included, while parts of the US expect 15–20%.
Formula
total = bill + tip
each = total ÷ people
The tip is a percentage of the bill before the tip is added, never of the running total — tipping on a total that already includes a tip quietly compounds it. Where a service charge already appears on the bill, that is the tip; anything you add on top is a second one.
Worked example
A £60 bill, 12.5% service, split between 2 people:
Total = £60 + £7.50 = £67.50
Each = £67.50 ÷ 2 = £33.75
Splitting after the tip rather than before means everyone pays the same share of the service, which is the convention almost everywhere. Rounding the per-person figure up to the nearest pound is the usual way to settle the pennies.
Frequently asked questions
Should I tip on the pre- or post-tax total?＋
Either is fine; many people tip on the pre-tax amount. Enter whichever bill figure you prefer to base the tip on.
What if service is already included?＋
Then set the tip to 0% — you've already paid it. An extra tip is optional for exceptional service.
How much is customary in different countries?＋
Practice varies widely: 15 to 20 percent is expected in US restaurants, around 10 to 12.5 percent is common in the UK where service has not been added, and in Japan tipping is generally not practised at all.
How do I work out 15 percent in my head?＋
Take 10 percent by moving the decimal point, halve it to get 5 percent, and add the two. On a 46 pound bill that is 4.60 plus 2.30, so 6.90.
Does the tip go to the server?＋
Not always. Tipping policies differ between venues, and card tips may be pooled or subject to deductions. In the UK, recent legislation requires tips to be passed on to staff in full.
Should I tip on delivery or takeaway?＋
There is no fixed rule. Many people tip delivery drivers a fixed amount rather than a percentage, since the effort is the same regardless of the order value.
Related calculators
Assumptions & limitations
Tipping is a social convention, so the maths is the easy part.
- Tip is calculated on the bill total you enter. If that total already includes a service charge, you will be tipping on top of one.
- Some countries and restaurants calculate service on the food subtotal only, excluding drinks and tax.
- Customary rates vary enormously by country — from tipping being expected at 18–22% to being actively unwelcome — so treat any default percentage as a starting point, not a rule.
- Per-person shares are rounded to the nearest penny; the rounded shares may not sum exactly to the rounded total.
Sources & references
Tipping norms and service-charge rules referenced on this page:
- Department for Business & Trade — code of practice on tips, gratuities and service charges
- Citizens Advice — what tips and service charges you are entitled to, under the Tipping Act