Should I tip on the pre-tax or post-tax amount?

Convention in the United States is to tip on the pre-tax subtotal, though many people simply use the total. On a bill with 8 per cent sales tax, the difference is roughly one and a half per cent of the bill.

What if a service charge is already included?

Then no additional tip is expected. Adding one on top is a discretionary gesture for exceptional service, not an obligation, and in many countries it is unusual.

How much should I tip for delivery or a taxi?

In the United States, roughly 10 to 15 per cent for both, with a small minimum for short trips or cheap orders. Elsewhere rounding up to a convenient figure is the common practice.

Tip Calculator

Quick answer

Tip equals the bill multiplied by the tip percentage ÷ 100. On a $80 bill, 18% is $14.40 and the total is $94.40.

Tip and total

Bill amount

Tip (%)

Split between

Tip amount

14.40

Total to pay

94.40

Each person pays

47.20

Tip on the pre-tax subtotal where sales tax applies. If a service charge is already on the bill, no further tip is expected.

Tipping norms vary more between countries than almost any other social convention, and getting it wrong is awkward in both directions. In the United States a restaurant tip below 15 per cent reads as a complaint; in Japan leaving money on the table can cause genuine offence.

The arithmetic also has one wrinkle worth knowing: whether you tip on the pre-tax or post-tax amount. On a US bill with sales tax, tipping on the post-tax total quietly adds a percentage point or so to what you intended to give.

Customary rates by country

United States and Canada: 15 to 20 per cent in restaurants is standard, with 18 per cent a common default. Service charges are rare, so the tip is a real part of staff income.

Most of western Europe includes service in the price; rounding up or leaving 5 to 10 per cent for good service is normal rather than expected. In Japan and South Korea tipping is generally not practised at all, and in several countries a service charge already appearing on the bill replaces the tip entirely.

Splitting a bill without the awkwardness

Splitting the total evenly is simplest and usually fairest over repeated meals, even when one person ordered more on the night. Itemised splitting takes longer and tends to leave the tip under-covered because rounding goes downward.

If you split by item, calculate the tip on the full bill first and divide it separately. Applying each person's tip to their own items produces a total that is almost always short of what you intended.

Frequently asked questions

Should I tip on the pre-tax or post-tax amount?: Convention in the United States is to tip on the pre-tax subtotal, though many people simply use the total. On a bill with 8 per cent sales tax, the difference is roughly one and a half per cent of the bill.
What if a service charge is already included?: Then no additional tip is expected. Adding one on top is a discretionary gesture for exceptional service, not an obligation, and in many countries it is unusual.
How much should I tip for delivery or a taxi?: In the United States, roughly 10 to 15 per cent for both, with a small minimum for short trips or cheap orders. Elsewhere rounding up to a convenient figure is the common practice.

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Updated 2026-09-20 · all calculators. Results are estimates for guidance, not professional advice.