How to Split a Bill and Calculate the Tip
The bill arrives, and suddenly everyone's staring at their phone calculator. Splitting a bill and working out a tip shouldn't be stressful — it's quick arithmetic once you know the order of operations. Here's how to do it smoothly, whether you're solo or in a big group.
Step 1: Decide the tip percentage
Tipping norms vary by country and service, but in the US 15–20% is standard for good restaurant service; many places tip less or not at all elsewhere. Pick your percentage first, before you touch the maths.
Step 2: Calculate the tip
Multiply the bill by the tip percentage as a decimal. On an $85 bill at 18%:
85 × 0.18 = $15.30 tip
A fast mental trick: 10% of the bill is just the number with the decimal moved one place ($8.50). Halve that for 5% ($4.25), and add them for 15% ($12.75). Adjust up or down from there.
Step 3: Add it to the total
85 + 15.30 = $100.30 total
Step 4: Split between people
Divide the total by the number of diners. Four people sharing that $100.30:
100.30 ÷ 4 = $25.08 each
Tip on the pre-tax or post-tax amount?
Strictly, a tip is for the service, so tipping on the pre-tax subtotal is perfectly reasonable. In practice many people tip on the total for simplicity — the difference is usually small. Either is fine; just be consistent so the group agrees.
Handling uneven splits
If one person had the lobster and another had a salad, an even split isn't fair. The clean approach: everyone covers their own item, then each adds the same tip percentage and a proportional share of tax. It takes a moment longer but keeps things friendly.
Let the calculator settle it
Our free tip calculator works out the tip, total, and per-person amount in one go — no awkward table maths, no one feeling short-changed. (The underlying skill is just percentages; brush up with our percentage guide.)
Bottom line
Tip equals bill times percentage; total is bill plus tip; per-person is total divided by heads. Use the move-the-decimal trick for quick mental tips, split uneven orders by item, and let a calculator handle the rest so the evening stays about the company, not the arithmetic.
