How to Calculate a Tip and Split a Bill
Tipping and splitting a bill takes three small steps: find the tip, add it to the bill, and divide by the number of people. Here is how to do each on a calculator.
Step 1: Calculate the tip
A tip is a percentage of the bill. Multiply the bill by the tip rate divided by 100.
Example: The bill is 80 and you want to tip 15%. Type 80 × 15 % =. The tip is 12.
Step 2: Add the tip to the bill
Type 80 + 15 % =. The % key turns 15 into 15% of 80 before adding, so the total is 92.
Step 3: Split it
Divide the total by the number of people. With four people: 92 ÷ 4 = gives 23 each.
Quick reference
| Tip rate | Multiply the bill by | On a bill of 100 |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | 0.10 | 10 tip, 110 total |
| 15% | 0.15 | 15 tip, 115 total |
| 18% | 0.18 | 18 tip, 118 total |
| 20% | 0.20 | 20 tip, 120 total |
Mental shortcut
To estimate a 15% tip, find 10% by moving the decimal point one place left, then add half of that. For 80: 10% is 8, half of 8 is 4, so 15% is 12.
Is tax included?
Check whether you tip on the pre-tax amount or the total. Customs differ by country and restaurant. Some places add a service charge automatically, so look at the receipt before you add a tip.
Splitting unevenly
When people ordered different amounts, open one calculator window per person. Enter each person’s items, add the same percentage for the tip, and compare the totals side by side.
See how to calculate percentages for more examples.