How to Calculate a Tip and Split the Bill
At the end of a meal you need two numbers: the tip and each person's share. Both are easy with a couple of mental tricks.
Find 10% first
Move the decimal point one place left. On a bill of 84.50, 10% is 8.45.
Build any tip from 10%
- 15% is 10% plus half of 10%: 8.45 + 4.23 = 12.68.
- 20% is double the 10%: 16.90.
- 5% is half of 10%.
Exact formula
Tip = Bill × tip percentage ÷ 100
Total with a 15% tip: 84.50 + 12.68 = 97.18.
Splitting the bill
Divide the total by the number of people. For four people, 97.18 ÷ 4 = 24.30 each, rounded to the nearest cent.
Unequal shares
If one person ordered much less, split the food by item and share only the tip and tax by percentage, so everyone pays the same rate.
Check local custom
Some places include a service charge already. Look at the receipt before adding more.
A fast checklist
Check whether service is included, find 10% of the bill, build your tip from that, then divide the total. Round the per-person share up to a convenient number if you like, since the small extra becomes a slightly larger tip. Doing it before the card machine arrives keeps the table calm and avoids awkward arguments.
Tax is usually already on the receipt, and most people calculate the tip on the pre-tax subtotal. If only the total is shown, tipping on the total is fine and slightly more generous. Whichever you choose, use the same base for everyone at the table so the maths stays simple and nobody feels they paid more than their fair share.
Try it yourself
Use our free percentage calculator to check your numbers instantly.