How much to tip
Tipping norms are cultural, not mathematical, and they vary enormously. In the United States, where many service workers are paid a sub-minimum tipped wage, gratuity is effectively part of the wage rather than a bonus:
- Restaurants with table service — 15% is the low end, 18–20% standard, 25%+ for exceptional service.
- Bars — $1–2 per drink, or 15–20% on a tab.
- Delivery — 10–15%, with a $3–5 minimum regardless of order size.
- Taxis and rideshare — 10–15%.
- Hairdressers and personal services — 15–20%.
Elsewhere the picture is different. Much of Europe includes service in the price and rounding up is enough. Japan, South Korea and China generally do not tip at all, and it can be actively awkward. In Australia and New Zealand, tipping is genuinely optional.
Before or after tax?
Etiquette guides generally say to tip on the pre-tax subtotal, on the reasonable grounds that the server did not provide the sales tax. In practice, most people tip on the total because it is easier and the difference is small — on an $85 bill with 8% tax, tipping 20% pre-tax versus post-tax is about $1.36.
Enter your tax rate above if you want the pre-tax calculation done properly.
Tipping outside restaurants
Restaurant tipping is well understood. The rest of it is where people freeze, so here is a plain reference for the United States, where tipping is effectively part of the wage rather than a bonus.
| Service | Customary | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Table service | 18–20% | 15% is the low end |
| Counter service | 0–10% | Optional; the prompt screen is not an obligation |
| Bar | $1–2 a drink | Or 15–20% on a tab |
| Food delivery | 10–15% | $3–5 minimum regardless of order size |
| Taxi / rideshare | 10–15% | |
| Hairdresser | 15–20% | Tip the person who did the work |
| Hotel housekeeping | $2–5 a night | Leave it daily — staff rotate |
| Hotel porter | $1–2 a bag | |
| Movers | $20–40 each | For a full day |
On tip prompts at payment terminals: the suggested percentages are often calculated on the post-tax total and start high by design. They are a default, not a rule, and the custom-amount button always exists.
Travelling, the safest approach is to check the local norm before you arrive. Over-tipping in Japan can cause genuine awkwardness; under-tipping in the US takes money directly from someone’s pay.
Mental shortcuts and splitting fairly
- 20% — move the decimal one place left and double it. $84.50 → $8.45 → $16.90.
- 15% — 10% plus half of 10%. $8.45 + $4.23 = $12.68.
- 18% — 20% minus a tenth of that. Close enough at any table.
On splitting: an even split is fastest and usually fine, but it quietly overcharges the person who had a salad and water. If the gap is large, splitting by item and applying the same tip percentage to each person's subtotal is fairer. Watch for an automatic gratuity — commonly 18–20% for parties of six or more — already printed on the bill, so you do not tip twice.