Tax & Tip Calculator for Restaurant Bills

Last updated July 26, 2026 · Reviewed by SnapTipCalc Editorial

Use this free tax and tip calculator to figure out the total cost of any restaurant bill in the United States. Select your state for a quick sales tax estimate, choose a tip percentage, and see how much each person pays when you split the check.

How to Calculate Tax and Tip

Whether you are splitting a dinner check or just want to know what you owe, calculating tax and tip takes four steps. Follow them below or use the calculator above for instant results.

Step 1: Start with the pre-tax bill

Look at your receipt and find the subtotal—the amount before sales tax is added. This is the base you should use for both tax and tip calculations. If your receipt only shows a total, you can reverse the tax by dividing the total by (1 + tax rate/100).

Step 2: Calculate the sales tax

Multiply the pre-tax bill by the sales tax rate. For example, on a $100 bill with 8% sales tax, the tax is $100 × 0.08 = $8.00. The bill with tax is now $108.00.

Sales tax rates vary widely by state and even by city. The calculator above lets you pick a state to auto-fill a common rate, but for an exact answer you should use the rate printed on your receipt. If you are dining in a state with no sales tax—such as Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, Delaware, or Alaska—your tax amount will be $0.

Step 3: Choose a tip percentage

In the United States, the standard tip for full-service restaurant dining is 18–20% of the pre-tax subtotal. Use the guide below to decide:

• 15% — Minimum for acceptable service
• 18% — Standard for good service
• 20% — Common for very good service
• 22–25% — For exceptional service or fine dining

Multiply the pre-tax bill by your chosen percentage. On a $100 bill, 18% is $18.00. If you choose to tip on the post-tax total, the tip would be $108 × 0.18 = $19.44 instead.

Step 4: Split the total

Add the subtotal, tax, and tip together to get the final total. Then divide by the number of people paying. For a $100 bill with $8 tax and $18 tip, the total is $126. Split two ways, each person pays $63.

If people ordered items of very different value, use an itemized split instead: each person pays for their own items plus their share of tax and tip. Our bill splitting guide explains both methods in detail.

Worked Examples

Here are three realistic restaurant scenarios so you can see the math in action.

Example 1: Solo lunch

Bill: $24.00 | Tax: 7% | Tip: 18% | Split: 1 person

• Tax: $24.00 × 0.07 = $1.68
• Tip: $24.00 × 0.18 = $4.32
• Total: $30.00

Example 2: Dinner for two

Bill: $85.00 | Tax: 8% | Tip: 20% | Split: 2 people

• Tax: $85.00 × 0.08 = $6.80
• Tip: $85.00 × 0.20 = $17.00
• Total: $108.80
• Per person: $54.40

Example 3: Group dinner with auto-gratuity

Bill: $300.00 | Tax: 6.5% | Auto-gratuity: 20% | Split: 6 people

• Tax: $300.00 × 0.065 = $19.50
• Auto-gratuity already covers the tip: $60.00
• Total: $379.50
• Per person: $63.25

Because the restaurant added an automatic gratuity, you do not need to leave an extra tip unless the service was exceptional.

US Sales Tax Reference Table

Use this table to quickly estimate the state portion of sales tax. Remember that local taxes may add 1–5% on top of these rates, so the final rate on your receipt may be higher. We last checked these rates on 2026-07-26.

States marked 0% have no state sales tax. Some still have local taxes or special meals taxes (for example, New Hampshire has an 8.5% meals tax at restaurants). Always verify with your receipt.

Should You Tip Before or After Tax?

The accepted etiquette in the United States is to tip on the pre-tax subtotal. The tax is a government charge, not payment for service, so tipping on it means you are paying a percentage on money that does not go to the restaurant staff.

On a typical bill, the difference is small. For a $100 bill with 8% tax, tipping 20% on the pre-tax total gives a $20 tip. Tipping 20% on the post-tax total gives a $21.60 tip. Over many meals, however, that adds up.

Some people prefer to tip on the post-tax total for simplicity. There is no strict rule, but if you want to follow standard US etiquette, tip before tax. The calculator above lets you toggle between the two modes so you can see the exact difference.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Tipping on the post-tax total without realizing it. Check whether your mental math used the pre-tax or post-tax amount.
• Forgetting automatic gratuity. Large parties often have 18–20% added automatically. Do not double-tip.
• Rounding errors. Rounding the tip before adding tax can throw off the total by a few cents. Calculate each piece separately.
• Using the wrong tax rate. City and county taxes can change your total. Use the receipt rate when possible.
• Not splitting tax and tip fairly. In a group, everyone should pay the same percentage of tax and tip on their share, not just split the subtotal.

Related Situations

This calculator works for any US restaurant bill. If you are traveling to Canada, use our Canada tip calculator with provincial GST/HST/PST rates. For groups with very different orders, see our bill splitting guide for equal, proportional, and itemized methods.