Tax & Tip Calculator for Restaurant Bills
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.
Quick answer: To calculate tax and tip, multiply the pre-tax bill by the sales tax rate, then multiply the pre-tax bill by your tip percentage (usually 18–20%). Add bill + tax + tip for the total.
How to Calculate Tax and Tip
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.
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.
Step 3: Choose a tip percentage
In the United States the standard tip for full-service dining is 18–20% of the pre-tax subtotal: 15% for acceptable service, 18% for good service, 20% for very good service, and 22–25% for exceptional service or fine dining.
Step 4: Split the total
Add the subtotal, tax and tip 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 and each of two people pays $63.
Worked Examples
- Solo lunch: $24.00 bill, 7% tax ($1.68), 18% tip ($4.32) = $30.00 total.
- Dinner for two: $85.00 bill, 8% tax ($6.80), 20% tip ($17.00) = $108.80 total, $54.40 per person.
- Group with auto-gratuity: $300.00 bill, 6.5% tax ($19.50), 20% auto-gratuity ($60.00) = $379.50 total, $63.25 per person.
US Sales Tax Reference Table
Use this table to estimate the state portion of sales tax. Local taxes may add 1–5% on top. Rates last checked on 2026-07-26.
| State | State rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama (AL) | 4% | State rate only; local taxes can add up to 7.5% more. |
| Alaska (AK) | 0% | No state sales tax; some local jurisdictions tax. |
| Arizona (AZ) | 5.6% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 5.3% more. |
| Arkansas (AR) | 6.5% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 5.125% more. |
| California (CA) | 7.25% | State rate includes 1.25% mandatory local; total local can exceed 10%. |
| Colorado (CO) | 2.9% | Low state rate; local taxes can add significantly in cities. |
| Connecticut (CT) | 6.35% | No local sales tax; restaurant meals are taxed at 6.35%. |
| Delaware (DE) | 0% | No state or local sales tax. |
| Florida (FL) | 6% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 2.5% more. |
| Georgia (GA) | 4% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 5% more. |
| Hawaii (HI) | 4% | General Excise Tax (GET), not a traditional sales tax; local 0.5% may apply. |
| Idaho (ID) | 6% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 3% more. |
| Illinois (IL) | 6.25% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 5.25% more. |
| Indiana (IN) | 7% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 3% more. |
| Iowa (IA) | 6% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 1% more. |
| Kansas (KS) | 6.5% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 4% more. |
| Kentucky (KY) | 6% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 2.75% more. |
| Louisiana (LA) | 4.45% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 7% more. |
| Maine (ME) | 5.5% | State rate; prepared meals may be taxed at 8% in some locales. |
| Maryland (MD) | 6% | State rate; no local sales tax. |
| Massachusetts (MA) | 6.25% | State rate; no local sales tax. |
| Michigan (MI) | 6% | State rate; no local sales tax. |
| Minnesota (MN) | 6.875% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 2.15% more. |
| Mississippi (MS) | 7% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 1% more. |
| Missouri (MO) | 4.225% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 5.763% more. |
| Montana (MT) | 0% | No state or local sales tax. |
| Nebraska (NE) | 5.5% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 2.5% more. |
| Nevada (NV) | 6.85% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 1.415% more. |
| New Hampshire (NH) | 0% | No state sales tax; meals tax of 8.5% applies at restaurants. |
| New Jersey (NJ) | 6.625% | State rate; no local sales tax. |
| New Mexico (NM) | 5% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 4.3125% more. |
| New York (NY) | 4% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 4.875% more. |
| North Carolina (NC) | 4.75% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 2.75% more. |
| North Dakota (ND) | 5% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 3.5% more. |
| Ohio (OH) | 5.75% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 2.25% more. |
| Oklahoma (OK) | 4.5% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 7% more. |
| Oregon (OR) | 0% | No state or local sales tax. |
| Pennsylvania (PA) | 6% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 2% more. |
| Rhode Island (RI) | 7% | State rate; no local sales tax. |
| South Carolina (SC) | 6% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 3% more. |
| South Dakota (SD) | 4.5% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 4.5% more. |
| Tennessee (TN) | 7% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 2.75% more. |
| Texas (TX) | 6.25% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 2% more. |
| Utah (UT) | 4.85% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 2.1% more. |
| Vermont (VT) | 6% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 1% more. |
| Virginia (VA) | 5.3% | Includes 1% mandatory local; actual rate varies by locality. |
| Washington (WA) | 6.5% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 4.1% more. |
| West Virginia (WV) | 6% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 1% more. |
| Wisconsin (WI) | 5% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 0.6% more. |
| Wyoming (WY) | 4% | State rate; local taxes can add up to 2% more. |
| District of Columbia (DC) | 6% | No local sales tax on top of DC rate. |
Should You Tip Before or After Tax?
The accepted etiquette in the United States is to tip on the pre-tax subtotal. On a $100 bill with 8% tax, a 20% pre-tax tip is $20.00 while a 20% post-tax tip is $21.60.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Tipping on the post-tax total without realizing it.
- Forgetting an automatic gratuity and double-tipping.
- Rounding the tip before adding tax.
- Using a state rate when your receipt shows a higher local rate.
- Splitting only the subtotal instead of tax and tip too.
Related Situations
Travelling north? Use our Canada tip calculator with provincial GST/HST/PST rates. For groups with very different orders, see the bill splitting guide.
Sources
- State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2026 — Tax Foundation (2026)
- State Tax Rates — Federation of Tax Administrators (2026)
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you calculate tax and tip on a restaurant bill?
Multiply the pre-tax bill by the tax rate to get the tax amount. Then multiply the pre-tax bill by your tip percentage (usually 18–20%) to get the tip. Add the bill, tax, and tip together for the total. For example, on a $100 bill with 8% tax and 18% tip: tax is $8, tip is $18, and total is $126.
Do you calculate tip before or after tax?
Standard US practice is to calculate tip on the pre-tax subtotal. Tipping on the post-tax total means you are tipping on the government’s sales tax, which slightly increases your tip. The difference is usually small—about $1–3 on a typical restaurant bill—but pre-tax is the widely accepted etiquette.
What is a good tip percentage at a restaurant?
18–20% is the standard range for good service at full-service restaurants in the United States. 15% is the minimum for adequate service, 18% is typical, 20% is common for very good service, and 22–25% is reserved for exceptional or fine-dining service.
What is the average sales tax at US restaurants?
State-level sales tax rates range from 0% (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon) to over 7% (California, Indiana, Mississippi, Rhode Island, Tennessee). Local taxes can add another 1–5%, so the actual rate on your receipt is often higher than the state rate alone. Always use the rate printed on your receipt.
How do you split a bill with tax and tip?
Calculate the total bill including tax and tip, then divide by the number of people. For equal splits, use the total. For itemized splits, each person pays their share of the subtotal plus the same tax and tip percentage on their share. Use a tax and tip calculator to avoid math errors.
Should I tip more if the restaurant automatically adds gratuity?
No. If the check already includes an automatic gratuity—usually 18–20% for parties of 6 or more—you do not need to add another tip unless the service was truly exceptional. Double-check the receipt before adding anything extra.
How do you calculate tip in your head?
Move the decimal point one place to the left to get 10% of the bill. Double it for 20%, add half of it for 15%, or multiply by 1.8 for 18%. For example, 10% of $60 is $6, so 20% is $12, 15% is $9, and 18% is $10.80.
Is this tax and tip calculator free?
Yes. SnapTipCalc’s tax and tip calculator is completely free, runs in your browser, requires no signup, and does not store any personal or billing data.