CalcKitThe check arrives, and for a moment everyone at the table does awkward mental math. In the US, tipping is not a legal requirement, but it is a strong social norm — servers depend on tips because the federal minimum wage for tipped workers is only $2.13 an hour. The current expectation at a full-service restaurant is 18–20% of the pre-tax bill for good service. Anything under 15% without a genuine service problem is considered poor etiquette.
The 18–20% rule, in plain terms
These are the percentages most US etiquette guides and servers agree on:
15% — the floor for acceptable service. This is the polite minimum when nothing was wrong but nothing impressed you either.
18–20% — the standard for good, competent service at a casual or mid-tier restaurant. This is your default.
20–25%+ — for attentive, exceptional service, or at finer-dining restaurants. If you are a regular at a place you love, tipping on the higher end is a common gesture.
10% or less — only when service was genuinely poor. Even then, it is worth speaking to a manager, because a bad kitchen or an understaffed shift is rarely the server's fault.
The quick math
The formula is simple: tip = bill (pre-tax) × tip percentage. For a $64 bill at 20%: $64 × 0.20 = $12.80, so you pay $76.80 total. A handy mental trick: move the decimal point one place left on the bill — $64 becomes $6.40 (10%) — then double it for 20% ($12.80). Want a different percentage? Try our free Tip Calculator — it also splits the bill fairly between everyone at the table.
Tip on the pre-tax amount
Calculate the tip on the subtotal before tax, not the final total. You are tipping for the service, not paying extra tax. In practice the difference is tiny — a few cents to under a dollar on a typical bill — and tipping on the post-tax total is also perfectly acceptable. Just know that card-terminal tip presets are sometimes pre-calculated on the post-tax amount, which inflates the real percentage slightly; if you want exactly 20% of the subtotal, override with a custom amount.
Delivery, takeout, buffets and bars
Different settings, different expectations. For restaurant delivery, 10–20% of the subtotal is typical, with a few dollars as a reasonable minimum — tip more in bad weather or for large orders. At a buffet, around 10% is customary since staff still clear plates and refill drinks. For takeout or counter service, tipping is optional — anything from 0–10% is appreciated. At a bar, $1–2 per drink or 15–20% of the tab is the usual rule.
Watch out for auto gratuity
For larger parties — often groups of 6 or 8 or more — restaurants commonly add an automatic gratuity, usually around 18%. This IS the tip, and the server receives it as such. Always read the bill before adding more, or you will double-tip. A "service charge" works the same way: if you see one on the receipt, the tip is already handled.
A note for international visitors
US tipping culture surprises many visitors because it works differently almost everywhere else. In Japan, tipping can confuse or even offend staff; in much of Europe, a service charge is already included in the menu price, so leaving extra is optional. In the US, though, the tip is a real part of the server's pay — treat 18–20% as part of the menu price in your head, and your bill will never hold a surprise.
Common tipping mistakes
The most frequent mistake is double-tipping when auto gratuity is already included. The second is trusting preset tip buttons on card terminals without noticing they are calculated on the post-tax total. And a quiet one: forgetting that alcohol is part of the bill you tip on — your server tips out the bar staff based on those sales, so skipping the tip on drinks stings twice.