Tip 18–20% of the pre-tax bill for good table service at a US restaurant, 15% for adequate service, and 10% or less only when the service was genuinely poor. On an $85 bill, 18% is a $15.30 tip and a $100.30 total. This guide explains the standard rates and when to go above or below them.
The rules are simpler than they look: one standard range covers almost every sit-down meal in the United States, and the exceptions are easy to learn. Once you know the range and the two or three situations that move you inside it, you will never stare at a receipt again.
If you want the number without doing the arithmetic, a free tip calculator works it out for any bill, percentage and party size in one tap.
What Is the Standard Tip at a Restaurant in the US?
The standard tip for table service at a sit-down restaurant in the United States is 15–20% of the pre-tax bill. That range has been the norm for years, and it is the figure waiters, restaurant owners and etiquette guides all agree on. Inside that range, 18% has become the most common default — it is the middle suggestion on most card machines — while 20% is the amount regulars and generous diners most often choose for good service.
A percentage scales with the work involved: a $120 dinner usually means more courses, more refills and more time at the table than a $40 lunch, and the tip grows with it.
One important detail: the percentage applies to the pre-tax amount, not the total printed at the bottom of the receipt. Sales tax is money that goes to the state, not to the restaurant or the server, so tipping on it inflates the tip for no reason. On a typical bill the difference is small — a dollar or two — but it is the technically correct base, and it is the base every worked example in this post uses.
How Much to Tip by Service Quality
The 15–20% range is a sliding scale — where you land should match the service you received:
| Service level | Tip | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Outstanding | 22–25% | Flawless service, special requests handled, large party managed smoothly |
| Good | 20% | Attentive, friendly, food on time, drinks refilled without asking |
| Standard | 18% | Solid, professional service with nothing wrong |
| Adequate | 15% | Slow or inattentive, but nothing seriously wrong |
| Poor | 10% | Rude, long unexplained waits, wrong orders not fixed |
| Unacceptable | 1–5% or speak to a manager | Truly bad service — but never zero without saying why |
The scale bottoms out at 10%, not zero: in most states servers are paid a lower tipped minimum wage, so a zero tip is a message, not a saving — if the service was bad enough to justify it, tell the manager too. And notice how narrow the normal range is: on an $85 bill, the gap between “adequate” (15%, $12.75) and “good” (20%, $17.00) is only $4.25.
Worked Example: Tipping on an $85 Bill
Take a typical dinner for two — an $85.00 bill before tax. Here is what each tip level costs:
| Tip rate | Tip amount | Total to pay |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $8.50 | $93.50 |
| 15% | $12.75 | $97.75 |
| 18% | $15.30 | $100.30 |
| 20% | $17.00 | $102.00 |
| 25% | $21.25 | $106.25 |
The example most people remember is the middle one: $85.00 at 18% gives a tip of $15.30 and a total of $100.30. And if that dinner was split four ways, each person pays $25.08 — $100.30 divided by 4 is $25.075, which rounds to $25.08. At 20%, the same bill gives a $17.00 tip and a $102.00 total, or $25.50 per person for four.
Two things stand out. First, the gap between 18% and 20% is only $1.70 on this bill — if the service was good, the extra $1.70 is the cheapest goodwill you will ever buy. Second, real bills rarely land on round totals, so the mental tricks in our guide to how to calculate a tip matter more than memorizing a table. The method never changes: a $60 lunch at 20% is a $12.00 tip and a $72.00 total, and a $120 dinner at 15% is an $18.00 tip and a $138.00 total.
Do You Tip on Tax or the Total?
Tip on the pre-tax subtotal. The receipt usually shows the subtotal, the tax, and then the total — tip on the first number. The reason is simple: the tax is not part of the meal’s price, and the server did not serve it.
In practice, most people tip on the total because it is the number at the bottom of the receipt — it just costs a little more. On an $85 bill with 8% sales tax, the tax is $6.80 and the total is $91.80, so tipping 18% on the total costs an extra $1.22. A how much to tip tool expects the pre-tax figure, so enter the subtotal there too. The same logic applies to discounts: tip on the original price, not the discounted one — if a $100 meal was discounted to $70, tip on $100.
When to Tip More Than 20%
Some situations call for going above the standard range:
Large parties. Many restaurants add an automatic 18–20% gratuity for parties of 6 or 8+. Check the receipt before adding a tip on top of one; if none was added, tip at the top of the range — a big table is the hardest service in the room.
Holidays and bad weather. Tipping 25% on Christmas Eve or during a snowstorm is a small gesture that means a lot to the staff who showed up.
Complicated orders. Split checks, heavy modifications, allergies handled carefully, a birthday setup — if the server did extra work, the tip should reflect it.
Regular spots. Tipping 20–25% consistently at a place you visit weekly buys you the best table and the fastest service — an investment, not an expense.
Takeout from a sit-down restaurant. 10–15% is the norm — someone took the order, checked it and bagged it. Counter-service takeout is different; a dollar or two in the jar is plenty.
When It Is OK to Tip Less
Tipping less is justified when the service, not the food, was the problem. A kitchen mistake the server fixed quickly is not a reason to cut the tip — that is the kitchen’s fault. These are the real reasons to drop below 15%:
- Long waits with no explanation and no apology
- Rudeness or an argumentative attitude
- Wrong orders that were never corrected
- Empty drinks and no check-ins for most of the meal
Even then, 10% is the floor, and the honest move is to tell the manager what went wrong — a reduced tip with no explanation teaches nobody anything. One thing never justifies a low tip: a slow night when the restaurant is clearly understaffed. That is the owner’s problem, not the server’s.
Tipping at Buffets, Bars and Counter Service
The 15–20% rule is for table service. Other formats have their own norms:
Buffets: 10% is standard, since you serve yourself — 15% if the server clears plates and refills drinks promptly.
Bars: $1–2 per drink, or 15–20% of the tab. A $40 tab at 20% is an $8.00 tip — and bartenders remember generous tippers faster than anyone.
Counter service and fast food: no tip is expected. A dollar in the jar is optional and nobody tracks it — the same applies to coffee shops.
Food delivery: that is a separate question with its own answer — see our guide to how much to tip for food delivery.
How to Split the Tip Fairly
If the bill is being shared, work out the tip on the whole bill first, then split the total — never tip on each person’s share separately, because rounding errors leave someone short. On our $85 example: tip 18% on the full $85, get $100.30, and four people pay $25.08 each. For the full method, including itemized splits, read how to split the bill. Agree on the split method before ordering, not after the bill arrives — “even split” and “pay for what you ordered” are both fair, and the argument only starts when two people assumed different ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should you tip at a restaurant in the US?
Tip 15–20% of the pre-tax bill for table service. 18% is the most common default for solid service, 20% for good service, and 15% for adequate service. On an $85 bill, 18% is a $15.30 tip and a $100.30 total.
Is 15% tip rude?
No — 15% is the low end of the standard range, not an insult. It is right for adequate but unremarkable service; it only reads as a complaint when the service was clearly good, in which case 18–20% is expected.
Do you tip on tax or the total?
Tip on the pre-tax subtotal. Sales tax goes to the state, not the server. Tipping on the total is common and harmless — it just costs a dollar or two more.
How much do you tip on an $85 bill?
At 18%, the tip is $15.30 and the total is $100.30; at 20%, the tip is $17.00 and the total is $102.00. Split four ways, the 18% total comes to $25.08 per person.
Should you tip 20% on takeout?
No — 10–15% is the norm for takeout from a sit-down restaurant, and nothing is expected at a counter. Someone packed and checked your order, which deserves something, but it is not full table service.
What if the restaurant already added a gratuity?
Do not tip twice. Large parties often get an automatic 18–20% gratuity printed on the receipt — check the bill first. You can still add a few dollars for exceptional service, but the base tip is already paid.
Try It Yourself
Enter your bill into a free tip calculator and it shows the tip and total at 15%, 18% and 20% side by side, plus the per-person split. To learn the mental shortcuts, read how to calculate a tip — the move-the-decimal trick gives you 10% instantly. And if the bill is being shared, how to split the bill covers even splits, itemized splits and the tax-plus-tip order. For who else expects a tip in the US, see tipping etiquette in the US.