When I am trying to answer how much should I tip, I do not start with a single percentage. I start with the receipt and the type of service. That prevents the mistake I see most often: applying a restaurant-style percentage to every situation, then missing a service charge that is already on the bill.
My order is simple. I identify the service, check for any mandatory charge, choose a reasonable reference range, and only then calculate the dollar amount. The Tip Calculator handles the arithmetic; this guide explains how I choose the input.
The quick reference I use first
For U.S. service situations, I use the Emily Post Institute as a baseline because it publishes clear category-by-category guidance. Its current general guide lists:
| Service | Reference I use |
|---|---|
| Sit-down restaurant wait service | 15–20% of the pre-tax bill |
| Buffet wait service | 10% of the pre-tax bill |
| Food delivery | 10–15% of the bill |
| Pizza delivery | $2–$5 depending on order size and difficulty |
| Bartender | $1–$2 per drink or 15–20% of the tab |
| Taxi driver | 15–20% of the fare |
| Hair salon | 15–20% |
| Manicurist | 15–20% |
| Facial, waxing, massage | 15–20% |
I treat those numbers as etiquette references, not fees. If the receipt already contains a required service charge or automatic gratuity, I stop and read that line before I add anything else.
What I check on a restaurant bill
At a sit-down restaurant, I usually look at the pre-tax subtotal first because Emily Post expresses its restaurant range as 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.
Suppose the subtotal is $75. I can see the common reference points quickly:
- 15% = $11.25
- 18% = $13.50
- 20% = $15.00
- 22% = $16.50
I then look lower on the receipt for words such as service charge, automatic gratuity, large-party charge, or hospitality fee. If one is present, I do not assume I should stack another 20% on top. I first work out what the required charge is and whether I want to leave any additional voluntary amount.
For a restaurant check, I use the Restaurant Tip Calculator because it keeps subtotal, tax, service charge, tip, and per-person split visible at the same time.
Delivery is where I separate the fee from the tip
For food delivery, I do not treat a delivery fee or platform service fee as proof that the driver received a tip. I keep those charges separate and then decide whether I want to add a voluntary amount.
Emily Post currently lists 10–15% of the bill for delivery and gives a separate $2–$5 reference for pizza delivery, depending on order size and difficulty. I use that as a starting point, then adjust my own choice for things that materially change the job: a very large order, difficult stairs, severe weather, or unusual distance.
If the order is $48 and I choose 15%, the math is $7.20. I enter the order subtotal in the Delivery Tip Calculator and keep the delivery fee in its own field so I can see exactly what I am adding.
At salons, I calculate from the service price
For hair and nail services, Emily Post lists 15–20%. My first practical question is what amount I want to use as the base: the service price I actually paid, or the regular value before a discount. There is no calculator rule that can make that etiquette choice for me, so I decide the base deliberately instead of letting the payment terminal decide it.
If more than one professional worked on the appointment, I also ask how tips are distributed. A stylist, colorist, and assistant may not all be paid the same way. I would rather know that before I split a tip myself.
For the arithmetic, I use the Hair Salon Tip Calculator or Nail Salon Tip Calculator.
Bars, taxis, and other cases are not all percentage problems
At a bar, the Emily Post reference is $1–$2 per drink or 15–20% of the tab. That is a good reminder that tipping is not always best thought of as one universal percentage.
For a taxi, the guide lists 15–20% of the fare. For some other services, a flat amount may make more sense than a percentage. When I see that kind of situation, I use the calculator only to compare amounts; I do not treat the percentage button as a rule.
How I handle tattoos
Tattoo tipping is less standardized than restaurant or salon tipping. Session prices, deposits, studio policies, custom drawing time, and multi-session projects can all change the context.
I therefore use the Tattoo Tip Calculator as a comparison tool. If a $250 session produces $37.50 at 15% and $50 at 20%, I can see the difference immediately, but I still decide whether either amount fits the situation.
The same principle applies to any service where published etiquette is inconsistent: I separate the math from the social judgment.
The service-charge check matters more than another percentage point
For U.S. federal tax purposes, the IRS distinguishes voluntary tips from mandatory service charges. That distinction is useful when I read a receipt because it reminds me not to collapse every extra line into the word “tip.”
If a restaurant automatically adds 18%, I ask a different question from “Should I tip 18% or 20%?” I ask, “What is this 18% charge, and do I want to add anything voluntarily after it?”
I explain that distinction in more detail in Service Charge vs. Tip.
Before tax or after tax?
When I want to follow the Emily Post restaurant convention literally, I calculate from the pre-tax subtotal. Some people prefer the after-tax total because that is the number they see at checkout.
On a $100 subtotal with $8 tax:
- 20% before tax = $20.00
- 20% after tax = $21.60
That $1.60 difference is not a mystery; it is simply 20% of the $8 tax. I use the Tip Calculator With Tax when I want both numbers side by side.
My practical sequence
When I need an answer quickly, this is the sequence I actually use:
- I identify the service category.
- I read the receipt for a mandatory service charge or automatic gratuity.
- I choose a reference percentage or flat amount that fits the service.
- I decide what amount I want to use as the calculation base.
- I calculate the dollar value.
- If other people are paying, I decide whether an equal split is fair.
If everyone spent about the same amount, I use the Split Bill Calculator. If the orders were very different, I use the Uneven Split Bill Calculator.
The part I want the calculator to solve is the arithmetic. The part I keep for myself is the decision about what I actually want to leave.
