When I need a tip amount quickly, I like a percentage chart because it lets me compare several choices without recalculating each one. I still check the receipt first, but once I know the amount I want to tip on, a chart makes the dollar differences obvious.
For U.S. sit-down restaurant service, Emily Post currently lists 15–20% of the pre-tax bill as a general reference. I include 10%, 15%, 18%, 20%, 22%, and 25% here because those are useful comparison points across different services and personal choices.
The chart I use most often
| Bill | 10% | 15% | 18% | 20% | 22% | 25% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $20 | $2.00 | $3.00 | $3.60 | $4.00 | $4.40 | $5.00 |
| $30 | $3.00 | $4.50 | $5.40 | $6.00 | $6.60 | $7.50 |
| $40 | $4.00 | $6.00 | $7.20 | $8.00 | $8.80 | $10.00 |
| $50 | $5.00 | $7.50 | $9.00 | $10.00 | $11.00 | $12.50 |
| $75 | $7.50 | $11.25 | $13.50 | $15.00 | $16.50 | $18.75 |
| $100 | $10.00 | $15.00 | $18.00 | $20.00 | $22.00 | $25.00 |
| $150 | $15.00 | $22.50 | $27.00 | $30.00 | $33.00 | $37.50 |
| $200 | $20.00 | $30.00 | $36.00 | $40.00 | $44.00 | $50.00 |
I use the table as a quick reference, then I switch to the Tip Calculator if the bill amount is not a round number.
How I estimate 10% and 20% mentally
Ten percent is the easiest shortcut: I move the decimal one place to the left.
For $68.40:
- 10% = $6.84
- 20% = $13.68
That gives me two anchors immediately.
If I am deciding between 18% and 20%, I calculate 20% first and subtract 2%. Two percent of $68.40 is $1.368, so 18% is about $12.31 after rounding to cents.
For an exact result, I use the 18% Tip Calculator.
How I get 15% without a calculator
I take 10% and add half of it.
For an $80 bill:
- 10% = $8
- 5% = $4
- 15% = $12
I find that faster than multiplying by 0.15 in my head.
For odd amounts, I still verify with the 15% Tip Calculator if I care about the exact cents.
Why 25% is easy to check
Twenty-five percent is one quarter of the amount.
On a $64 bill:
$64 ÷ 4 = $16
That makes 25% another useful sanity check. If a calculator tells me 25% of $64 is $21, I know something is wrong with the input.
The chart only works if I chose the right base
This is the part I do not skip. A perfect percentage chart can still give me the wrong answer for my intent if I use the wrong bill amount.
At a U.S. restaurant, I usually use the pre-tax subtotal when I am following the Emily Post reference. If I instead use the after-tax total, every percentage produces a slightly larger tip.
The Tip Before or After Tax? guide shows how I compare those two bases.
Service charges can make a simple chart misleading
If the receipt already includes an 18% automatic gratuity, a chart showing “20% = $20” does not tell me whether I should add that $20. It only tells me the math.
I first check the required charge, then I decide whether I want any additional voluntary amount.
That is why I keep the chart and the receipt check separate. I explain the difference in Service Charge vs. Tip.
How I compare rates on a real bill
Suppose my pre-tax subtotal is $86.50. The common comparisons are:
- 15% = $12.98
- 18% = $15.57
- 20% = $17.30
- 22% = $19.03
- 25% = $21.63
Now the difference between 18% and 20% is only $1.73. The difference between 15% and 25% is $8.65.
I like seeing that because percentages can sound much farther apart than the actual dollar amounts.
When I use a fixed percentage page
If I already know the rate I want, I use the dedicated page instead of scanning a chart:
Those pages are useful when I want the same rate applied to different bill amounts quickly.
My final check
Before I trust the number, I ask:
- Did I use the bill amount I actually intended?
- Is there a service charge already included?
- Am I calculating before tax or after tax?
- Does the result make sense compared with 10% or 20%?
The chart is a fast math tool. I use it after I have settled those questions, not before.
