Tip Calculator
Work out a tip in pounds and split the bill between up to 20 people. Pick 10%, 12.5% or another rate, or type your own, and see the tip, the total and what each person pays, to the penny.
How to work out a tip
Multiply the bill by the tip rate, then divide by 100. A 10% tip on a £50 bill is £5. For 12.5%, work out 10% and add a quarter of it again: on £50 that is £5 + £1.25 = £6.25.
Check the bill for a service charge first
Some UK restaurants add a discretionary service charge to the bill, for example for larger groups or at branches in expensive areas such as central London. Which? found these charges ranged from 10% to 12.5%, depending on the restaurant chain. If one is on your bill, you have already tipped.
A service charge is optional when the restaurant makes clear that it is discretionary and you have no obligation to pay it, for example by calling it "discretionary" or "optional" on the menu or bill. You do not have to pay it, and you can ask for it to be taken off. A compulsory service charge is different: you have to pay it.
How much to tip in the UK
- Restaurants: most people who tip leave 10% to 12.5% of the bill.
- Bars and cafés: fewer people tip every time. 15% of people said they had tipped bar or café staff every time over the past year, against 28% for restaurant staff.
- Anywhere: a tip is your choice, so leave what you think the service was worth.
The figures come from a Which? survey of 2,134 UK adults in January 2025.
Where your tip goes
In England, Scotland and Wales, the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 has applied since 1 October 2024. Employers must pass on all the tips and service charges they receive or control to their workers, without deductions apart from limited cases such as income tax. They must share them out fairly and pay them by the end of the month after the month the customer paid.
A cash tip that a worker receives and keeps, with no involvement from the employer, falls outside these rules and stays with that worker.
Splitting the bill
Divide the total, including the tip, by the number of people. The calculator does this for you, to the penny. When the total does not divide exactly, it shows how many people pay a penny more, so the shares always add up to the total: £100 split three ways is £33.33 for two people and £33.34 for one.
Rounding up
Turn on "Round up total" and the total goes up to the next whole pound. The extra pence count as tip, which makes paying in cash easier. The calculator rounds the tip to the nearest penny, so the bill and the tip always add up to the total.
Worked example: £64.80 split three ways
Three friends share a £64.80 bill with no service charge on it and leave a 12.5% tip.
- Tip: £64.80 × 12.5 ÷ 100 = £8.10
- Total: £64.80 + £8.10 = £72.90
- Each person pays: £72.90 ÷ 3 = £24.30
- Each person's share of the tip: £8.10 ÷ 3 = £2.70
With "Round up total" turned on, the total becomes £73.00 and the tip £8.20. £73.00 does not divide exactly by 3, so two people pay £24.33 and one pays £24.34, which adds up to £73.00.
Type 64.80, pick 12.5% and move the slider to 3 people to see the same answer.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I tip in a UK restaurant?
Most people who tip in UK restaurants leave 10% to 12.5% of the bill, according to a Which? survey of 2,134 UK adults in January 2025. Check the bill first: if a service charge is already on it, you have already tipped.
Do I have to pay a service charge?
Not if it is discretionary or optional. You do not have to pay it, and you can ask for it to be taken off the bill. A compulsory service charge is different: you have to pay it.
Do staff get the tips and service charges?
In England, Scotland and Wales, yes. Since 1 October 2024 the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 has required employers to pass on all the tips and service charges they receive or control to their workers, without deductions apart from limited cases such as income tax.
How do I split a bill with a tip?
Add the tip to the bill, then divide the total by the number of people. For a £64.80 bill with a 12.5% tip, the total is £72.90, so three people pay £24.30 each. If the total does not divide exactly, some people pay a penny more: £100 split three ways is £33.33, £33.33 and £33.34.
How do I work out 12.5% in my head?
Work out 10%, then add a quarter of that. On a £40 bill, 10% is £4 and a quarter of £4 is £1, so 12.5% is £5.
Related guide and tools
Read how to split a restaurant bill fairly, including what to do when people ordered different things. For other sums, try the Percentage Calculator, the Discount Calculator or the VAT Calculator, or browse all financial tools.
UK tipping facts checked on 26 September 2026. Sources: the GOV.UK code of practice on distributing tips, the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023, HMRC's guidance on tips and service charges and Which?.