18%
18% tip calculator
The one that turns up pre-printed on large-party checks.
$0.00
$0.00 tip
| Tip | Amount | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 15% | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 18% | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 20% | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 22% | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 25% | $0.00 | $0.00 |
The shortcut
18% is 20% minus a tenth of itself. Work out 20% the easy way — decimal point left, then double — and knock 10% off that. On a $84.20 check: $16.84 less $1.68 is $15.16.
The other route is 15% plus a fifth of the 5% step, which is more arithmetic than anyone wants at a table. Use the first one.
18% on common checks
| Check | Tip | Total |
|---|---|---|
| $10 | $1.80 | $11.80 |
| $15 | $2.70 | $17.70 |
| $20 | $3.60 | $23.60 |
| $25 | $4.50 | $29.50 |
| $30 | $5.40 | $35.40 |
| $40 | $7.20 | $47.20 |
| $50 | $9.00 | $59.00 |
| $60 | $10.80 | $70.80 |
| $75 | $13.50 | $88.50 |
| $100 | $18.00 | $118.00 |
| $125 | $22.50 | $147.50 |
| $150 | $27.00 | $177.00 |
| $200 | $36.00 | $236.00 |
| $250 | $45.00 | $295.00 |
Why you see 18% on receipts
Most restaurants that add an automatic gratuity to large parties set it at 18% or 20%, and 18% is the more common of the two. If it is already on the check, it is the tip — anything you write on the tip line is on top of it. That catches people out often enough that it is worth reading the check before signing.
Whether a service charge reaches the staff who served you is a separate question, and the answer varies by restaurant and by jurisdiction. A service charge is not legally a tip in many places, which is precisely why some people add something on top anyway.
18% as a considered choice
Away from large parties, 18% tends to be a deliberate landing point: a bit under the 20% default, comfortably above the older 15% norm. It is a perfectly ordinary tip and nobody counts. Type any number you like into the calculator above — the buttons are a convenience, not a menu of approved answers.
Common questions
- How do you calculate an 18% tip?
- Take 20% and subtract a tenth of it. On $84.20, 20% is $16.84 and a tenth of that is $1.68, so 18% is $15.16.
- Why is automatic gratuity often 18%?
- Large-party service charges are commonly set at 18% or 20%. 18% is the more conservative of the two and is the figure many restaurants print on the check for parties of six or more.
- Does the 18% service charge go to the server?
- It depends on the restaurant. A service charge is legally the house's money in many places and how it is distributed varies. The check rarely says, and asking is reasonable.