20%
20% tip calculator
The easiest one to do in your head, and the one most people default to.
$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 trick
20% is 10% doubled, and 10% is the decimal point moved one place to the left. That is the entire method, and it is why 20% became the default: it is the percentage you can do at the table without thinking.
A $84.20 check: 10% is $8.42, so 20% is $16.84 and the total is $101.04. A $67 check: 10% is $6.70, so 20% is $13.40. It works on any number, including awkward ones.
20% on common checks
| Check | Tip | Total |
|---|---|---|
| $10 | $2.00 | $12.00 |
| $15 | $3.00 | $18.00 |
| $20 | $4.00 | $24.00 |
| $25 | $5.00 | $30.00 |
| $30 | $6.00 | $36.00 |
| $40 | $8.00 | $48.00 |
| $50 | $10.00 | $60.00 |
| $60 | $12.00 | $72.00 |
| $75 | $15.00 | $90.00 |
| $100 | $20.00 | $120.00 |
| $125 | $25.00 | $150.00 |
| $150 | $30.00 | $180.00 |
| $200 | $40.00 | $240.00 |
| $250 | $50.00 | $300.00 |
When people move off 20%
Upwards for a small check — 20% of a $12 breakfast is $2.40, and many people round to $3 or more on the grounds that the work was not proportional to the price. Upwards for a long table, a difficult order, or a bartender who kept a busy room moving.
Downwards where a service charge is already on the check, where the norm is different (much of Europe and Japan among them), and for counter service where there was no table to wait. None of this is settled etiquette, which is why the calculator lets you type any number rather than insisting on this one.
Splitting it
Set the head count above and the per-person total appears. If the split does not divide evenly the calculator says who pays the extra cent rather than rounding everybody up and collecting more than the check.
Common questions
- How do you calculate a 20% tip?
- Move the decimal point one place left to get 10%, then double it. On $84.20 that is $8.42, so the tip is $16.84.
- Is 20% a standard tip?
- It is the most common default in US sit-down restaurants, but it is a norm rather than a rule. Plenty of people leave more or less depending on the service, the country and the situation.
- Is 20% before or after tax?
- Either. Pre-tax is the stricter reading, post-tax is simpler and slightly more generous. The difference on an average check is around a dollar.