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Bill & Tip Calculator

Split any bill between any number of people, add a tip by percentage or per-person amount, and see exactly how service charges affect your total.

BILL & TIP CALCULATOR

£
4 people

Step-by-step solution

Bill Breakdown
Each person pays
£–

Bill & Tip Calculator Explained

Core concepts, classroom applications, and plain-English explanations for all audiences.

When would you actually use this?

Every time you eat out with friends. Six people, one bill, some had starters and some didn't, the restaurant added 12.5% service — working out what everyone owes is genuinely useful maths you'll use for life.

Worked example

"A table of 4 has a £96 bill. The restaurant adds 12.5% service. How much does each person owe?"

Step 1: Service charge = £96 × 12.5% = £12.00

Step 2: Total = £96 + £12 = £108

Step 3: Per person = £108 ÷ 4 = £27.00

Result: £27 each

Quick mental maths: 10% of £96 = £9.60, then add a quarter of that for the extra 2.5% = £2.40. Service = £12.00. ✓

The double-tip trap

  • ✗ Don't add a tip on top of a service charge. If 12.5% service is included and you also tip 10%, you're paying 22.5% — and the tip may not reach your server.
  • → Discretionary service charge means you can ask for it to be removed if the service was poor. Compulsory charges cannot be removed.

The 10% mental maths shortcut

Move the decimal point one place left to get 10%. Double for 20%. Halve for 5%. On a £74 bill: 10% = £7.40, 20% = £14.80, 5% = £3.70. No calculator needed.

Good to know

Tipping & service charges explained

The 10% mental maths trick
Move the decimal point one place to the left — that's 10%. Double it for 20%. Halve it for 5%. No calculator needed.
Bill: £67.40
10% → £6.74
20% → £13.48
 5% → £3.37
Common mistake
The double-tip trap
If a 12.5% service charge is already on your bill and you add a 10% tip on top, you're paying 22.5% extra — and some won't reach your server. Always check what's included before tipping.
Meal £80 + SC 12.5% = £90
+ tip 10% of £80 = £8
Total extra: £18 (22.5%)
Service charge vs tip
A service charge is collected by the business and distributed however they choose — it may not reach your server at all. A direct tip (cash or marked on the card receipt) is far more likely to reach the person who served you.
Is service charge mandatory?
A discretionary service charge can be removed — just ask politely. A compulsory service charge (shown as a fixed fee) cannot. You're never obligated to pay a discretionary charge if the service was poor.
Splitting unequally
If people ordered very different things, split the food bill by what each person had — then divide the tip equally by percentage. The fairest tip is the same percentage for everyone, regardless of what they ordered.
Cover charges
Some restaurants add a fixed cover charge per person (bread, water, table cost). This is separate from a service charge. Enter your full bill total including cover charges — the calculator splits everything correctly.