Tip Calculator
Bill, tip percent, people — total and the per-person split, live.
How this is calculated
tip = bill × percent ÷ 100 · per person = (bill + tip) ÷ people
Worked example: a R480 bill with a 10% tip split four ways → tip R48, total R528, R132 each. Nudge the percent and watch the per-person number — landing it on a round figure is the fastest way to settle a table.
Tipping customs vary more than visitors expect
There is no universal rate, and applying your home convention abroad reliably causes awkwardness in one direction or the other. In the United States, 18–20% is normal in restaurants and staff wages are legally allowed to depend on it. In South Africa, 10–15% is standard and car guards are usually given small change. Across much of Europe, service is frequently included and rounding up is sufficient. In Japan, tipping can be received as mildly insulting. In Australia and New Zealand it is genuinely optional, since wages do not assume it.
The rule of thumb when travelling: check whether service is already on the bill before adding anything, because in several countries a service charge and a tip on top means paying twice.
Tip on the pre-tax or post-tax total?
Convention says the pre-tax amount, since tax is not part of the service. In practice most people tip on the total, and on a 15% VAT that difference is about 2% of the bill — small enough that it is not worth an argument, and worth knowing when you are splitting carefully. A service charge already added to the bill should be deducted before calculating any additional tip.
Splitting a bill fairly
Splitting equally is fastest and quietly penalises whoever ate least, which becomes a real amount when one person had a starter and water while another had three courses and wine. Splitting by item is fairer and slower. A middle path that works well in practice: split shared items equally, assign individual items to individuals, then apportion the tip in the same proportions as the food rather than equally — the tip should follow the bill.
Where one person pays and others transfer, calculate before anyone leaves. Reconstructing a bill from memory the following day is how friendships acquire small permanent debts.
Doing it in your head
10% is a decimal-point shift. Half of that is 5%. So 15% is "shift the point, add half again" — on R240, that is R24 plus R12 = R36. For 20%, shift the point and double. For 18%, take 20% and subtract a tenth of it. These are quick enough that a phone is rarely necessary, which matters when the bill arrives and the table is waiting.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I tip?
In South Africa 10% is standard and 15% generous; in the US 18–20% is expected for table service; much of Europe rounds up or adds 5–10%; Japan tips nothing at all. The quick buttons cover the common percentages, and the field takes any value.
Do I tip on the amount before or after VAT?
Convention (and kindness) is the full bill you were presented, including VAT — that is also what everyone at the table can see. If you prefer to tip on the pre-VAT amount, strip it first with the VAT calculator and enter that.
How does the split work?
Bill plus tip, divided by the number of people, rounded to the cent. For friendlier round numbers, nudge the tip percent until the per-person figure lands on something clean — the live update makes that a two-second game.
Is a service charge the same as a tip?
No — a service charge is added by the restaurant (common for large tables) and usually replaces the tip. Check the bill first: if 10–15% service is already included, the tip field can go to zero without guilt.