How Much to Tip in Different Countries, and How to Work It Out

How much should you tip in different countries?

Customs differ more than most travellers expect, and they change. The table below uses each place's official tourism guide where one exists, checked in October 2026; the sources are linked underneath. A service charge on the bill takes the place of a tip. It covers sit-down restaurants, which is where the question comes up most.

United States. NYC Tourism, New York City's official guide, says 18–20% of the total bill is standard for table service and that "staff may look askance at anything less than 15 percent" unless the service was awful. It also suggests at least 1 US dollar a drink for bartenders (or 18–20% on a card tab), 15–20% for taxis and ride-share apps, and 5–10% for takeaway. It is a custom, not a law.

United Kingdom. Visit London says 10–15% is usual in restaurants when no service charge is added, that restaurants often add a service charge (usually 12.5%), especially for large groups, and that people generally do not tip in pubs and bars. For taxis, most people round up to the nearest pound.

Japan. The Japan National Tourism Organization says it is not common to tip in bars, cafés, restaurants, taxis and hotels. A private guide used to overseas visitors may accept a tip; if you give one, the custom is to put it in an envelope and hand it over discreetly.

Singapore. VisitSingapore says tipping is not customary, though you are encouraged to tip for good service. Many bills already carry a service charge and the 9% GST, so read the bill before adding anything.

Australia. As The Guardian reported in October 2026, tipping has not historically been part of Australian culture, though card machines and apps now often prompt for one.

Everywhere else: look for the country's official tourism site, and look at the bill. In many countries a service charge or a "service included" note is the clearest guide you will get.

How do you calculate a tip?

Multiply the bill by the tip percentage and divide by 100, then add the tip to the bill.

Tip = bill × tip % ÷ 100

1. Find the amount the tip is based on: usually the bill before tax (see below).
2. Multiply it by the percentage and divide by 100.
3. Add the tip, and any tax, to get the total.
4. If you are splitting, divide the total by the number of people.

For a bill of 64 and a 15% tip: 64 × 15 ÷ 100 = 9.60, so the total is 73.60.

To do it in your head, find 10% by moving the decimal point one place left (64 becomes 6.40). Half of that again gives 15% (9.60); double it for 20% (12.80).

The tip calculator does all four steps at once. Enter the bill, any tax shown separately, the tip percentage and the number of people; it shows the tip, the total, each person's share and how much of each share is tip.

Worked examples: New York, London and a group split

A New York dinner with sales tax. The bill is 100 before tax. New York City's sales tax is 8.875% (NYC Tourism), so the tax line is 8.875. A 20% tip on the pre-tax bill is 20, making the total 128.875, or 128.88. Two people pay 64.44 each.

A London meal with a service charge. The food comes to 80 and the bill adds a 12.5% service charge of 10, so you pay 90. That service charge is the tip; Visit London says there is no need to add another.

Splitting and rounding up. Three friends share a bill of 47 and want to leave 10%. The exact total is 51.70, or 17.23 each. If each person rounds up to a whole 18, the total becomes 54 and the tip becomes 7, an effective tip of about 14.9%. The calculator's "Round each share" switch shows that effective tip, so nobody overpays by accident.

Should you tip on the bill before or after tax?

Whether you tip on the bill before or after tax is a local habit rather than a rule, and a card machine may work out its suggested tips on the total with tax. The difference is small but real.

Where menu prices already include tax, there is no separate tax line, so the question does not arise: enter 0 for tax and work the tip out on the bill. Where tax is added at the end, as in the US, enter it on its own line.

What is a service charge, and do you tip on top of it?

A service charge is an amount the restaurant adds to the bill for service, usually as a percentage. In most places it does the same job as a tip: Visit London says outright that a service charge or gratuity is the same as a tip.

In the US the same idea appears as an automatic gratuity, which NYC Tourism says many restaurants add for parties of about 6 or more, usually at 18 or 20%. It is normally mentioned when you book or on the menu.

So, before you tip:

• Read the bill for "service charge", "gratuity", "service included" or a percentage line.
• If it is there, you have tipped. Add more only if you want to reward exceptional service.
• If it is not there, use the local custom from the table above.

What about tip prompts on card machines and apps?

Card terminals and apps increasingly suggest a tip, often as preset buttons such as 15, 18 and 20%. NYC Tourism notes that you can choose a preset, enter your own amount or choose no tip. A prompt on a screen is not the same as a local custom: in Australia, for example, the prompts have spread even though tipping has not traditionally been expected.

Two things to check before you tap:

• Whether the suggested percentage is worked out on the bill with tax, which makes it a little larger.
• Whether a service charge is already on the bill, in which case the prompt would add a second tip.

Common mistakes when tipping abroad

• Tipping twice. Missing a service charge or automatic gratuity on the bill, then adding a tip on top.
• Bringing one country's custom to another. A 20% tip is normal in New York, unusual in London and not expected in Tokyo.
• Tipping on the wrong amount. A suggested tip worked out on the total with tax is slightly more than the same percentage of the food.
• Rounding without checking. Rounding every share up can turn a 10% tip into nearly 15% on a small bill.
• Converting in your head. If you are paying in another currency, a currency converter shows what the tip is worth to you. For a group that pays for different things, the split expenses calculator settles who owes whom.