How do we split the bill?
Type the bill, the tax and the tip, and choose an even split or a split by what each person ordered. The split calculator shows what each person pays and the total.
- Total to pay
- $141.60
The total is $141.60. Each of 4 pays $35.40.
- Who pays what
- Each of 4 pays $35.40
- Each person pays
- $35.40
- Bill before tax and tip
- $120.00
- Tip
- $21.60
- Tax
- $0.00
Total to pay: $141.60. The total is $141.60. Each of 4 pays $35.40.
How to calculate
Splits a restaurant bill with tax and tip evenly between people, or by what each person ordered with shared dishes split evenly and tax and tip in proportion.
Example with the default inputs (Split Evenly, Bill before tax and tip $120.00, People 4, Tip 18%, Round each share Exact): The total is $141.60. Each of 4 pays $35.40.
Method: Tip = tip % × bill before tax; each share = own food (+ shared ÷ people) × (1 + tip %) + tax × own food ÷ total food; total = sum of shares.
- The tip is on the bill before tax. Shared dishes are split evenly; tax and tip follow each person’s food.
- Each share is rounded to the cent for display, so the shown shares can differ from the total by a cent.
Worked examples
Each example is checked against the calculator on every build.
- Split Evenly, Bill before tax and tip $120.00, People 4, Tax $9.60, Tip 18%, Round each share Exact gives Tip $21.60, Total to pay $151.20, Each person pays $37.80, Who pays what Each of 4 pays $37.80.Source: OpenStax, Prealgebra 2e, §6.2 Solve General Applications of Percent (tip and tax as a percent of an amount). https://openstax.org/books/prealgebra-2e/pages/6-2-solve-general-applications-of-percent
- Split By what each ordered, What each person ordered 25; 32.5; 18, Shared dishes $12.00, Tax $7.00, Tip 20%, Round each share Exact gives Bill before tax and tip $87.50, Total to pay $112.00, Tip $17.50, Who pays what Person 1: $37.12; Person 2: $46.72; Person 3: $28.16.Source: OpenStax, Prealgebra 2e, §6.2 Solve General Applications of Percent (tip and tax as a percent of an amount). https://openstax.org/books/prealgebra-2e/pages/6-2-solve-general-applications-of-percent
- Split Evenly, Bill before tax and tip $85.40, People 3, Tip 20%, Round each share Up to a whole dollar gives Each person pays $35.00, Total to pay $105.00, Tip $19.60.Source: OpenStax, Prealgebra 2e, §6.2 Solve General Applications of Percent (tip and tax as a percent of an amount). https://openstax.org/books/prealgebra-2e/pages/6-2-solve-general-applications-of-percent
How it works
Write t for the tip percent ÷ 100 and T for the tax in dollars.
Even split among n people with a bill (before tax and tip) B:
- Each person's food = B ÷ n.
- Each share = B ÷ n × (1 + t) + T ÷ n.
By what each ordered, with person k's own food o_k, shared dishes S and n people (rows):
- Person k's food f_k = o_k + S ÷ n; all the food F = the sum of f_k.
- Person k's share = f_k × (1 + t) + T × f_k ÷ F. When F = 0 the tax part is 0, and tax with no food has no answer.
Both: with rounding up, each share is raised to the next whole dollar. Total = the sum of the shares; tip = total − food − tax (the tip % of the food plus any rounding up).
Every step is an exact fraction of the amounts you type; each share and total is rounded once to the cent (half up) for display.
Assumptions
- The tip is a percent of the bill before tax, from 0% to 100%. Tax is an amount in dollars (empty means none).
- Amounts from $0 to $10,000,000; 1 to 100 people for an even split; 1 to 30 people for a split by orders.
Worked examples by hand
$120, $9.60 tax, 18% tip, four ways. Tip 120 × 0.18 = $21.60; total 120 + 9.60 + 21.60 = $151.20; $37.80 each.
Three people, $12 of shared starters, $7 tax, 20% tip. Own orders $25, $32.50 and $18, plus $4 of starters each: food $29, $36.50, $22, all $87.50. Person 1: 29 × 1.2 + 7 × 29 ÷ 87.50 = 34.80 + 2.32 = $37.12; person 2: 43.80 + 2.92 = $46.72; person 3: 26.40 + 1.76 = $28.16. Total $112, tip $17.50.
$85.40, 20% tip, three ways, rounded up. 85.40 × 1.2 ÷ 3 = 34.16, up to $35 each; total $105; tip 105 − 85.40 = $19.60.
Other questions people ask
How do I split a bill evenly with tip?
Add the tip (tip % × the bill before tax) and the tax to the bill, then divide by the number of people. A $120 bill with $9.60 tax and an 18% tip is 120 + 9.60 + 21.60 = $151.20, or $37.80 each for four people.
How do I split a bill by what each person ordered?
Give each person their own food plus an even part of any shared dishes. Then add their part of the tip (the tip % of their food) and of the tax (the tax × their food ÷ all the food). The shares add up to the whole bill.
Why is the tax split in proportion?
Tax is charged on the food, so a person who ordered more pays more of it. Someone with $29 of a $87.50 bill pays 29 ÷ 87.50 of the tax: $2.32 of $7.
Should the tip be on the bill before or after tax?
This calculator tips on the bill before tax, which is the usual custom. To tip on the amount after tax, raise the tip percent a little.
What does rounding up do?
Each share goes up to the next whole dollar, and the extra is added to the tip. Three shares of $34.16 become $35 each, so the tip grows from $17.08 to $19.60.
Why do the shares not add up to the total exactly?
Each share is shown to the cent, so a split such as $100 three ways shows $33.33 each. The total is exact; one person can pay the leftover cent.