How to split a restaurant bill with tax and tip
Splitting the check evenly is quick, but it is not fair when people ordered very differently. Here is how to do it properly, tax and tip included.
When an even split is fine
If everyone ordered about the same, or the group does not mind, divide the total (with tip) by the number of people and be done. For a mixed table, split by what each person had.
Split by item, share the tax and tip proportionally
Add up each person's own items. Items several people shared (an appetizer, a bottle of wine) are divided among the people who had them. Then tax and tip are split in proportion to what each person's items cost, so the person who ordered less pays less tax and tip too.
Example: Alex had a $18 meal, Sam had a $32 meal, and they shared a $10 appetizer. Tax is 8% and tip is 20% of the pre-tax subtotal.
| Person | Own items | Half the appetizer | Items total | With 8% tax and 20% tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex | $18.00 | $5.00 | $23.00 | $29.44 |
| Sam | $32.00 | $5.00 | $37.00 | $47.36 |
| Total | $50.00 | $10.00 | $60.00 | $76.80 |
Check: $60.00 of items + $4.80 tax + $12.00 tip = $76.80, which is exactly what the two shares add up to.
Practical tips
- Decide who pays the whole bill on the card, then everyone pays that person back.
- Tip on the pre-tax subtotal if you prefer; the proportional method works either way.
- Agree on a rule for shared drinks before the first round, not after the fifth.
- Round once at the end, not per person, so the shares add up to the exact total.
Do it in Settled. Start a quick split: it needs no account. Add the items, share the link, and everyone opens it, adds their name and taps what they had. Tax and tip are shared by what each person had, and the person who paid sees exactly who owes what.