Many restaurants include 18% as a suggested gratuity on receipts, especially for larger parties. It strikes a balance between rewarding good service and staying within a comfortable budget. Over time, 18% has become one of the most commonly selected tip percentages in the US.

For large groups of six or more, many restaurants automatically add an 18% gratuity to the bill. If auto-gratuity isn't applied, 18% is a reasonable minimum since serving large parties requires extra coordination. Consider tipping 20% or more if the server handled the group exceptionally well.

Calculate the total tip by multiplying the bill by 0.18, then divide that tip amount by two. Alternatively, each person can calculate 18% on their individual portion of the bill. This calculator handles the math automatically when you set the number of people to two.