How to Split a Restaurant Bill with Tax and Tip
Assign each item to the people who consumed it, divide shared dishes, and allocate tax and tip in proportion to each person's item subtotal. This is more accurate than dividing the final total equally.
The proportional formula
Calculate each person's item subtotal. Divide that amount by the check's item subtotal to get the person's share percentage, then multiply the percentage by the final total:
person's total = (person's items ÷ item subtotal) × grand total
Because the grand total already contains tax and tip, this method allocates both in the same proportion as the food and drinks.
Worked example
Two people order $40 and $60 of items. The item subtotal is $100, and the total after tax and tip is $120. The first person ordered 40% of the items and pays $48. The second ordered 60% and pays $72. Together, the shares equal the $120 final bill.
Handle shared dishes first
Divide a shared item among only the people who had it, then add those partial amounts to their individual subtotals. A $24 appetizer shared by three people adds $8 to each person's item subtotal before tax and tip are allocated.
Check service charges and rounding
Confirm whether the restaurant included gratuity or a service charge before adding a tip. Round only final per-person totals; rounding every intermediate step can leave the group a few cents over or under. Assign any remaining cent deterministically so the shares exactly match the receipt.
Skip the manual calculation with the free itemized restaurant bill splitter. Enter each person's items, the receipt subtotal, and the final total to get a transparent breakdown.