Server Tip-Out Calculator
Enter tonight’s tips, set tip-outs by percent or fixed dollars, and see what you owe — and what you keep.
Calculator
Results
Enter total tips earned tonight to see tip-outs.
| Role | Tip-out |
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How it works
- Enter the tips you made on the shift.
- Add each person or role you tip out, with a percent or a fixed amount.
- Results update as you type — tip-out owed and what you keep.
A tip-out is the share of tips you give to support staff (bar, bussers, hosts, and so on). House rules vary by restaurant, so treat this as a quick estimate — not legal or payroll advice.
Tip-outs are different from the tip percentage you leave as a guest. This tool is for servers and bartenders splitting tips after the shift.
What is a tip-out, and how is it calculated?
A tip-out is the part of your tips that you share with the coworkers who helped you through the shift. Guests usually tip the server or bartender who looked after them, but a smooth table depends on a whole team: the bartender who made the drinks, the busser who reset the table, the host who paced the room and the runner who brought hot food out. Most restaurants have a house policy that says which roles get a share and how much. Tip Out Calc turns that policy into dollar amounts in a few seconds.
Percent of tips vs fixed dollar amounts
The calculator supports the two most common ways tip-outs are written. In percent of tips mode, each role gets a percentage of the tips you earned, so their share rises and falls with your night. In fixed dollar amounts mode, each role gets a set amount, such as $10 to the busser, no matter how much you made. Some restaurants mix both, and that is fine: convert every share to dollars and use fixed mode.
A quick worked example
Say you made $240 in tips and your policy is 5% to the bar, 3% to the busser and 2% to the host. The bar gets $12.00, the busser gets $7.20 and the host gets $4.80. Your total tip-out is $24.00, and your take-home is $216.00. Those are the default percentages already filled in above, so you can type 240 into the tips box to see the same result.
What if my tip-out is based on sales?
Many restaurants calculate tip-outs from your sales instead of your tips, for example 1% of total sales to the bar. Work out the dollar amount first (1% of $1,500 in sales is $15), then enter it in fixed mode. Our guide to tipping out on sales vs tips explains why the base makes such a big difference.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using the wrong base. 3% of your tips and 3% of your sales can be very different amounts.
- Forgetting a role. Check the policy for every role you owe, including any kitchen or expo share.
- Leaving out cash tips. Find out whether your policy includes cash tips as well as card tips.
- Not keeping a record. A quick note of your tips and tip-outs each shift makes it easy to spot a night that looks wrong.
Learn more
New to tip-outs? Start with how much servers usually tip out, see typical tip-outs by role, follow the step-by-step calculation guide, learn the difference between a tip pool and a tip-out, or read our tip-out etiquette tips for servers and bartenders. All of them are in the Guides section.