What this calculates
Enter the food bill, any discount, the tax rate and an optional service charge, and the number of people, and this works out the bill total and what each person pays — rounded up to the next ₹1 or ₹10 if you like, with the extra that collects shown.
The formula
Food after discount
food = bill − bill × discount%Tax
tax = food × tax%Service charge (optional)
service = food × service charge%, with no tax on it
Each share
(food + tax + service) ÷ people, rounded up if you chooseIn India, GST is charged on the food only. A service charge is voluntary, and the Central Consumer Protection Authority's guidelines forbid charging GST on it.
Worked example
With no discount and a 10% service charge instead, the same ₹2,400 bill is ₹2,400 + ₹120 GST + ₹240 service = ₹2,760, or ₹690 each.
When to use it, and the mistakes to avoid
Use it at the end of a meal out, for a group order or a shared trip, or to check that a restaurant bill has been worked out correctly.
The mistakes that cost the most:
- Paying GST on the service charge. If a bill charges GST on food plus service charge, it breaks the CCPA guidelines — ask for it to be corrected.
- Accepting a service charge you did not agree to. It is voluntary; you can ask for it to be removed.
- Taking the discount off after tax. The discount comes off first, so GST is charged on less.
- Rounding down. 100 split three ways is ₹33.33 each, which leaves a paisa unpaid. Round up and the bill is always covered.
- Assuming 18% GST everywhere. Most restaurants charge 5%; 18% applies only in hotels with rooms over ₹7,500 a night.
FAQ
How do I split a restaurant bill with GST?
Take off any discount first, add GST on what is left, add a service charge only if you choose to pay one, then divide by the number of people. A ₹2,400 bill with 10% off is ₹2,160; 5% GST adds ₹108, for ₹2,268 in all, or ₹567 each between four.
What is the GST on a restaurant bill in India?
5% at most restaurants, without input tax credit. Restaurants inside hotels whose rooms cost more than ₹7,500 a night charge 18%. The September 2025 GST changes left these restaurant rates as they were, but check the rate printed on your bill.
Do I have to pay the service charge?
No. Under the Central Consumer Protection Authority's guidelines of July 2022, which the Delhi High Court upheld in March 2025, a service charge is voluntary. A restaurant cannot add it by default, cannot refuse you entry or service over it, and must tell you it is optional.
Can GST be charged on a service charge?
No. The same guidelines forbid adding the service charge to the food bill and charging GST on the total. GST applies to the food only - which is how this calculator works it out.
Is the discount taken off before or after GST?
Before. A discount shown on the bill lowers the value GST is charged on, so you pay tax only on what you actually pay for the food.
Why round each share up?
Because ₹567 is awkward to pay and ₹570 is not. Rounding up means the group always covers the bill; the few rupees extra can go to a tip or back to whoever paid. Choose 'Exact amount' to pay to the paisa instead.