Free tool
Tip pooling calculator
Type the total tips for the shift, take an optional tip-out off the top, then split what is left by hours, by points times hours, by points alone, or equally. Every payout shows its math, the column is checked to the cent, and the sheet prints with a space for initials. Nothing to sign up for.
Each person’s share is their hours divided by everyone’s hours. Points are ignored.
Who worked
The roster is saved in this browser only. Next shift, open the page and update the hours.
Tip-out sheet
Split: By hours worked
| Name | Role | Hours | Points | Share | Payout | Received (initials) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ana6 h ÷ 21 h = 28.6% | Server | 6 | 2 | 28.6% | $205.72 | |
| Ben6 h ÷ 21 h = 28.6% | Server | 6 | 2 | 28.6% | $205.71 | |
| Chris5 h ÷ 21 h = 23.8% | Busser | 5 | 1 | 23.8% | $171.43 | |
| Dee4 h ÷ 21 h = 19.0% | Host | 4 | 1 | 19.0% | $137.14 |
- Total tips
- $800.00
- Tip-out to Bar (10%)
- −$80.00
- Pool to split
- $720.00
- Payouts add up to
- $720.00
Matches the pool to the cent. Rounding: 2 leftover cent(s) went to the largest share(s).
Not legal, tax or payroll advice. In the US, the FLSA and state rules decide who may share a tip pool — managers and supervisors generally may not — and whether card fees may be deducted. Check the Department of Labor and your state labor office before you adopt a policy.
Tip pool policy template
A written policy saves the argument at closing time. This one fills in from what you entered above; the bracketed parts are yours to finish.
[Business name] — Tip pooling policy 1. Who shares the pool: Server, Busser, Host. Managers and supervisors do not take a share. 2. What goes in: every cash and card tip received during a shift goes into one pool. Before the split, 10% of the total is set aside for Bar. 3. How it is divided: by hours worked. A person’s share is their hours on the shift divided by everyone’s hours combined. 4. Rounding: payouts are rounded to the cent, and any leftover cents go to the largest share. 5. Paying out: tips are paid [at the end of each shift / with each paycheck]. Each person initials the tip-out sheet for the amount received, and the sheets are kept for [3] years. 6. Questions or mistakes: raise them with [name] within [7] days of the shift. Effective [date]. Changes are announced at least [two weeks] before they apply.
Everything is calculated in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, and the roster is saved on this device only. Naratake does not track tips or run payroll.
How the split works
- Two steps, in order. A tip-out percentage comes off the total first and goes to the group you name — bar, kitchen, hosts. What remains is the pool, and only the pool is divided among the roster.
- Four ways to divide it. By hours gives each person their share of the hours worked. Points × hours weights those hours by role, so a 2-point server and a 1-point busser on the same six-hour shift land at 2:1. Points alone ignores hours. Equal gives everyone the same amount.
- Cents add up. Each payout is rounded down to the cent and the leftover cents go to the largest shares, so the column always totals the pool exactly. No penny appears or vanishes between the sheet and the cash drawer.
- The roster stays in this browser. Names, roles, hours and points are saved on this device only, so the next shift opens with the same crew and you update the hours. Clear it any time. Naratake does not track tips, run payroll or see anything typed here.
Card tips from online orders land in the same pool as the dining room’s. Naratake restaurant starting points are free to build and preview, with no card to sign up. Storefront Pro adds online ordering paid through your own Stripe account — Naratake takes 0% commission, and only Stripe’s card fee applies.
See online ordering with 0% commissionCommon questions
How do you calculate a tip pool by hours?
Add up everyone’s hours, divide each person’s hours by that total to get their share, and multiply the share by the pool. With $720 in the pool and 20 hours worked in total, someone who worked 6 hours gets 6 ÷ 20 = 30%, which is $216. Choose “By hours worked” above and the table prints that line for each person.
What is a points-based tip pool?
Each role carries a point value that reflects how much of the service it does. A common set is servers and bartenders 2, bussers and food runners 1, hosts 1, but any scale works. Multiply a person’s points by their hours to get a weight, and divide the pool in proportion to weight. The tool also offers points alone, for teams that split by role without tracking hours.
Can managers or the kitchen share in the tip pool?
In the US, the FLSA sets the outer limits and states add their own. Managers and supervisors generally may not take from a pool. Whether cooks and dishwashers can be included depends on whether the employer takes a tip credit and on state law, so a restaurant in Texas and one in California can get different answers. This page is a calculator, not legal advice: read the Department of Labor’s guidance and ask your state labor office before you adopt a policy.
Can credit card processing fees be deducted from tips?
Federal guidance has allowed an employer to keep no more than the processor’s actual fee on the tip portion of a card payment, and some states, California among them, do not allow any deduction at all. Many owners skip it because the amount is small and the goodwill is not. If you do deduct, take it before the total goes into this calculator and write the rule into your policy. Confirm with the Department of Labor and your state.