Tip Pool Calculator
Enter the total tips collected and each staff member's hours worked to calculate everyone's fair share of the pool, split proportionally by time worked.
How the Tip Pool formula works
Each person's share is proportional to their hours out of the total hours worked by everyone:
Person's share = Total tips × (Person's hours / Total hours worked by all staff)
Step-by-step calculation
- Add up the total hours worked by everyone sharing the pool.
- For each person, divide their individual hours by the total hours.
- Multiply that fraction by the total tip pool to find their share.
Worked example
A $600 tip pool split among three staff working 8, 6, and 4 hours (18 total hours): Person A gets 600 × 8/18 ≈ $266.67. Person B gets 600 × 6/18 = $200. Person C gets 600 × 4/18 ≈ $133.33.
Frequently asked questions
Is splitting tips by hours worked the only fair method?
No — some workplaces split evenly regardless of hours, some weight by role (servers vs. bussers), and some use a points system. Splitting proportionally by hours worked is one common, straightforward method, but check what method your workplace's policy actually specifies.
Does this account for tip credit or minimum wage rules?
No — this calculates a proportional split of a given tip pool only. Tip credit, minimum wage compliance, and tip pooling legality vary by jurisdiction and are separate legal considerations from the arithmetic of splitting the pool itself.