Four ways restaurants split a tip pool
1. By hours worked
The most common method for same-role pools. Each person’s share is their hours divided by the total hours everyone worked:
person’s tips = pool × (their hours ÷ total hours)
2. By role points
Used when different roles earn different shares. Assign points per role — a typical ladder is servers 10, bartenders 8, expo/bussers 5, hosts 3 — and split the pool in proportion to points.
3. By points × hours
The fairest method for mixed-role, mixed-length shifts: multiply each person’s role points by their hours, and split in proportion to that weight. A 4-hour server (10 pts, weight 40) gets the same as an 8-hour busser (5 pts, weight 40).
4. Even split
Everyone in the pool receives the same amount, regardless of hours or role.
Getting the cents right
Percentage splits almost never divide into whole cents. This calculator rounds every share down, then distributes the leftover pennies to the people who lost the most in rounding — so the payout always sums to the pool exactly. That’s the detail that keeps end-of-night reconciliation (and your staff) happy.
One compliance note: US federal law bars managers and supervisors from taking a share of a tip pool, and states layer their own rules on top. This tool does the math; confirm the rules with your state labor department or counsel.
Frequently asked questions
How do you split a tip pool by hours worked?
Add up everyone’s hours to get total pool hours, divide the tip pool by that total to get a rate per hour, then multiply by each person’s hours. A $600 pool over 60 total hours pays $10/hour of tips — someone who worked 8 hours gets $80.
What is the points system for tip pooling?
Each role is assigned a point value reflecting its share — for example servers 10, bartenders 8, bussers 5, hosts 3. Each person’s share is their points divided by the total points on shift. Weighting by both points and hours (points × hours) is common when shift lengths vary.
Is tip pooling legal?
In the US, tip pooling among customarily tipped employees is legal under federal law, and pools can include back-of-house workers when the employer pays full minimum wage and takes no tip credit. Managers and supervisors may not keep tips from a pool. State rules vary and change — always confirm your state’s current requirements.
How does this calculator handle cents that don’t divide evenly?
Shares are rounded down to whole cents, and the leftover pennies are given out one at a time to the people whose shares were rounded down the most. The paid-out total always equals the pool exactly — no missing or invented cents.
Is my staff’s data uploaded anywhere?
No. The calculator runs entirely in your browser, and nothing you type is sent to any server. Use the print button to keep a paper record of the split for your files.