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Kentucky Tip Calculator

18–20% standard tip · 6% state sales tax · split bills instantly.

$
1person
%
KY sales tax (6%)$0.00
Tip (20%)$0.00
Tip per person$0.00
Total per person$0.00
Total bill$0.00

Tipping in Kentucky

Kentucky tipping is 18–20% at sit-down restaurants in Louisville and Lexington and 15–18% in smaller towns. Servers are paid the federal tipped wage of $2.13/hour, and bourbon-country tourism has pushed bar tipping toward big-city norms.

  • ·KY sales tax is a flat 6% with no local sales taxes, though many cities add a restaurant tax on prepared food.
  • ·Bourbon Trail distillery tours: tip tour guides $5–10 per person.
  • ·Kentucky Derby week in Louisville: expect auto-gratuity and tip at the top of the range.
  • ·Bourbon bars: $2 per pour or 20% on a tab.

KY Sales Tax & Tip Math

The default rate here is 6% (state sales tax). Tipping is calculated on the pre-tax amount by etiquette, but most diners tip on the post-tax total for simplicity. The difference is small.

BillTaxTip (20%)Total
$25.00$1.50$5.00$31.50
$50.00$3.00$10.00$63.00
$100.00$6.00$20.00$126.00
$150.00$9.00$30.00$189.00

Kentucky Tipping FAQ

How much do you tip at restaurants in Kentucky?

The standard restaurant tip in Kentucky is 18–20% of the pre-tax bill. Kentucky tipping is 18–20% at sit-down restaurants in Louisville and Lexington and 15–18% in smaller towns. Servers are paid the federal tipped wage of $2.13/hour, and bourbon-country tourism has pushed bar tipping toward big-city norms.

What is the tax on restaurant meals in Kentucky?

This calculator uses 6% (state sales tax) by default. KY sales tax is a flat 6% with no local sales taxes, though many cities add a restaurant tax on prepared food. Edit the tax field to match your city's exact rate.

Should you tip before or after tax in Kentucky?

Etiquette says tip on the pre-tax amount, but tipping on the total is common. On a $100 bill with 6% tax, a 20% tip is $20.00 pre-tax or $21.20 post-tax — a difference of $1.20.

Tip Calculators for Other States

Compare tipping and sales tax in all 50 states →

Alabama18–20% · 4% taxAlaska18–20% · no sales taxArizona18–20% · 5.6% taxArkansas15–20% · 6.5% taxCalifornia18–20% · 7.25% taxColorado18–20% · 2.9% taxConnecticut18–20% · 7.35% taxDelaware18–20% · no sales taxFlorida18–20% · 6% taxGeorgia18–20% · 4% taxHawaii18–20% · 4.712% taxIdaho18–20% · 6% taxIllinois18–20% · 6.25% taxIndiana18–20% · 7% taxIowa15–20% · 6% taxKansas15–20% · 6.5% taxLouisiana18–20% · 5% taxMaine18–20% · 8% taxMaryland18–20% · 6% taxMassachusetts20% · 6.25% taxMichigan18–20% · 6% taxMinnesota18–20% · 6.875% taxMississippi15–20% · 7% taxMissouri18–20% · 4.225% taxMontana18–20% · no sales taxNebraska15–20% · 5.5% taxNevada18–20% · 6.85% taxNew Hampshire18–20% · 8.5% taxNew Jersey18–20% · 6.625% taxNew Mexico18–20% · 4.875% taxNew York20% · 8.875% taxNorth Carolina18–20% · 4.75% taxNorth Dakota15–20% · 5% taxOhio18–20% · 5.75% taxOklahoma15–20% · 4.5% taxOregon18–20% · no sales taxPennsylvania18–20% · 6% taxRhode Island18–20% · 8% taxSouth Carolina18–20% · 6% taxSouth Dakota15–20% · 4.2% taxTennessee18–20% · 7% taxTexas15–20% · 6.25% taxUtah15–20% · 6.1% taxVermont18–20% · 9% taxVirginia18–20% · 5.3% taxWashington18–20% · 6.5% taxWashington, D.C.20% · 10% taxWest Virginia15–20% · 6% taxWisconsin18–20% · 5% taxWyoming15–20% · 4% tax