TIP // CALC
Illinois's statewide sales tax is 6.25%, and once the population-weighted local average (2.73%) is added on, the combined rate works out to about 8.98% — among the higher combined sales tax rates nationally (ranked #8 of 47 states + D.C. by combined rate).
Different state? Browse the full state list →
Illinois's statewide sales tax is 6.25%, and once the population-weighted local average (2.73%) is added on, the combined rate works out to about 8.98% — among the higher combined sales tax rates nationally (ranked #8 of 47 states + D.C. by combined rate).
Local add-ons in Illinois run up to about 4.75%, a bit higher than the population-weighted average — worth a glance at the receipt if you're somewhere with a higher local rate.
Like most states, Illinois allows employers to pay tipped workers a lower base cash wage under a federal or state "tip credit," as long as tips bring total pay up to at least the regular minimum wage — which is part of why tipping culture is taken seriously in the US service industry.
Common bill totals at typical US tipping percentages.
| Bill | 15% | 18% | 20% |
|---|---|---|---|
| $20.00 | $3.00 | $3.60 | $4.00 |
| $30.00 | $4.50 | $5.40 | $6.00 |
| $40.00 | $6.00 | $7.20 | $8.00 |
| $50.00 | $7.50 | $9.00 | $10.00 |
| $100.00 | $15.00 | $18.00 | $20.00 |
Illinois's statewide sales tax is 6.25%, and once the population-weighted local average (2.73%) is added on, the combined rate works out to about 8.98% — among the higher combined sales tax rates nationally (ranked #8 of 47 states + D.C. by combined rate).
Like most states, Illinois allows employers to pay tipped workers a lower base cash wage under a federal or state "tip credit," as long as tips bring total pay up to at least the regular minimum wage — which is part of why tipping culture is taken seriously in the US service industry.
Close to it — Illinois keeps local add-ons fairly small and consistent, so the combined rate shown here should be a reasonably accurate estimate wherever you're eating in the state.
No. This tool calculates the tip a customer leaves on a bill. A payroll or paycheck tip calculator is a different, employer-side tool for reporting tip income and calculating wages.
Illinois charges a 6.25% statewide sales tax, and Chicago stacks Cook County, city, and Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) taxes on top to reach a combined 10.25% — one of the highest restaurant sales tax rates in the United States. Outside Chicago, county and city add-ons are smaller, so combined rates across the rest of the state run from roughly 7% to 10%. Below are the current combined sales tax rates for Illinois's largest cities:
| City | Combined sales tax rate |
|---|---|
| Chicago | 10.25% |
| Rockford | 9.5% |
| Springfield | 8.5% |
| Peoria | 8.5% |
| Aurora | 8.75% |
| Naperville | 7.75% |
| Champaign | 9% |
| Evanston | 10% |
Chicago — deep dish, River North business dinners, and the city's 10.25% rate. Chicago's 10.25% combined rate is among the highest in the country, so the tax column on any receipt is chunky: on a $120 River North dinner for two, tax is $12.30, an 18% pretax tip is $21.60, and the total is $153.90. At a deep-dish pizza place, a $60 pie-and-salad dinner for two runs $6.15 in tax, and an 18% tip of $10.80 gives a $76.95 total — most locals just round to $80 and leave the change. Business dinners in the Loop and River North expect 20% on the pretax subtotal: on $200, that's $40.00, plus $20.50 in tax at 10.25%, for a $260.50 total that sits comfortably inside most expense policies. Chicago is also a big tipping app town — ride-hail and food delivery drivers get the standard 15-20%, and the city's bar culture runs $1-2 per drink at the bar, or 20-25% on a tab.
Springfield and central Illinois — statehouse lunches and family dinners. In Springfield, the state's capital, business lunches near the capitol run $40-60 for two: on a $50 lunch, 8.5% tax is $4.25, an 18% tip is $9.00, and the $63.25 total is the everyday baseline. Central Illinois family dining at a casual spot follows the same 18% standard — on a $70 check for four with 8.5% tax ($5.95) and an 18% tip ($12.60), the $88.55 total works out to just over $22 per person. Tipping norms in central Illinois track the national average closely: 18% is standard, 20% for good service, and counter-service fast casual often gets 10% or loose change.
Suburban Chicago and Champaign — weekend brunches and college-town dining. In the suburbs, Naperville's 7.75% rate is the lowest among Chicago-area cities: a $100 weekend brunch for two carries $7.75 in tax, and a 20% tip of $20.00 brings the total to $127.75 — brunch being the one meal where 20% is the reliable default. In Champaign-Urbana, a $80 college-town dinner for two at 9% tax ($7.20) with an 18% tip ($14.40) totals $101.60; student-heavy tables tend to tip 15-18%, while faculty and visiting parents default to 20%. The one universal: wherever the tax rate lands in Illinois, the tip is computed on the pre-tax subtotal, so only the tax column changes between cities.
| Bill | Chicago 10.25% tax | 18% pretax tip | Total (bill+tax+tip) | Per person (for 2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50.00 | $5.13 | $9.00 | $64.13 | $32.07 |
| $100.00 | $10.25 | $18.00 | $128.25 | $64.13 |
| $200.00 | $20.50 | $36.00 | $256.50 | $128.25 |
These examples use Chicago's 10.25% rate — the highest restaurant sales tax in the state. If you're dining in Rockford (9.5%), Evanston (10%), Champaign (9%), Springfield (8.5%), or Naperville (7.75%), the tax column shrinks accordingly (roughly $0.75-2.50 less per $100 of bill), while the tip column stays identical because the tip is always computed on the pre-tax subtotal.
Compare with nearby states: Indiana · Wisconsin · Missouri · Iowa · Kentucky