Calculate restaurant sales tax by state in seconds. Add your local city/county rate for an exact total. Free forever.
State base rate (California)7.25%
Combined rate7.25%
Sales tax$0.00
Total with tax$0.00
How US restaurant sales tax works
US sales tax is charged as a percentage of the pre-tax check. Each state sets a base rate, and cities and counties can add local rates on top — so two restaurants in the same state can charge different totals. Rather than looking rates up by hand, DineOpen’s POS applies the correct combined rate automatically by location, handles special meals taxes, and produces IRS Form 8027 tip reporting.
How do I calculate US restaurant sales tax?
Multiply the pre-tax amount by the combined sales-tax rate (state base rate plus any local city/county rate), then add it to the subtotal. For example, a $100 check in California (7.25% base) with a 1.5% local rate = $100 × 8.75% = $8.75 tax, for a $108.75 total.
Does every US state charge sales tax on restaurant food?
No. Five states have no statewide sales tax — Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon — though Alaska allows local sales taxes. Most other states tax prepared restaurant food, and some apply special meals taxes on top.
What is the difference between state and local sales tax?
The state base rate is set statewide; cities and counties can add local rates on top. A POS like DineOpen applies the correct combined rate automatically by location so you never have to look it up.