TheFast-food chains don't set their own tax. McDonald's, KFC, Chick-fil-A and Taco Bell all add the sales tax for the place you're in, just like a sit-down restaurant. To work it out, multiply the price before tax by your rate. Choose a state below to fill in its 1 July 2026 rate, or type the exact rate from your receipt.
- Bill
- $25.00
- Tax
- $2.00
- Total
- $27.00
State rates: Tax Foundation, State and Local Sales Tax Rates, Midyear 2026, rates as of 1 July 2026. Where a state taxes restaurant meals at a different rate, the calculator uses the meals rate. Want to add a tip too? Use our tip calculator.
How much is tax at McDonald's, KFC and other fast food?
Fast food is taxed like any other restaurant meal, at your local rate. The table shows what everyday orders cost after tax in five places, using the US menu prices on our site and each place's restaurant rate.
| Order | Menu | Oregon (0%) | Texas (8.2%) | California (9.03%) | DC (10%) | Louisiana (10.13%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDonald's Big Mac | $5.99 | $5.99 | $6.48 | $6.53 | $6.59 | $6.60 |
| McDonald's Big Mac Meal | $9.34 | $9.34 | $10.11 | $10.18 | $10.27 | $10.29 |
| Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich | $5.45 | $5.45 | $5.90 | $5.94 | $6.00 | $6.00 |
| KFC 3 pc. Tenders Combo | $11.03 | $11.03 | $11.93 | $12.03 | $12.13 | $12.15 |
| KFC 8 pc. chicken | $22.79 | $22.79 | $24.66 | $24.85 | $25.07 | $25.10 |
| Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme | $6.49 | $6.49 | $7.02 | $7.08 | $7.14 | $7.15 |
| Burger King Whopper | $8.19 | $8.19 | $8.86 | $8.93 | $9.01 | $9.02 |
| Wendy's Baconator | $8.99 | $8.99 | $9.73 | $9.80 | $9.89 | $9.90 |
| Popeyes Chicken Sandwich Combo | $11.49 | $11.49 | $12.43 | $12.53 | $12.64 | $12.65 |
| Chipotle Chicken burrito | $10.75 | $10.75 | $11.63 | $11.72 | $11.83 | $11.84 |
| Subway Footlong turkey breast | $9.49 | $9.49 | $10.27 | $10.35 | $10.44 | $10.45 |
| Starbucks Grande caffè latte | $4.95 | $4.95 | $5.36 | $5.40 | $5.45 | $5.45 |
State columns use average combined rates (DC uses its restaurant meals rate). Menu prices vary between restaurants, and your city's rate may differ.
Tax at McDonald's
A Big Mac is $5.99 on our US list. In Oregon, with no sales tax, that's what you pay. With average rates, it costs $6.48 in Texas (8.2%) and $6.60 in Louisiana (10.13%). A $9.34 Big Mac Meal comes to $10.18 in California (9.03%). See the full McDonald's US menu for more prices.
Tax at KFC
KFC charges the same local rate. On our list, 8 pieces of chicken cost $22.79 before tax, which comes to $24.66 in Texas (8.2%) and $25.10 in Louisiana (10.13%). A three-piece tenders combo at $11.03 comes to $12.03 in California (9.03%). The KFC US menu has the full list.
Tax at Chick-fil-A and Taco Bell
A $5.45 Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich costs $5.86 in Georgia (7.56%), the chain's home state, and $5.83 in Florida (6.98%). At Taco Bell, a $6.49 Crunchwrap Supreme comes to $7.08 in California (9.03%) and $7.04 in New York (8.54%). See the Chick-fil-A and Taco Bell menus for more prices.
The pattern is the same everywhere: the chain doesn't change the rate, your location does. Two branches of the same chain in different cities can add different amounts of tax to an identical order.
How to calculate tax on a restaurant bill
You only need the bill before tax and your sales tax rate.
- Find the rate. It's printed on most receipts, or pick your state above.
- Turn the rate into a decimal by dividing by 100. So 8.25% becomes 0.0825.
- Multiply the bill by that decimal. That's your tax.
- Add the tax to the bill. That's your total before any tip.
The formula: tax = bill × (rate ÷ 100), and total = bill + tax.
Example 1: dinner in Illinois
Illinois has an average combined sales tax rate of 8.98%. On a $40.00 dinner, the tax is $40.00 × 0.0898 = $3.59, so you pay $43.59. Your exact rate depends on the city.
Example 2: a meal for two in Washington, DC, with a tip
DC taxes restaurant meals at 10%. On a $62.50 bill, the tax is $6.25, which makes $68.75. An 18% tip on the pre-tax bill adds $11.25, so you leave $80.00 in total.
Working backwards from a total
If you know the total and the rate, divide the total by 1 plus the rate as a decimal. A $54.00 total at 8% came from a bill of $54.00 ÷ 1.08 = $50.00, so the tax was $4.00.
Restaurant sales tax by state (2026)
Sales tax is set by each state, and most cities and counties add their own local tax on top. The table lists the state rate, the average local rate and the combined rate for every state and DC. It also shows where restaurant meals are taxed at a different rate.
- Highest average combined rates: Louisiana (10.13%), Tennessee (9.61%), Washington (9.57%), Arkansas (9.48%), Alabama (9.46%).
- No statewide sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon. Alaska towns can still charge a local tax, and New Hampshire taxes restaurant meals at 8.5%.
- Separate rate for restaurant meals: Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont.
| State | State rate | Avg. local | Combined | Restaurant meals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 4% | 5.46% | 9.46% | Same as combined |
| Alaska | 0% | 1.82% | 1.82% | Same as combined |
| Arizona | 5.6% | 2.94% | 8.54% | Same as combined |
| Arkansas | 6.5% | 2.98% | 9.48% | Same as combined |
| California | 7.25% | 1.78% | 9.03% | Same as combined |
| Colorado | 2.9% | 4.99% | 7.89% | Same as combined |
| Connecticut | 6.35% | 0% | 6.35% | 7.35% |
| Delaware | 0% | 0% | 0% | Same as combined |
| District of Columbia | 6% | 0% | 6% | 10% |
| Florida | 6% | 0.98% | 6.98% | Same as combined |
| Georgia | 4% | 3.56% | 7.56% | Same as combined |
| Hawaii | 4% | 0.5% | 4.5% | Same as combined |
| Idaho | 6% | 0.03% | 6.03% | Same as combined |
| Illinois | 6.25% | 2.73% | 8.98% | Same as combined |
| Indiana | 7% | 0% | 7% | Same as combined |
| Iowa | 6% | 0.94% | 6.94% | Same as combined |
| Kansas | 6.5% | 2.21% | 8.71% | Same as combined |
| Kentucky | 6% | 0% | 6% | Same as combined |
| Louisiana | 5% | 5.13% | 10.13% | Same as combined |
| Maine | 5.5% | 0% | 5.5% | 8% |
| Maryland | 6% | 0% | 6% | Same as combined |
| Massachusetts | 6.25% | 0% | 6.25% | 6.25% or 7% |
| Michigan | 6% | 0% | 6% | Same as combined |
| Minnesota | 6.88% | 1.26% | 8.14% | Same as combined |
| Mississippi | 7% | 0.06% | 7.06% | Same as combined |
| Missouri | 4.23% | 4.22% | 8.44% | Same as combined |
| Montana | 0% | 0% | 0% | Same as combined |
| Nebraska | 5.5% | 1.48% | 6.98% | Same as combined |
| Nevada | 6.85% | 1.39% | 8.24% | Same as combined |
| New Hampshire | 0% | 0% | 0% | 8.5% |
| New Jersey | 6.63% | -0.02% | 6.6% | Same as combined |
| New Mexico | 4.88% | 2.8% | 7.68% | Same as combined |
| New York | 4% | 4.54% | 8.54% | Same as combined |
| North Carolina | 4.75% | 2.35% | 7.1% | Same as combined |
| North Dakota | 5% | 2.09% | 7.09% | Same as combined |
| Ohio | 5.75% | 1.54% | 7.29% | Same as combined |
| Oklahoma | 4.5% | 4.56% | 9.06% | Same as combined |
| Oregon | 0% | 0% | 0% | Same as combined |
| Pennsylvania | 6% | 0.34% | 6.34% | Same as combined |
| Rhode Island | 7% | 0% | 7% | 8% |
| South Carolina | 6% | 1.49% | 7.49% | Same as combined |
| South Dakota | 4.2% | 1.91% | 6.11% | Same as combined |
| Tennessee | 7% | 2.61% | 9.61% | Same as combined |
| Texas | 6.25% | 1.95% | 8.2% | Same as combined |
| Utah | 6.1% | 1.32% | 7.42% | Same as combined |
| Vermont | 6% | 0.43% | 6.43% | 9% or 10% |
| Virginia | 5.3% | 0.47% | 5.77% | Same as combined |
| Washington | 6.5% | 3.07% | 9.57% | Same as combined |
| West Virginia | 6% | 0.6% | 6.6% | Same as combined |
| Wisconsin | 5% | 0.72% | 5.72% | Same as combined |
| Wyoming | 4% | 1.39% | 5.39% | Same as combined |
Source: Tax Foundation, State and Local Sales Tax Rates, Midyear 2026, rates as of 1 July 2026. Average local rates are weighted by population. Restaurant meals rates checked against each state's tax agency in September 2026.
Restaurant food tax vs grocery tax
Food from a restaurant and food from a supermarket are often taxed differently. Many states exempt groceries or tax them at a lower rate, but food a restaurant prepares for you is usually taxed at the full rate, whether you eat in or take it away.
So a sandwich you make at home from supermarket ingredients may carry little or no tax, while the same sandwich from a deli or fast-food chain is taxed like any other meal. That is why a food tax calculator for a restaurant bill needs your local sales tax rate, not the grocery rate.
How to add tax and tip together
In the US, the final bill has three parts: the food, the tax and the tip. The simplest way to work it out is to calculate the tax and the tip separately on the bill before tax, then add all three.
- Tax: multiply the bill by your tax rate.
- Tip: multiply the same pre-tax bill by your tip percentage, usually 15% to 20%.
- Total: add the bill, the tax and the tip.
On a $50 dinner with 8% tax and a 20% tip, that's $50 + $4 + $10 = $64. The tip calculator can also split the total between your group.
Does sales tax apply to tips and service charges?
A tip that you choose to leave is not taxed. It isn't part of the price of the meal, so no state adds sales tax to it.
A mandatory service charge is different. If the restaurant adds an automatic gratuity or service charge to the bill, many states treat it as part of the sale and tax it with the food. California does this, for example, while New York taxes mandatory gratuities unless certain conditions are met. If you see a service charge on your receipt, check whether tax was added to it.
Why is the tax on my receipt different from the state rate?
There are three common reasons.
- Local taxes. Cities and counties add their own rate, so two restaurants in the same state can charge different tax.
- Meals taxes. Some states tax restaurant meals at a higher rate, and some cities add a restaurant tax. Chicago, Minneapolis and Virginia Beach are well-known examples.
- Averages. Our state figures use the average local rate. Your own city may sit above or below it.
This is also why the same chain can cost different amounts in different places, as we explain in why the same burger costs different amounts.
What about restaurants outside the US?
In most countries we cover, the menu price already includes tax. That's true in the UK, Ireland and Australia, for example. Canada works like the US: tax is added at the till, at between 5% and about 15% depending on the province. Read our Canada guide for the rates, and enter your province's rate in the calculator above.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I calculate sales tax on a restaurant bill?
- Multiply the bill before tax by your local sales tax rate, written as a decimal. For a $40 bill at 8%, that's $40 × 0.08 = $3.20 in tax, so the total is $43.20. Add any tip separately.
- How much is tax at McDonald's?
- It depends on where you are, because McDonald's charges your local sales tax. Using average rates, a $5.99 Big Mac costs $5.99 in Oregon, which has no sales tax, $6.48 in Texas (8.2%) and $6.60 in Louisiana (10.13%). A $9.34 Big Mac Meal comes to $10.11 in Texas (8.2%).
- How much tax does KFC charge?
- KFC charges the sales tax for wherever the restaurant is, like any other restaurant. On our US list, 8 pieces of chicken cost $22.79. With average rates, that comes to $24.66 in Texas (8.2%), $24.85 in California (9.03%) and $25.10 in Louisiana (10.13%).
- How much is tax at Chick-fil-A?
- Chick-fil-A adds your local sales tax. Using average rates, a $5.45 Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich costs $5.86 in Georgia (7.56%), where the chain is based, $5.90 in Texas (8.2%) and $5.83 in Florida (6.98%).
- How much is tax at Taco Bell?
- Taco Bell charges the sales tax for wherever you order. Using average rates, a $6.49 Crunchwrap Supreme costs $7.08 in California (9.03%), $7.02 in Texas (8.2%) and $7.04 in New York (8.54%).
- Do fast-food restaurants charge more tax than sit-down restaurants?
- No. The tax rate depends on where you are, not on the chain or the type of restaurant. Where a state or city has a separate meals tax, it usually applies to fast food and sit-down meals alike.
- Is sales tax included in US menu prices?
- Usually not. Most US restaurants list prices before sales tax and add the tax at the register, which is why your receipt total is higher than the menu. In many other countries, such as the UK, Ireland and Australia, menu prices already include tax.
- What is the sales tax on food at restaurants?
- Restaurant meals are taxed at your local sales tax rate, and in a few states at a higher meals rate. Many states exempt groceries or tax them at a lower rate, but food prepared for you by a restaurant is usually taxed in full.
- How do I calculate tax and tip together?
- Work out the tax on the bill, then the tip on the bill before tax, and add both to the bill. On a $50 dinner with 8% tax and a 20% tip, that's $50 + $4 tax + $10 tip = $64.
- Does sales tax apply to the tip?
- A voluntary tip that you choose to leave is not subject to sales tax. A mandatory service charge or automatic gratuity added by the restaurant is often taxed as part of the bill, as it is in California. Rules differ by state.
- Is takeout food taxed the same as eating in?
- Usually, yes. Food a restaurant prepares for you is generally taxable whether you eat it there or take it away. Delivery fees are treated differently from state to state.
- Which states have no sales tax on restaurant meals?
- Delaware, Montana and Oregon have no statewide sales tax. Alaska has no state sales tax, but some towns charge a local one. New Hampshire has no general sales tax, but it taxes restaurant meals at 8.5%.
- Why is the tax on my restaurant bill higher than my state's sales tax rate?
- Some places tax restaurant meals at a higher rate than other goods. Washington, DC charges 10% on restaurant meals against a 6% general rate, and Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island and Vermont also have separate meals rates. Some cities add their own restaurant tax as well.
Check menu prices before you go
Find the menu price first, then add your tax here. These pages list US prices with the date we last checked them:
- McDonald's US menu prices
- KFC US menu prices
- Chick-fil-A menu prices
- Taco Bell US menu prices
- Burger King US menu prices
- Wendy's US menu prices
- Chipotle US menu prices
- Starbucks US menu prices
For a full picture of eating out in America, read our US restaurant prices guide. Ordering in? The delivery markup calculator shows how much more an app charges.