Tipping Etiquette

Barbers have the lowest tariffs - and actually the only profession here generally thaught to get more income through tips (what hambuger said: an old German tradition).

At the risk of repeating a question that is already here, I need to revive this thread. OK, I've read through some of this but not the entire thing. What is the general feeling on tipping your hairdresser? I had my hair foiled and cut this morning for 120.00USD. My hair lady is the co-owner of the shop. I did tip her, but not even 10%. Am I being cheap??

Sounds like maybe you gave her $130.00?


How much time did she actually spend with you?
How much is a cut normally?

Hair dressers get a really deep good at beauty supply stores, so you probably weren't paying that much for the material. Most of the cost must have been her time and skill.

This would be a good question for Dorothy Parker.

I dunno, they say you don't have to tip if it's the owner, but I still do.

I tipped her 10.00 and I was there for about 2 hours.

I was wondering this myself as I had heard the same thing - you don't tip the owner - here is what I think is the most comprehensive comments on the subject from some owners of Salons and Spas…

"There are many people who feel that the owner shouldn't be tipped. . . . I think that stems from the era in which people came in once a week." "My tips have definitely dropped off since I became an owner." "People probably feel like I own everything, and I must be making a lot of money."

"It's true that no-tipping-the-owner was de rigueur 20 years ago, but the business was run so differently then."

The hair business has become dramatically more sophisticated in the past two decades. With that comes higher overhead for the owner. Insurance, rent, products and advertising all cost more. And frankly, clients expect more expertise from their hairstylists than they used to.
Since the comments above are as clear as mud here are some suggestions to see if you should tip at a particular salon…
Ask the receptionist. Receptionists should be trained to answer that question. Look, too, at the menu of services most salons offer at the front desk. Some print their tipping policy there -- 15 to 20 percent is the going rate.

Whatever your doubts, still tip the assistant.
Look at the price structure of the stylists. If the owner/stylist is charging roughly the same as everyone else, there's a good chance she or he would be drawing a paycheck just like everyone else or not at all, and he or she still isn't getting much extra for the after-hours of administrative work. If he or she charges far more than everyone else, it may be a different story.

Above all, use your discretion. If you're thrilled with the results, realize that a tip is never going to be amiss. It's always appreciated, even if it isn't expected. And when a friend compliments your hair, be sure to pass along your stylist's name, and ask her to credit you with the referral if she goes to the salon.

"Just remember - "Tipping is never mandatory" from one owner," "Whether they tip me or not, I just want them to come back!"

My hairdresser is the owner as well and a haircut cost usually $ 50 and I give her $ 60. Yet, when she does some coloring I also pay $ 120 and
give her $ 10 for a tip, especially since she takes other clients while I
wait for the color to take roots. So I feel she's not doting on me for 2 hours,
no need to go overboard.

Whereas in restaurants I give a minimum of 20 % - it's just a different
service in my book.

Yeah, I agree with cj, it's not like she was with you the entire 2 hours, you spent a lot of time sitting around.

I think you were ok with the $10.00.

Thanks, I'd hate to be undertipping her and then have a hard time getting future appointments. Plus I just want to do the right thing.

Related question...

Now, the person who cuts my hair is also the one who washes it. That seems like the usual thing nowadays.

However, once in a while in the past a "shampoo girl" would clean your hair and the stylist would take over.

I heard/read you were supposed to tip the shampoo girl a dollar or whatever.

I never did, mainly because it just seemed so awkward at the time. You're dripping, got a towel on your head, she's leading you to the chair and you're talking away. There doesn't seem to be a chance to discretely give her any money. Then, when you're all finished, she's in the middle of washing someone else, and the opportunity is lost.

Has anyone run into that?

My bitch works in a beauty salon, and people do tip the shampoo ho.

And $10 is cheap on a $120 haircut. I give my barber $5, and my haircut is only $10. Stylists/salon people usually get a larger tip on a $100 service.

What do you guys tip on food delivery? I'm too lazy to look back on the thread.

It's so nice hearing things are going so well w/ your gf slappy.

I'm ok with tipping the shampoo girl, if there was one, I just dont' know when I was supposed to do it.

Food delievery?

A couple bucks, or rounding the bill up like "keep the change", with throwing in a buck if the keep the change is less than $2

Slappy, does your girlfriend own the salon? If she's just working there,
yes, the tip on a $ 120 bill would be larger, no question - in my case it's
the owner herself, and she gets enough from me buying shampoos, conditioners etc. there. No need for extra tipping here.

I do give the shampoo girl 2 bucks, they're usually trainees and glad
to get something extra.

My barber only charges $8.00 to cut my hair, I give him a $2.00 tip. When he only charged $7.00 I still gave him $10.00!

i normally tip 20% on everything, except if service is bad. which is why i stopped getting $150 haircuts... it gets expensive with tips. chopped me hair off meself.

Just works there. Doesn't do hair, but I get the scoop on all this fun stuff. I know the owner does hair, I have no idea if he gets tipped differently.

Ive been going to the same barber for many years. She~s from Vietnam, and they charge $8, but I tip her $4 now (from Jan 1 of ths year). She~s the only barber who listens to what I want on a haircut.

Shampoo girl typically gets $5, and the owner does get tipped.

Damn you broads are cheapos.

FIVE BUCKS just to have someone pour shampoo and conditioner on my head and rub it in for 5 minutes?!

Damn, I quitting my day job.

We do tip the owner, just not 20 %, and the girl who shampoos my hair
does get either $2 or $ 3, depending how long she massages my head.
$ 5 is overkill.

Let me ask you this, Slappy: You go to the salon, person A greets you,
escorts you to a station, brings you coffee and a magazine. Person B
shampoos your hair, person C cuts it and person D is blow-drying it.
Do you give them all $ 5 in tip?

You kidding me? I wouldn't get my hair cut in a salon that serves coffee and has a shampoo girl.

I go to a hair place where they don't speak English, but it's $10 for a cut & wash. I give him a $5 tip.

And I agree, $5 for a shampoo girl is overkill. But they get it.