Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not tip my hairdresser?

255 replies

MrsSatsuma · 17/03/2011 19:49

Just wondered what everybody else thinks about this - as I always go to the hairdresser on my own, I've no idea what anybody else does! I occasionally tip my hairdresser (eg if it's £37 I'll round it up to £40) but not always - came to £75 last time as I had highlights too and I didn't know what to do so just left it.

I don't want to tip and risk offence, if it's against convention, but I don't want them to think I'm mean. On the other hand it's pretty expensive! As far as I know people don't tip for other luxuries, like massages or manicures (do they?) so I assumed hairdressing was no different. I don't tip taxi drivers as a taxi ride usually cleans me out anyway! and I do usually tip in restaurants provided I've had good service.

Would love to know what others do!

OP posts:
noodle69 · 21/03/2011 19:58

I give loads to charity but I dont tip so thats a wrong assumption

noodle69 · 21/03/2011 19:59

I also would buy my friends and family drinks/foods/pay their share of taxi as opposed to paying tips. That is more the done thing in my area.

frgr · 21/03/2011 19:59

What RossettiConfetti said.

I also think you are naive, FattyArbuckel, for thinking that tips get to the person they're intended for in the majority of cases (I admit to never having worked in any form of beauty salon, but I did my time in bar and waitress jobs as a student)... as well as on the idea that if people tip more, then the lowly paid girl washing your hair would see an increase in her wages. Isn't RossettiConfetti's post of Mon 21-Mar-11 12:29:30 a succint explanation why this link ("tip more" = "they get paid more") is utter nonsense, as waiting staff, bar staff and salon employees across the United States will testify?

frgr · 21/03/2011 20:00

"Of all personal failings I find meaness a difficult one to overlook."

Right. But we've already stated so many reasons why it's not as simple as "mean mindedness", can you stop simplifying it down to that level for the sake of your own argument? Hmm

noodle69 · 21/03/2011 20:02

Exactly I think people who tip are complete mugs they have obviously never worked in a tipping industry. You would get tips of loads of notes and told you cant keep them. Then get to the end of the week and split down it would be a couple of quid. It is a firing offence in a lot of places to keep tips (I am talking of a lot of big name places I know as well as hotels/waitressing places in my local area).

Its harsh and why should people subsidise rich owners? I object to it completely.

FattyArbuckel · 21/03/2011 20:04

My own direct experience of working as a waitress in many different places is that I have always kept 100% of my tips.

In my hairdressers the person I tip keeps 100% of the tip be that a stylist or junior and I know this because the manager is a friend of mine.

I think that if you want to be mean with your money you will be able to justify that decision to yourself but that you are naiive to think that others will think that your actions are anything other than mean.

noodle69 · 21/03/2011 20:05

Ok then Hmm. You definitely have never lived in a town where the main industry is leisure and catering thats for sure ROFL.

FattyArbuckel · 21/03/2011 20:07

I have lived and worked in Cambridge, London and Brighton and have worked as a waitress in all 3.

noodle69 · 21/03/2011 20:08

Yeah they are not the types of towns I am talking about. They are very rich places its not like that here at all. It is seen as you are a stupid tourist if you tip here as you dont understand the way things are.

frgr · 21/03/2011 20:09

FattyArbuckel, were your tip-keeping jobs in the UK? Shock Because hand on heart in not one of the bar or waitress jobs I ever had as a student let each server keep the tips. The norm was to have the kitchen jar which was shared out between serving and kitchen staff (both) at the end of shifts.

One particular place shared it all out as a Christmas bonus, which I never got to share in as I "only worked 3 shifts a week" Hmm

You must have been very lucky where you worked. I'm not trying to imply you're lying, but I think the luck of working in a place where your managers permitted such a policy would have been much more incentive to give good service IMHO.

I don't care much if people judge me as mean, really. I'm happy to be judged externally for something I've thought quite a lot about, rather than doing something because it keeps my head down and gives me an "easy life".

frgr · 21/03/2011 20:09

Oh all my bar and waitressing jobs were in Wales (or near the welsh border) and in country pubs and restaurants, NOT clubs or anything like that.

noodle69 · 21/03/2011 20:11

Exactly cambridge lol. That is full of posh people. Its those types that tip here cause they dont know any better

TheFallenMadonna · 21/03/2011 20:11

I don't tip my hairdresser (owner) but do tip the junior if she washes my hair or similar (usually £3). I tip around 15% in restaurants. I used to waitress and we split tips (which I thought fair enough), but we definitely got them rather than the restaurant owner. I'm not overly bothered about what other people do.

FattyArbuckel · 21/03/2011 20:13

noodle if its not customary to tip that's different, there is no expectation. Maybe it is so where you live but hasn't been so in my own experience which is as I say of living in Cambridge, Brighton and London where I have held many waitressing jobs and always kept all of my own tips.

FattyArbuckel · 21/03/2011 20:16

"Exactly cambridge lol. That is full of posh people. Its those types that tip here cause they dont know any better" - there probably morepeople who tip who are poor than who are rich ime

If you are looking for an excuse to be mean you will always find one that will satisfy yourself but it will rarely satisfy anyone else

noodle69 · 21/03/2011 20:17

I think its different worlds. You would see it as mean but here the general thing round here is that tippers are from places such as ones you have said and dont know any better cause they are so rich or are very naive.

FattyArbuckel · 21/03/2011 20:25

I don't fancy the future of the tourist industry round your way noodle if tourists who tip your workers are disrespected in the way you suggest

noodle69 · 21/03/2011 20:28

As I have always lived here since I started working at 14 its common knowledge people cant keep their tips. So I have never known different, the same as everyone else I know. Vast majority of people here work in the tourist industry and its the same every job you do here so its more people think why do they tip when they know we wont see it?

This thread shows me things operate differently in posh areas that have other things other than the leisure/tourist industry. Here that is all we have got really and we have no other industry so the businesses milk it I suppose.

noodle69 · 21/03/2011 20:30

I also dont think tourist industry will die here we are one of the UKs biggest holiday resorts!

FattyArbuckel · 21/03/2011 20:32

Perhaps we might both agree there should be transparency as to whether the person you tip will keep the tip

noodle69 · 21/03/2011 20:35

Well obviously but they all say you will even right in front of your face and the customers face but then you cant keep it when you get out back as it has to be split between all staff and they take loads out. Its obvious to work out when you are with your mates and work out how much you took and how much you have all be given. You cant argue they people are desperate for the jobs so they will just give it to the Polish people.

FattyArbuckel · 21/03/2011 20:41

I am meaning regulation so that by law businesses must declare exactly how tips are distibuted.

In a certain few restaurants round here (although not all restaurants by any means!) it is usual to earn as much as 4 or 5 times your basic wage in tips if you get the best shifts - not suprisingly these are the most popular places to work even thought they generally have no sick pay benefits etc. Service in these restaurants is generally good.

FattyArbuckel · 21/03/2011 20:42

Basic wage is also minimum wage

FattyArbuckel · 21/03/2011 20:46

We still have our share of non tipping folk here rest assured, some of 'em are even posh and naiive

noodle69 · 21/03/2011 20:50

God you would never get that much here but as I said average wage round here is considerably lower than national average think my area is 18.5k now. 50% of people are on minimum wage. A considerable amount above that are on just above that. There is no money here from locals and even tourists that come down unless they come from London they are all pretty poor themselves.

Its rare to have any jobs with sick pay, benefits or above the minimum wage here. You will take what you can get and be glad of it. You arent going to fight for tips in this kind of area you are just glad to be on the minimum wage, same as everyone else.

Swipe left for the next trending thread