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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU not to tip my hairdresser

184 replies

wallowinwater · 14/02/2018 15:53

I am genuinely confused about this... I have no idea how to handle this - do most people tip? Not tip? Also if you do how much? Do you just hand it to the hairdresser (feels weird). I used to tip and have stopped...

OP posts:
Original poster
wallowinwater · 14/02/2018 16:24

Sharon - feels weird tipping someone older than me a few quid... what’s a reasonable tip? My haircut is £25-£30? Or kids £8

OP posts:
Boredboredboredboredbored · 14/02/2018 16:24

Interesting. I have a 5pm appointment tonight and pay £100 to the salon owner for a colour and cut. I usually tip but resent it so don't know why I do it really. I'm not going to tonight!

Thelampshadelady · 14/02/2018 16:26

Most employed hair dressers earn little more than minimum wage so I do tip.
Self employed hairdressers generally earn quite a bit more. I shouldn’t think of it like that but I think it’s nice to give someone on min wage a little bit more.

Papergirl1968 · 14/02/2018 16:27

See, I tip at the hairdresser which is owned by a nice woman and she employs another nice woman - either of them do my hair. But I don’t tip at the beautician where I go to have my brows shaped as it’s just the owner who does the treatments, plus she employs a receptionist. Is that weird? I don’t quite know why I tip one but not the other.

Sophisticatedsarcasm · 14/02/2018 16:27

I always tip.... if they’ve done a good job. I hate hairdressers because they talk to much so if I can get though a haircut without them stopping to talk 50 times they get a tip. The barber for my son gets a tip. He is amazing and really good with the kids. My son has his haircut every 2 months so does my DP and my uncle even goes there. I used to go to another women who was really good and my son went thier from aged one but she had Ill health and her husband isn’t that good and he talks far too much so I stopped going there. My son loves the Italian guy that dies his hair now 😊

Original poster
wallowinwater · 14/02/2018 16:28

Thanks Crunched (how do u tag people) at least I know I’m breaking the rules, although think your friend may have a vested interest 😂

OP posts:
MichaelBendfaster · 14/02/2018 16:29

I do, about 10–15%. But she is pretty cheap (£25) so it only comes to about £2.50–£3, so it's just a gesture really.

She looked very surprised and doubtful about accepting the first few times (she had gone mobile after working in a salon previously and I think she thought conventions were different for mobile stylists. But I always think it's a long time to spend on public transport/driving, and if she can use it for a nice coffee or something, it's better than nothing.

It's so convenient having her come to my house, and she's very very good, so I'm happy to.

Coastalcommand · 14/02/2018 16:30

I tip 10% in cash and put the bill on my card. The same in restaurants. In taxes I will round it up to about 10% or the nearest pound which ever is greater.

AnaWinter · 14/02/2018 16:31

I always tip. £10 for colour, £5 for a cut and £3 for a blow dry. I do resent it though.

whiteroseredrose · 14/02/2018 16:32

My hairdresser is the salon owner and he told me that it's not customary to tip the owner, so I don't. I do give the shampoo person a couple of pounds though.

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 14/02/2018 16:34

I think tipping ideas are changing...

Years ago it was the workers who weren't paid much....... To top up their wages and show appreciation....

But as rates have changed so much?? Why would I pay extra to her hairdresser that is already charging £100!!
And have you any idea how much black cab drivers earn??! More than I do...

theunsure · 14/02/2018 16:34

I don't tip, for years my hairdresser was salon owner, so no need. I moved away and now use a different salon where there are at least 4 people involved in each appointment (one does the colour, one does the shampoo, another cuts and another makes drinks), I don't pay in cash so tipping all of them would be massively awkward.

I always watch the people paying though and not many seem to tip (but some do - usually older people).

AppleKatie · 14/02/2018 16:34

I never have -never found a way that it isn’t awkward.

Now I mostly have my hair done by a friend- I tried to tip her a couple of times but she looked insulted and gave it back so...

CoolCarrie · 14/02/2018 16:35

I only tip the girl who washes my hair, we always tip at cafes, restaurants if the food and service is good.

amusedbush · 14/02/2018 16:37

I pay £40 for a cut and blow dry, I'm not paying any more.

I do tip in restaurants but unless I'm in the US, I don't tip a set percentage. I'll just round the bill up to the nearest 5 or 10 and leave that.

Viviennemary · 14/02/2018 16:40

Even if I pay a bit more for a cut and blow say up to £50 (not usually though) if I like it I will tip but not more than £3. I did read you don't tip the salon owner though I think plenty of people do.

Blaablaablaa · 14/02/2018 16:40

As a general rule I don't tip my hairdresser. She's self employed and charges above average. I travel quite far to see her when it would be more convenient to go somewhere more local so feel this evens it out. I buy her Christmas and birthday presents though. Judging by the car she drives and the exotic holidays she has she probably earning more than I am.

However, I do tip the girl who cuts my DS's hair as she's a junior employed by the salon and is so patient with the little bugger!

PipsM · 14/02/2018 16:40

I don’t tip but I do buy her a bottle of something nice at Christmas or Easter and sometimes take in nice posh biscuits or cakes for her. These are always appreciated.
She is self employed though and I always find it a bit weird when paying so much for a colour and cut to pay even more as a tip.

upsideup · 14/02/2018 16:40

Woah! Not the repsonse I was expecting, I thought you were going to be flamed OP, I won't as it seems I am the minority doing it wrong.
I have been brought up to absolutely always tip 15%, hairdressers, taxi drivers, restaurants and would of thought it extremely rude not too.

Mummaofboys · 14/02/2018 16:40

I always tip, just £5 nothing much, I think it because my mum always tipped so it’s stuck with me. They don’t earn a huge wage like waiting staff so it’s just a nice thing to do.

sundowners · 14/02/2018 16:41

I always tip, £10. Everyone I know and all clients do, maybe a London thing. Genuinely shocked at how many say they don't.

mollied · 14/02/2018 16:41

I think if you are happy with it then tip! I always tip my hairdresser cz I really like her and she does a good job and if she makes enough money then she won't move elsewhere, she is really convenient to me at the moment!

Tink2007 · 14/02/2018 16:41

I never tip my hairdresser. Been going to the same one since I was 17.

Tink2007 · 14/02/2018 16:41

Also live in London where it’s massively expensive anyway.

upsideup · 14/02/2018 16:45

sundowners

We are not in london and always tip, I thought in the UK people always tipped at least 10%. Guess we are wrong.