AIBU not to tip my hairdresser

[wallowinwater]

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...

I am currently trying to save for a haircut and it's only at one of those £9 places as I'm so skint. I do tend to say keep the change from a tenner but I never really think to tip. I know alot of hairdressers are on min wage but so are many other people who aren't seen as worthy if tips (myself included).

I have my hair cut, coloured and blow dried/straightened every 6-8 weeks and I'm never sure whether or not to tip.

He's just put his prices up a bit, so that now costs somewhere between £59-64. I'm in the SE though.

I used to go to him years ago when he rented a place and had ppl working for him, but stopped when he went solo, as he moved further away.
I started going there again early last year. He owns the salon and it's within the grounds of his house (think converted garage/summerhouse).

He's a one man band now, so to speak, which id's why I'm not sure about tipping him.
Sometimes I tip, sometimes I don't, it depends on my money situation at the time and also whether I'm paying by card or cash. When I do tip him it's usually between £5-8.

He seemed surprised the 1st time I did it though, so now I'm not sure of the etiquette.

I knew our hairdresser when she was setting up the salon, and she said she would have to set her prices on the assumption people didn't tip. There's no dishes or anything to make it possible - how do you tip someone handing you a cup of tea when you need both hands on the saucer?

Seeing as the whole family use them and have recommended the place loads, and DP has his hair cut so often I'd assume he was having an affair if it weren't that half the local area would know instantly, they get enough of our income already. I do splash out on the odd treatment I mightn't otherwise because they are so lovely.

I always find this so awkward but cut and colour costs £100 as it is - I sometimes tip a fiver but I'm not paying another £10 on top 😳

Interesting subject.
Most employed hair dressers earn little more than minimum
But following this logic, shouldn't we tip everybody that provides us with a service and are paid min wage? So supermarket cashier, salesperson in clothes shop, GP receptionist, nurse, ...

And it is not about the "level" of personnalized service, because a pizza delivery person won't have done anything more than an amazon delivery person, but more people will give to the first one than to the second one...

I don't think the 'tipping culture' did originate in the U.S. as it was common for MC/wealthy people to tip delivery boys or others who performed a service in the 19th (examples in Dickens etc) and early 20th C.
But the tipping situation seems to be much worse in the Stares, with 15-20 pct expected, (it's the expected that gets on my tits) .
I do tip my hairdresser, she is a one-woman band who comes to me, is excellent and doesn't make a lot of money by any means. I also usually tip London cabbies because of their expertise. But not if I suspect they've headed straight for the nearest traffic jam. And not Uber drivers either - they may be cheap but IME they're not that great.

Restaurants -- more and more are adding 12-1/2 pct service to the bill (London again) and you've got to be up for an argument if you object. Which I will if the service has been bad. But it can leave a bad taste.....

Eliza9917 why would you think you only get a good service if you tip? Surely they should be giving a good service because that is what they have trained/been employed/paid to do? The same applies in mainly roles in life, I don't get it! There are many jobs that are low paid that don't expect a tip.

I'm a beauty therapist and even a £2 tip Is a million percent appreciated and often makes our day. I saved up all my tips and bought my tula baby carrier which was a really treat 😍

Also a tip is in no way expected before anyone starts being bitchy!!

*my point is this...

is this 'gesture' becoming... Expected ?*
No, it's not expected as it's a 'gesture' of appreciation, you can do it or not. I think its nice if you can afford to do it but I don't think it's necessarily expected.

looliloo Exactly !

No, not any more. I used to tip £5/£10 for spending anything between £80-£120 on a hair cut/colour for barely a smile or thanks.

The price is the price as far as I'm concerned. They are earning a wage doing a job just like the rest of us, I don't see why I should tip.

Nope don’t tip at all. I worked in a supermarket minimum wage and no one tipped me!

OMG redwineistasty Leave it out ! Maybe you should have been a taxi driver then ! ...

Sorry queen have I missed something?.... I didn’t raft.

*rtft

I get my hair cut religiously every 6 weeks and don't tip. I'm a loyal customer and they can rely on me being a regular. That's got to be something.

Instead, I give the hairdresser a bottle of wine at Christmas and when I get my DD's hair cut with the same person, I round up the amount.

I tip at my Christmas cut but not the rest of the time.

redwine No, it's just that its always been a 'thing' to tip hairdressers. I've always done it and tipped taxi drivers too. When I lived NW England we used to tip the binmen and the posties. In Wales we don't for whatever reason. But in jobs like supermarkets ..it's never been a thing.

I've never tipped at the place I've been going to for the past 3 yrs or so. Always buy the girls chocolates, biscuits and Prosecco at Christmas plus a gift card when any of the girls gets married or has a baby.
I always thought tipping was personal choice

I'm going to start tipping the binmen ! Revolution !

I round up to the nearest £5, so for a cut and colour I give £45 instead of £42.

I don't tip unless something is awesome.
The premise of tipping comes from the US where staffed are paid poorly and tips are used to top the wages up.
We don't pay minimum wage in UK. I will tip for great restaurant service and to round up a taxi fee if around £1.
It's all relative. A haircut for £30 when you're in and out in 30 mins is a good hourly rate across all staff. No guilt here. But a £15 good haircut will get a tip from me!

I don't tip mine. She's the salon owner and the place is expensive (but good).

I always tip £5-10 depending on the time my appointment takes, my hairdresser is amazing and deserves every penny. She also would trim my fringe or give the children a trim free of charge, so I'm really happy to tip her.