To ask if you tip in a salon?

[Theonlywayisscotland]

I never tip a stylist in a salon or a beautician after a wax, etc. Am I wrong? DM recently told me I should be giving them at least a fiver on every visit, but I feel a bit uncomfortable doing that. I feel that the prices are quite high in salons these days anyway, but there’s always an awkward silence after I’ve paid as if they expect more. Should I be tipping?

I also hate the way discussions around tipping seem to imply customers always have spare money to give away, and makes people who’ve carefully budgeted for their rare treat £40 haircut feel bad if they can’t magic up extra cash on top.

I tip, but I get my hair done at the local college so it's fairly cheap.

Hair - generally 10% or so.

Waxing, pedicure, eyebrow or lash tinting - depends on which combination, but either £2 or £3 or 10% ish. It's a small non city centre salon, they're all min wage.

Taxi - round-up or an extra quid.

Restaurants - 10% to 15% cash if I can.

Oh, completely agree that if you're stretching to pay in the first place, then don't tip and that's absolutely fine.

I can afford it so I want to share a bit extra (and I'm a regular customer for the hair & beauty stuff where the staff are friendly accommodating and good).

Always for hair, between 10 and 20 percent. Sometimes at a salon e.g. I get a Hollywood wax and cry with the pain so yes I do tip. It's not a pleasant experience for either of us and every little helps.

There’s no logic to tipping. I tip the takeaway delivery guy but not the tesco delivery one. And I don’t tip the postman but do give him money in a card at Christmas. Supermarket check out workers don’t get paid much - why don’t we tip them?

Only at Christmas.

I go to the same beautician and the same hairdresser (and have done for a very long time) so at Christmas I'll give them both something extra and something like chocolates or wine.

I tip the lady who does mine £10 but she only charges
£8 to cut my hair. She's very good too - i pay what i think iit's worth IYSWIM

Yes, I thought it was the done thing. I tip £5, which goes to the person who washes my hair, rather than the salon owner, who cuts it. I sense it’d be insulting to tip the salon owner. It’s a bloody minefield, though. I reckon the UK is totally a tipping culture! Where would the Brit secret coded system of class hierarchy and deep social awkwardness be without these sorts of indeterminate etiquette practices?!

I tip the lady who does mine £10 but she only charges £8 to cut my hair.

Congratulations, you win the prize for ridiculously excessive tipping!

Not a hope. The owner cuts my hair, and I hand over £90 as it is.

My DM was a hairdresser from the early 1960s until about 2005. She always received tips (and loads of chocolates at Christmas) from her customers, so it's not a new phenomenon.

I was always, always taught to tip and I do - 10% in the UK, 20% in the US. I didn't realize that other people don't!

But why do we tip for some services and not others?

If my haircut was £8 rather than £100 then maybe I would tip!

US seems to have gone up to 22% recently, they helpfully work it out for you on the bill and often circle it just in case you’re unsure. Hate the tipping culture over there.

I do but only by about £1-2 depending on how flushed I'm feeling.

I do. Ten percent. Unless I’ve been seen by the owner, in which case they set the rates themselves so I don’t tip.

No because I cut my own hair and I never do a good job.

Nope, it irritates me that certain professions seem to warrant a tip whilst others don't. The only people I tip are waiters because they are usually run ragged, but I only do this if they've been bob on - polite, attentive to drinks, requests etc. I don't feel guilty for it either. Why does say a hairdresser deserve the reward of a tip but a bus driver doesn't? It's daft.

No.

I assume the owner sets prices at a commercially sustainable level for them, and the fact that I have chosen to take my custom there indicates that I consider that price to be reasonable.

Both parties are therefore happy with the transaction so no further payment is either required or appropriate.

I don't tip the hairdresser. It costs £25 to have her take the clippers to the sides every month and I feel that's a fair price. She's wonderful and it took me ages to find one who would actually cut my hair properly boy style rather than pixie cut femme...but equally, I feel like what I pay is fair for the work.

Over the years I've had several different hairdressers at different places I've lived and I always tip about 10% if the hairdresser is an employee, but nothing if they are the salon owner. Current place charges £44 for cut and blow dry (just gone up from £39) and the hairdresser only works there (not owner) so I give her about £4.

No. Salon owner does my hair and earns more than me! Send flowers on her birthday though

I always tip my hairdresser and beauty therapist - 10% normally and then at Christmas I will tip 20%

I always round up to the nearest fiver