To not tip the hairdresser?

[sunnygemini]

I had a good wash, cut and blow dry today, a lot of length off so almost a restyle. The hairdresser got it just right and took almost double the amount of time for the appointment (time not an issue for me).
It cost £55 which is more than I usually pay but I needed to get it booked in so was ok with this.
I've come away wondering if I should have tipped as it took the extra time and the hairdresser seemed to put in the effort to get it just right but I felt a bit awkward, how much do people tip? Do you tip cash separately if you pay by card? Is it expected not to tip when its that price?

I know there are much better things to worry over but I want to go back to the same place and don't want to feel awkward next time!

@HalloHello

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

I was a nurse too, I worked in A&E then obs & gynae. I did more childminding than the people I paid to look after my kids some days! I also got assaulted, verbally abused, threatened, and told to fuck off more than I'd like to say, to people I was helping. I used my own money sometimes to buy patients treats, I often stayed past the end of my shift to hold the hands of women who were in excruciating pain until their husbands came, so they wouldn't be alone. I changed bloody sheets, shit covered sheets, vomit covered sheets, with very little thanks. And if a patient did want to thank me with a box of chocolates or a gift I couldn't accept anything over the value of £25 and anything under that I had to fill out a form and put it in the gift register. Christmas/work nights out were paid for by staff, it so much as a thank you drink.

I wonder how many people re mORtIfiEd that I didn't get a tip every day. I wonder how many people think its mean that I never even got an offer?

Seriously though why can't we just exercise common sense in these situations? People who charge a fortune for a service that they highly likely didn't even pay to train for (hairdressers, joiners, plumbers, workmen etc) don't need a tip. This tying ourselves in knots over what it looks like if we don't contribute extra financially is utterly, utterly, bizarre.

I wonder if the people shocked that people don't tip their hairdressers are the same people who are rude to nurses, teachers and other staff unworthy of financial rewards?

I don’t tip either. My hairdresser puts her prices up fairly regularly and it’s not cheap. I’m happy to pay because she’s good, but I’m not paying extra. Its her own business and I know she makes a good living. She prices so that she can pay herself and staff a proper wage.

@MySecretHistory Minimum wage is not a living wage.

I never tip. My hairdresser is self employed and comes to my house. She sets her own prices so I expect her to charge correctly. If I was going to a saloon then staff should be paid appropriately. I don't tip the supermarket staff, receptionist at drs by beauty therapist etc. I only really tip if someone has gone above and beyond and not charged for it but its rare I tip now. We have a NMW for a reason.

Extra time, extra effort etc ... they should put that effort into every client therefore it shouldn’t be extra at all. No wonder so many of us hate going to the hairdressers and rarely feel satisfied when leaving. They shouldn’t need to be rewarded for doing their job to the level expected.

@Labracadabradoodle

Speaking as a minimum wage employee, I hate the whole notion of tipping. There are many low paid services where we don't feel obliged to do it. We don't tip the supermarket checkout person, the street sweepers, cleaners at the local gym etc etc. Where does the line get drawn? Glad you love your hair.

You're meant to tip people who do a personal service for you...not a service for society at large.

It is my hairdresser's own business so basically she charges what she wants. If I didn't like the price, I would stop going I suppose. For the very reason it is her own business, I wouldn't tip her. I do however give her a present at Christmas and after the various lockdowns, have always taken her either a cake or some flowers.

I hate tipping my hairdresser, but I feel guilted into it somehow. She's in 30 she has a house twice the value of mine, a brand new car and goes on expensive holidays twice a year. She is basically significantly wealthier than me at half my age. Also I hate the moment of pressing cash into her hand. It's so awkward.

I'm fine tipping in restaurants and rounding up a taxi fare by a little bit. But I have no idea why hairdressers get tipped. What makes them different from anyone else? They're not working unsocial hours, they're not on low pay. Where has this come from?

I wish I was brave enough to stop. My 6 weekly appointment costs £110. So 10% on top is significant.

I tip the shampoo person a couple of quid and my hairdresser at least a tenner. I have to have double length appointments because my hair is essentially a shire horse tail and I'm fairly sure both of them need a break and can't see any other clients due to exhaustion after dealing with me. My hair usually costs between 150-200 for a "big" quarterly sortout.

I think generally tipping the shampoo person is expected, they're not on much money at all.

Nope. Never tipped a hairdresser unless it was a near-Christmas hair cut. It's not normal in my group of friends to tip for a 'normal' visit.

The hairdresser did her job. She did it well. I'm sure because of this you'll be a returning customer. That's a tip in itself.

I never tip my hairdresser and I don’t always tip in restaurants either. Probably one of the reasons why I have money in the bank. People are too quick to hand over their hard earned money for fear of what other people (who they don’t know ) think of them. Feck that ! I’ll look after number one.

My sister is a hairdresser and doesn't expect tips or tip herself. You pay a fee for a service...
So no, I have never and would never tip a hairdresser. If you have a regular hairdresser who is amazing I would do a lovely card at Christmas and a coffee voucher maybe...but every appointment? Hell no.

I always tip mine, it's my way of showing my appreciation for her skills. It's just a small thing that's makes a difference.

Sometimes I tip, sometimes I don’t. No hard and fast rule.

I give around 10%

My mum / grandma also gave £1-2 to the person who washes your hair (if different).

I don't tip anymore , my hair now regularly costs £110 for an hour of their time ** - most of which is me sat reading on my phone.....10 mins putting a semi permanent colour on the roots only, 5 mins washing it out and 15 mins for a quick trim and blow dry

I don't tip. At almost 150 quid for less than an hours work it's more than enough.

Nothing to do with minimum wage, I like to show my appreciation to people who provide a decent service.

Shock horror, I also tip takeaway delivery guys, taxi drivers and grocery delivery men!

I don’t tip. I pay a high price for the service already.

My hairdressers I book online and you pay when you book. When I’ve left I’ve asked if I can pay a tip on my card but hairdresser has always declined which is strange. I am rubbish at carrying cash it just gets spent as soon as I have it but if I have 10% on me in cash I’d tip that if I was pleased.
As an aside I remember going back to a hairdressers after an “ombré” which was like emperors new clothes paid £100 and it didn’t look any different. In the end they gave me a refund for the colour and just charged for the cut. Was mortifying kicking off but it was ridiculous.

I used to tip because I felt it was the done thing but don't anymore and haven't for the past twenty years or so. I don't feel customers should be subsidising the hairdresser's wages. I pay good money for a service and if I am pleased with the result I say so and thank you. Job done imo.

It was a complete restyle taking twice as long, and you left nothing?

Good luck getting an appointment in future, OP.

Always tip deliveroo guy. Hairdresser and beautician I’m paying £££££, no but if a junior or apprentice has washed my hair I will leave them a couple of pounds. Nail ladies I tip a few pounds unless it’s the owner in which case I don’t.

Nope. My self employed hairdresser spends 2.5 hours on my hair, which includes half head foils, cut and easy straight blow dry. £120.
It's a lot. I don't feel any need to tip except at xmas. But if I were in a salon and someone young / apprentice washed and helped and I could guess they were on min wage or apprenticeship then I would always leave something. £2 or £3 probably.

My hairdressers all have individual piggy banks at the salon so it’s somewhat expected/definitely appreciated and the norm. I also round up, I find that the prices are set so I can easily tip. I pay £74 for my highlights and cut and tip £6 as I’m there 2.5 hours.

The salon owner gets a bulk of the £74. I know my hairdresser herself is lucky to earn slightly more than min wage. If she does 2 highlights and a couple of cuts in one day, she earns the salon £200 but takes home about £80. I’m sure the extra £20 or so in tips makes a big difference to her (employed by the salon rather than renting a chair)