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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Tipping hairdresser after an expensive treatment.

231 replies

Bubblegum22 · 10/08/2023 09:53

I’m getting hair extensions which will cost £550, Aibu to not tip or should I be tipping 10%, which seems to be standard? Or whats an acceptable amount in your opinion?

Maintenance is circa £200 every 2 months so tips will add up over the year (if I decide to keep them in that is).

I’m not sure what the protocol is these days with more expensive treatments so would appreciate some info on other people’s tipping etiquette/or not at the hairdressers, particularly for more expensive services.
Would be great if any hairdressers here could offer some guidance on what they’d expect.

Thank you.

OP posts:
MariaVT65 · 14/08/2023 14:24

CJ1307x · 14/08/2023 14:19

My DDIL is a hairdresser and works for a company. She is paid a wage which is not minimum but is also not high end. Hairdressers actually need the tips to enhance their salary and its a bit like going to a nice meal, to say thank you for good service you tip, therefore you are saying thank you for good service too. Tips should be what you are comfortable leaving not a percentage of the cost.
My neighbour is also a hairdresser and as she is home based and as she is self employed she would not expect a tip.

This is what i’m not understanding tbh.

Why is it up to a customer to make up for someone’s salary because they are not happy with it? I was paid MW as a trained bra fitter, but never expected a tip. Why do hairdressers deserve a tip from other people who are also low earners?

And the hairdressing is a service itself. We’re literally paying for the service. Why should people pay extra for a service they’ve already just paid for?

Cardboardcup · 14/08/2023 14:32

My hair is usually £90 and I give her £100.

ellyeth · 14/08/2023 16:25

I always tip 10%. That means over £10 when I have highlights done.

However, I wouldn't be tipping 10% on a £550 bill. I would probably give around £20-25 because I assume having hair extensions takes longer than most other treatments.

YerArseInParsley · 15/08/2023 00:50

MidnightMeltdown · 13/08/2023 02:14

Tipping is a bit odd in the UK as we have the national minimum wage. It's bonkers that some low paid workers, like retail or care home staff, should be expected to provide tips for others, when they don't receive tips themselves.

@YerArseInParsley I don't routinely tip taxi drivers, window cleaners or delivery people either - where do you draw the line? Do you tip electricians and plumbers and gardeners too?

I do think that tipping culture, in general is on the way out, as it's been reported that younger people don't usually tip. Also, I guess, because most transactions are paid by card these days. Even the Americans are fed up with it and have started a no tip movement. This is a good thing I think. It's so degrading that US servers to have to practically beg customers for money to make up their wage.

I agree, where is the line?

I used to tip hairdresser (still do tbh), taxi drivers, takeaway delivery but I'm slowly stopping this. I grew up with tipping and I suppose it just carried on. At the tender age of 47 I'm now thinking why the f am I tipping people when I'm a single parent working part time for just above minimum wage as a carer.

Taxi drivers prefer covid used to help with shopping but they don't anymore so I've kinda used that as an excuse not to tip.

I kind of wondered now for a while about the tipping culture and if other people done it so now I don't feel so bad not tipping.

Tamrastarr · 15/08/2023 10:35

My hairdresser hands me the card machine and it has a tips option where 10% is the lowest option, and it says something like "10% - OK service" "15% - good" "20% - very good", so it seems that if you pay a 10% tip you are saying the service was just ok. It does also give the option to chose another amount. I usually tip 10%, but yes, I agree, it is a lot on top of an expensive treatment.

CherryMaDeara · 15/08/2023 11:18

Tamrastarr · 15/08/2023 10:35

My hairdresser hands me the card machine and it has a tips option where 10% is the lowest option, and it says something like "10% - OK service" "15% - good" "20% - very good", so it seems that if you pay a 10% tip you are saying the service was just ok. It does also give the option to chose another amount. I usually tip 10%, but yes, I agree, it is a lot on top of an expensive treatment.

I can’t believe they expect a tip for an OK service

I’d tip them a big fat 0.

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