I've heard a few debates about this topic on the radio, and I have a recent story that has brought it back to the forefront.
Yesterday, I went to get my hair cut. The lady was not much for conversation. In fact, she even said a few things that were inappropriate for the situation. Anyway, she finishes cutting my hair, and I go to pay for it. I didn't have cash, so I use debit and the keypad asks me to input the tip. I just hit enter (not tip) and then confirmed the total and my PIN. She "politely" thanks me with a bit of a restrained glare, as I left. So here's the question: when should you tip?
I should clarify that I didn't refuse to tip because of the inappropriate conversation so much as I did because of the venue. Let me explain: I understand the purpose of a tip at a restaurant, and I'm generally quite generous with those tips. At a restaurant, your bill pays largely for the food (hence the variance in price dependant on the dish you order), and then the tip is added in respect to the extent that the service is acceptable or even excellent. At a haircutter's, on the other hand, the entire bill is for the service of cutting your hair. Now I've had occasions when the person cutting my hair went beyond expectations and I've tipped them. That said, I don't think that a tip should be expected in such a business.
I think most would agree that a standard tip is usually around 15%, and that this can vary based on the service. But where should a tip be offered, where should it not be offered, and where should it be asked for? Any thoughts?
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5 comments:
if they're self employeed hair dressers you dont have to tip, otherwise, its like being a waitress, they dont make very good money at all, and so you should tip your hairdresser, unless its a terrible job. though i only tip 10% for hair dressing and 15-20% for servers.
I dont know if thats what everyone else does, but for sure, you should tip your hairdresser. they dont see all that money, they work for the spa.
I have a regular hair dresser and nail technician so I know I'll receive good service from them and I tip appropriately. If I didn't get good service from them I'd quit seeing them and go somewhere else.
However, at a restaurant it's more up in the air as you get who you are given. I tip 10% for good service and increase that for excellent or decrease for substandard service. Rarely do I not tip... I have to receive very poor service for them to receive no tip at all.
I'd probably be more apt to tip if I thought they did an overly good job, or if I went to a nice stylist shop or something. But when I walk in, sit down, they take 10 minutes to quickly buzz of some hair and even it up, and then charge me almost $20, I just don't see the value, I guess. I mean, $20 for 10 minutes work is like paying $120/hr. That's a bit steep for a simple buzz.
Of course, when you get your hair all dolled up at a nice place and they have to actually use some skill, and they're not making you uncomfortable with their inappropriate (and at one point, racist) remarks, then I could see the value in it.
(The above was copied from my reply to another comment I got on facebook about this post. I guess ever since I linked my blog there I'm gonna have two places for people to reply. Keep replying here though, I prefer it.)
I haven't been to a salon in sooo long. With family who cut/style/dye hair I haven't needed too. Although when I did go I used to tip. Not as much as I did at a resturant, but I did tip. But I think it is also different with a female hair cut. You can't just buzz it all off. It actually takes some skill to get the desired style. Thus the reason I can cut Todd's hair, but I wouldn't want to cut a girlfriends hair.
I almost always tip at a resturant. It is usually 15%, but if the service is crappy the tip goes down. Likewise, if it is absolutely over and above it goes up.
What I don't get is when people fight about if you should tip a gas jockey, newpaper boy, mailman, ect, ect...
I tip hairdressers, whether they deserve it or not. It's just too awkward otherwise.
P.S. I also had a terrible experience once with a hairdresser making racist comments throughout the visit. I tried disagreeing with her and changing the subject, to no avail, so I eventually just shut up and vowed never to return. Still have her a tip though, stupidly.
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