Foo - Foo-tiquette: Tipping for Haircuts?

I hadn't even really thought about it (I don't like thinking about haircuts in general).

Tonight at Mastercuts, though, I noticed the guy paying his bill when I walked in left a tip. The lady who cut my hair recognized me as an occasional customer, is fast, and usually does a good job, so I figured she probably earned it, although when I got home and looked in the mirror, I had second thoughts.


So...do you tip when you get your haircut? Is this at a fancy place or a chop shop like Mastercuts?

I really need a haircut. :o

Usually, I tip $2. Sometimes a bit more if particular care was taken. I go to "chop shops".

$2 for the "big-box" haircutters (supercuts, etc).

More for full service barbershops. Nothing like the adrenalin rush of being shaved with a cut-throat blade.

I don't tip. I cut my own hair. #2 all around. Keeps me from getting helmet hair.

I don't tip. I cut my own hair. #2 all around. Keeps me from getting helmet hair.
I see I'm not the only self barber around here! Cool! I'll do a military high and tight through the summer and let it get shaggy and the beard come in in the winter!:D I tip myself $50.00 every time I do my haircut because I always tip the barber bigtime!

i tipped when i was in the US. these days, considering how much i pay for my haircut, they get enough of my cash.

Grow..er..uh.. I mean cut your own.:) That's what I do.

Yes, I tip...and if they do a good job, tip well and always get the same person.

I usually tip $3-5 (for a $12 haircut).

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So...do you tip when you get your haircut?

Nope. Mum just takes the bowl off my head after she has cut my hair and makes me wash it.

Do Americans tip for everything?

I prefer to not go to a salon or McClips (those chain places) if possible. I find their haircuts aren't all that great.

I go to a local barbershop here, that does great cuts at a great price, and I often tip about $7, just because I felt the cut was worth more, and the staff there are super cool.

Reason I go to an actual barber....because they often know styles that are easy to pull off, and look really good on me. Hard part was finding a decent barbershop around here...one I can just tell "make me look good :)" and they will do just that :)

Do Americans tip for everything?
The problem is that our government has worked it out so that many jobs are very low paying with the expectation that their income will be supplemented with tips. It would probably be better to pay a bit more for things not feel like tipping was necessary, but that's the way it has worked out over the years.

Do Americans tip for everything?

tipping is not a city in china.

Do Americans tip for everything?


For general services, yes.

haircuts, food delivery, waiters/waitresses, bellhops, room service, cabin crew on cruises, taxis. Anything that's not either postal, or mere over the counter business (lots of stuff fall into that one).

It's just the nature of how little we pay. Trust me, minimum wage is only enough for a family if both parents work 160 hours a month...and even then money is way too tight. To make it worse waiter/waitresses get paid well below minimum wage since the law assumes they will get tips.

It's just the nature of the beast here.

When someone else cuts my hair, I usually tip 5 bucks. I cut my own hair too, when it needs it and I'm too lazy to spend an hour or so waiting at some salon. Anyone else notice how rare actual barber shops have become?

Yep, part of it was people went for a "shave and a haircut" but now a bunch of buffoons are saying that barbicide alone is not enough to sterilize their tools, so they can no longer offer shaves (I have yet to find a straight razor shave down here...it's all safety razors...I=sad panda).

The other part is suburban sprawl and oppressive zoning rules have kept barbers from opening up shop anywhere reasonable as well. Have you ever seen anything mom and pop in those areas other than convenience stores?

Only reason the shop I go to is in business is the location....squat in the middle of a residential area, where they should be. Given, it's almost 5 miles from my house, but i still ride my bike there once a month to get a good cut (sadly they don't do shaves either...neck shaves only)

My wife cuts my hair (or what's left of it). I'll "tip" her anytime she will let me! :D

Do Americans tip for everything?
Tipping is usual for service and personal service workers like waiters and waitresses, cabbies, barbers and the like. Bike shop staff do not get tips....These folks generally are paid the minimum wage.

Why would barbers be on the minimum wage? Don't they have to go to barber school and be qualified?

How much do they charge for a haircut?

I used to pay about US$15 in Australia and I pay about US$21-US$30 here.

I go to one of the local clip shops and take my chances with whoever's on duty. They make diddly-squat for salary and depend on tips. My cut's usually $12, so I hand the person $15 and call it good. That's a 25% tip, but it's only $3. $3 to me is not a big deal, but to the person cutting my hair, it may be.

Also, the stylists who work at the Great Clips and Supercuts often have to supply some of their their own supplies, which is over and above their base salary. Tipping helps them with the supplies.

Tipping for good service at a clip shop or in a restaurant is good karma. The best tippers I know at restaurants are usually folks who used to work in those environments. I learned from them. The worst tippers are usually the folks who whip out the calculator to split up a bill down to the penny.

I always tip $5. Always ask for the same person.

OT Anyone else old enough to remember when barbers used to light a straw and wave it through your hair to get rid of the split ends.

I cut my own hair with clippers or I shave it. But when I used to get haircuts I went to the same place and always tipped the women who cut my hair. A couple dollars is fine.

The worst tippers are usually the folks who whip out the calculator to split up a bill down to the penny.

Those are the folks that prompt me to say "just gimme the dang thing, I'll pay it myself, which, you'd think they'd like, being penny-pinchers and all, but then they get offended and insist on paying it all themselves, so of course I relent and say "Ok I'll get the tip". Win for me, I don't pay the check, win for the server, they get a good tip. :D

$2, but I agree with the others, I need to leave more.

[QUOTE=catatonic]Anything that's not either postal, or mere over the counter business (lots of stuff fall into that one).
QUOTE]

Except these days, you see a tip jar out on virutally every counter. Coffee shop? You betcha. Sandwich shop? Oh yeah.... Both of these are over the counter businesses, not one where a service person brings your order to you, but you go order, stand there and wait and they hand it to you. They're making at least minimum wage (vs wait staff pay). I've seen tip jars on the counter at some of the oddest places; places most people would think completely inappropriate. I usually ignore them (which is why I can't remember any specific ones at the moment). It always amazes me that there's cash in most of those jars. Maybe it's "seed money"?

How do you know when to tip? What's appropriate? I guess if your coffee is important and you have one specific person who makes it perfectly for you every time and is quick, then a tip would be appropriate. I've always been told if the person owns the business you don't tip. OK... so if I go to Ray's barber shop and Ray cuts my hair, do I tip him? I guess technically by the etiquette rules I don't need to yet I usually do. These days I just go to the barber shop on base and tip $2.

Tipping used to be for a job well done and to ensure that that continues when you go someplace. These days, it seems to becoming more charity than a reward for good service with tip jars springing up everywhere.

15 percent of what it cost you.

I have always tipped my hairdresser. I normally tip $10. :) I really like my hair and she does a great job.

15 percent of what it cost you.

That does seem to be the standard. Usually, though I tip 20 percent and sometimes more. I do it for several reasons:

* I've noticed in places where I'm a regular customer that it does seem to improve service.
* A lot of the service employees in town are college kids. I know many are just scraping by (as I did)
* It makes me feel good.

But tell me, am I nuts? As someone in a service industry (if industry is the right word) do you think 20 percent considered "too much?"

That does seem to be the standard. Usually, though I tip 20 percent and sometimes more. I do it for several reasons:

* I've noticed in places where I'm a regular customer that it does seem to improve service.
* A lot of the service employees in town are college kids. I know many are just scraping by (as I did)
* It makes me feel good.

But tell me, am I nuts? As someone in a service industry (if industry is the right word) do you think 20 percent considered "too much?"

No, that's what I tip for good service. It's easy to figure out too.

I don't like to be expected to tip, but I will if I feel that there's a good reason to.

When I see a tip jar that's out of place, it will get nothing from me. I do not and will nto tip for over the counter service. Those folks should be paid a fair wage, and if they are not, should go to a place that does pay it.

But tell me, am I nuts? As someone in a service industry (if industry is the right word) do you think 20 percent considered "too much?"
20% of what? Like I said above, my chop at SuperClipCuts is $12. A $3 tip is 25%, but only $3. A $3 tip on a fancy salon 'do would be a lot less than 20%. But my take is that if you can afford the luxury of a fancy salon / day spa hair styling, then you should be able to tip accordingly.

It's like going to a restaurant. 15-20% tip at a diner for a $10 breakfast is a lot different than a 15-20% tip at a 4-star restaurant. If you can afford 4-star dining experience, then you should be able to cover an appropriate gratuity.

That does seem to be the standard. Usually, though I tip 20 percent and sometimes more. I do it for several reasons:

* I've noticed in places where I'm a regular customer that it does seem to improve service.
* A lot of the service employees in town are college kids. I know many are just scraping by (as I did)
* It makes me feel good.

But tell me, am I nuts? As someone in a service industry (if industry is the right word) do you think 20 percent considered "too much?"
I do same thing too, 15 percent is minimum tip for services.

I do same thing too, 15 percent is minimum tip for services.
15% is considered standard in restaurant tipping, but I'll regularly go above in appreciation for good service. I'm not afraid to tip less than 15% when the table has been ignored or service has been poor. A tip does need to be earned, or else what good does it do?

Considering my barber (gasp...a real barber) only charges $12 for a haircut, takes 30 minutes to do it...she's making $24/hour. She and her mom run the joint, and that $24/hour ($48/hour between them) means they are working 10 hour days, 6 days per week to cover all their expenses including rent/utilities/supplies, etc.

I've been going there for 8 years now. When I sit in the chair, she knows what to do without me explaining it. (The Usual). She has cut my 3 y.o.'s hair for 2 years now. She get's $20 each time.



But...I refuse to tip the jar at Subway. Fxxk that.

I don't tip. I cut my own hair. #2 all around. Keeps me from getting helmet hair.

Wow, ditto!!

Had some relatives come out to SD recently and I couldn't believe some of what we saw as it's been a while since I've really went touristo in a tourist trap like SD. Went out on a 1/2 day fishing boat and there was a jackpot, we all entered it and when a guy won it everyone that worked on the boat said it was 'customary' to give the jackpot back to the crew? Why enter it then?
Local Restaurant had the tip built into the tab at the end of the meal. 15% ........Whatever :D
Everywhere we went from coffee shops to little hole-in-the-wall curios had tip jars out. It appears to me that a lot of these businesses are using that ploy to keep from having to pay their staff a decent wage. But then a lot of what we used to consider kid's jobs like bagging groceries have been Unionized and are now careers for people. Whatever :D

I've been going there for 8 years now. When I sit in the chair, she knows what to do without me explaining it.

Yet you still live. :eek:

My haircuts cost about $20. I'll tip the hairdresser $5. I only cut my hair every 3 months or so so I don't mind tipping her that much as she does a good job with my hair.

I sometimes tip the barber, but normally I don't. I don't get it. The guy has his own booth, and sets his own prices and takes his own appointments. He charges $12 per haircut. I figure if he wanted $15, he would charge $15.

I've never been tipped in my life for anything and I am 37 years old. The only people i tip normally are restaurant wait staff who make a low hourly rate. It is well known that they are working for tips.

Yet you still live. :eek:

It IS amazing, isn't it?

I've never been tipped in my life for anything and I am 37 years old


Aww Portis, that is so sad! I am going to fix that right here and now. Scroll down for a tip, from me to you.










Don't eat yellow snow! :D

Don't eat yellow snow! :D

This is Kansas brother. That is a delicacy in these parts.

I usually give him an extra couple of bucks.

I hadn't even really thought about it (I don't like thinking about haircuts in general).

Tonight at Mastercuts, though, I noticed the guy paying his bill when I walked in left a tip. The lady who cut my hair recognized me as an occasional customer, is fast, and usually does a good job, so I figured she probably earned it, although when I got home and looked in the mirror, I had second thoughts.


So...do you tip when you get your haircut? Is this at a fancy place or a chop shop like Mastercuts?

I tip. Usually 2$. However with the recent increase to 28$ for a guys cut I outright refuse to tip.

I tip 15% +/- for a haircut. I usually find someone I like and stick with them, the same guy's been cutting my hair for about 18 years now.

I don't tip. I cut my own hair. #2 all around. Keeps me from getting helmet hair.

Rookie! Break out the #1! :)

No and the bottom line is this:
They set prices they should be happy with point blank! I and many other professions do a job that recquires us to put our life on the line and I don't get tips nor do I expect one. Why? I chose the job and for what it pays.

If they expect a tip and get a little huffy...........I tell them to get a job being a waitress or waiter if tips mean so much, or raise your prices which for 15 mins. and the cost of almost $20 they are high enough. That equates to $80 per hour which is 3 times what I make and I had 4 years college and another 2000+ hours specialized training to get where I am and I am not begging for tips.

No and the bottom line is this:
They set prices they should be happy with point blank! I and many other professions do a job that recquires us to put our life on the line and I don't get tips nor do I expect one. Why? I chose the job and for what it pays.

If they expect a tip and get a little huffy...........I tell them to get a job being a waitress or waiter if tips mean so much, or raise your prices which for 15 mins. and the cost of almost $20 they are high enough. That equates to $80 per hours which is 3 times what I make and I had 4 years college and another 2000+ hours specialized training to get where I am and I am not begging for tips.
And you think that $80 per hour is going right into the stylist's pocket??

Get real. That money goes to the shop at large to pay for rent, utilities, franchising fees (if applicable), advertising, etc. If there is anything left over, the stylist will get a meager hourly wage.

If a stylist/barber/cutter does a great job, then a tip is more than appropriate. If they don't, then it's your right to not tip, but you better think next time you go in there. Why should they give you a good haircut if you're the one who doesn't tip? If they get huffy with you, then it's time to find a new place for a cut, but don't expect better service if you refuse to acknowledge a job well done.

And you think that $80 per hour is going right into the stylist's pocket??

Get real. That money goes to the shop at large to pay for rent, utilities, franchising fees (if applicable), advertising, etc. If there is anything left over, the stylist will get a meager hourly wage.

If a stylist/barber/cutter does a great job, then a tip is more than appropriate. If they don't, then it's your right to not tip, but you better think next time you go in there. Why should they give you a good haircut if you're the one who doesn't tip? If they get huffy with you, then it's time to find a new place for a cut, but don't expect better service if you refuse to acknowledge a job well done.

They chose to work there and not my damn problem. Get into business yourself if you hate the middleman cut. This is not rocket science. I never had one to get huffy with me and if they did I would go somewhere else. So since I don't get tipped and the next time there is a **** in progress I will continue my dinner break because there is no tip in it for me! But that statement I just made is really in no way how I do. I don't say......there that damn Mrs. Robinson who hates the police getting raped and doesn't like us.......let's give her crappy response and that will teach her. Hell no I don't. I get right up and go. Like I said...............you hate your job get the hell out and don't expect me to make your job better by giving you a tip. If you guys like giving tips then give..........I just don't see why they should get a tip for a job they chose and no one twisting their arm saying to them your a stylist and enjoy the low pay. My a$$! Like it or lump it.