How much do you tip for a haircut?

J

JOhnH

Touchdown! Greaser!
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I know some people will say "why tip if you are already paying".
But I generally tip pretty well, so this is not a WHY tip question.

Where I go a regular haircut is $19.
I got both an email and a post card offering a $8.99 haircut.

I went in and just had a trim around the ears and back and clean up side burns.
I had planned to tip $4 which would have been greater than 20% of the regular price.

But the credit machine offered up three tip choices (or no tip or custom tip).
The three choices were $5, $7 or $9.
Does ANYONE tip almost 50% for a haircut?
I think I did once around 30 or 40 years ago at a place called "A Little Off the Top". But it was a topless salon with nice looking stylists. I think I gave $5.00 for a $2.50 haircut.
 
I don't tip myself. I'm my worst customer but I'm my only customer.
 
My local charges $14.00…Vietnamese women who also do a head and neck massage to finish…closest thing to a Korean Barbershop somewhere out the gate of an Army Post…I give them $20.00…
 
I tip 20% on the haircut. Of course they put in suggested tips that are much higher, just as many restaurants now do. I think 20% is fine, if they need more money, charge more on the base price.
 
I don’t tip barbers as they aren’t common servants. The barbers I use are earning more than $30. an hour.
 
JOhnH said:
I know some people will say "why tip if you are already paying".
But I generally tip pretty well, so this is not a WHY tip question.

Where I go a regular haircut is $19.
I got both an email and a post card offering a $8.99 haircut.

I went in and just had a trim around the ears and back and clean up side burns.
I had planned to tip $4 which would have been greater than 20% of the regular price.

But the credit machine offered up three tip choices (or no tip or custom tip).
The three choices were $5, $7 or $9.
Does ANYONE tip almost 50% for a haircut?
I think I did once around 30 or 40 years ago at a place called "A Little Off the Top". But it was a topless salon with nice looking stylists. I think I gave $5.00 for a $2.50 haircut.
Click to expand...
Topless? !!!
I give my hair stylist 25 most trips, I have given her 30 bucks when she gets's me in on short notice. She has been cutting my hair for close to 40 years. She teaches at a beauty school and has her own clients and rents chairs at local salons to work out of. A few haircuts ago a lady sitting there with hair dye in her hair waiting commented that I didn't even have to tell her how I want it cut because she has been doing so long for me. The best part she gets me in and out in about 10 mins or less.
 
JOhnH said:
I know some people will say "why tip if you are already paying".
But I generally tip pretty well, so this is not a WHY tip question.

Where I go a regular haircut is $19.
I got both an email and a post card offering a $8.99 haircut.

I went in and just had a trim around the ears and back and clean up side burns.
I had planned to tip $4 which would have been greater than 20% of the regular price.

But the credit machine offered up three tip choices (or no tip or custom tip).
The three choices were $5, $7 or $9.
Does ANYONE tip almost 50% for a haircut?
I think I did once around 30 or 40 years ago at a place called "A Little Off the Top". But it was a topless salon with nice looking stylists. I think I gave $5.00 for a $2.50 haircut.
Click to expand...
I tip more than you paid for your haircut, but I've never seen anyone around here offering a $9 haircut. I don't think Supercuts is even that cheap anymore.
 
For a while I used my wife'
Racerx said:
It depends if they waterboarded me washing my hair.
Click to expand...
For a while I went to my wife's salon and had her stylist do me. First there was the 10-15 min wait in the waiting area. Then we went to the wash station and got waterboarded. Then in the chair where I had to explain I wanted the same cut as last time. It was never the same cut as last time. It was hit and miss whether I liked the cut. An hour later I could get out of there after listening to the stylist talk non stop for an hour because I gave her very short answers while she was asking about my personal life. Some women never shut up, can't cut hair without babbling.
I went back to my regular stylist even though she only is available to me on Mondays mornings and Friday afternoons because she teaches the rest of the time. I show up with clean hair and she bangs me in and out with very consistent haircuts every time with minimum small talk. And no water boarding! Most times when I go to my stylist there is very little waiting if at all. She cut's my hair in between dye jobs. She works on 3-4 people at a time. She is very experienced after 40 years in the business and her haircuts show that experience I learned.
 
Currently, I go to a 70 year old barber. $18 no tip. 10 minutes in and out.
I’m getting tired of the whole tip thing.
 
#8 all over and block the back. Easiest cut they do all day. It’s $16 and I give them $20. In and out in 10-15 minutes.
 
I used to use Hair Cuttery; however I have found Super Cuts does a better job and faster where I live now. I do a basic hair cut, and have upped my tip to $4 bucks if only cutting. $6 if wash and cut.
Most of the time, my hair cut takes 10 minutes, 15 if I get my hair washed also.
Pre-COVID it was normally $2 and $3 bucks.

Tim
 
I go to a real barber shop with model airplanes hanging from the ceiling. He is also a car guy, so we can talk cars or airplanes. When the covid came up he started doing appointments, so no more waiting. He is only open 3 says a week so he stays busy. No wash job, but he pays attention on trimming the beard.

But, he is over retirement age.

One time in Alaska I needed a haircut. So I took a trip to Anchorage hoping to do some shopping and get my haircut. I went to the mall knowing there were a few places there that cuts hair. All were full but recommended the barber school at the far end of the mall. I went there, and the gentleman asked me if he could help me. I asked if I could get my haircut. He said sure, the girls are outside taking a smoke break and will be back in a minute or so.

A few minutes later a rough looking but not unattractive girl came in and said follow me, so I did. She sat me in a chair and asked me how I wanted my hair cut and I told her. She went to work cutting, and proceeded to rub her breast on me, shoulder to shoulder, ears and all.

I am thinking, well, she is really working for a tip. Then I noticed a sign on the wall saying ''Improper behavior will not be tolerated''.
Improper behavior by who is what I am thinking.

After that I went to the grocery store to pick up some supplies. Being Monday I also picked up a few newspapers. After getting home, I see a article in the paper about how Anchorage Police and the barber school are working together to train former hookers to work a different trade...
 
I go to my local barbershop. Excellent service, and they take appointments so no sitting around waiting for a chair to open, or trying to figure out who was there first. I always tip 20%, I'll give him $50 when I get my pre Christmas cut.

He was giving black market cuts in the back of a landscaping business during COVID, and I made the invite list. I had a heart attack when a Statie showed up in his full regalia. Turns out he had the appointment after me.
 
tspear said:
I used to use Hair Cuttery; however I have found Super Cuts does a better job and faster where I live now.
Click to expand...

I used to use the chains, but they got too insistent about having all of my personal information on file before I could get in the chair. SuperCuts was most aggressive. I don't know if they've changed--I did complain to corporate--but they insisted on a full name, address and phone number on file to get past the front desk. Explaining that I was there for a haircut, not a passport, didn't help. I eventually got tired of giving them made-up information each time, and found an 'old-time' barber in town. He's under 30, but he understands how barbers are supposed to operate.
 
Supercuts has my phone number and first name. That is all they asked for. I once looked, and my last name is Smith. On the search results, everyone's name was Smith, all had the same address (the stores).

Tim
 
anyone ask chatgpt the question?
 
I’m about $8 on a $25 cut. Are bowl cuts back yet??? That would make things cheaper. I’ve got a pair of clippers for the beard (see avatar) I could repurpose.
 
Zeldman said:
I go to a real barber shop with model airplanes hanging from the ceiling. He is also a car guy, so we can talk cars or airplanes. When the covid came up he started doing appointments, so no more waiting. He is only open 3 says a week so he stays busy. No wash job, but he pays attention on trimming the beard.

But, he is over retirement age.

One time in Alaska I needed a haircut. So I took a trip to Anchorage hoping to do some shopping and get my haircut. I went to the mall knowing there were a few places there that cuts hair. All were full but recommended the barber school at the far end of the mall. I went there, and the gentleman asked me if he could help me. I asked if I could get my haircut. He said sure, the girls are outside taking a smoke break and will be back in a minute or so.

A few minutes later a rough looking but not unattractive girl came in and said follow me, so I did. She sat me in a chair and asked me how I wanted my hair cut and I told her. She went to work cutting, and proceeded to rub her breast on me, shoulder to shoulder, ears and all.

I am thinking, well, she is really working for a tip. Then I noticed a sign on the wall saying ''Improper behavior will not be tolerated''.
Improper behavior by who is what I am thinking.

After that I went to the grocery store to pick up some supplies. Being Monday I also picked up a few newspapers. After getting home, I see a article in the paper about how Anchorage Police and the barber school are working together to train former hookers to work a different trade...
Click to expand...
So how much did you tip her?!;)
 
Depends what the barber is charging.
 
I usually tip 20 for any service. Started that when the corporate flying began. I figured if I tip 20 for a 5 minute van ride to the hotel or for ice I might as well do it for someone cutting my hair. Seeing the tips in this thread would explain why I usually get a surprised look when I slap 20 on the haircut.
 
Zeldman said:
I go to a real barber shop with model airplanes hanging from the ceiling. He is also a car guy, so we can talk cars or airplanes. When the covid came up he started doing appointments, so no more waiting. He is only open 3 says a week so he stays busy. No wash job, but he pays attention on trimming the beard.

But, he is over retirement age.

One time in Alaska I needed a haircut. So I took a trip to Anchorage hoping to do some shopping and get my haircut. I went to the mall knowing there were a few places there that cuts hair. All were full but recommended the barber school at the far end of the mall. I went there, and the gentleman asked me if he could help me. I asked if I could get my haircut. He said sure, the girls are outside taking a smoke break and will be back in a minute or so.

A few minutes later a rough looking but not unattractive girl came in and said follow me, so I did. She sat me in a chair and asked me how I wanted my hair cut and I told her. She went to work cutting, and proceeded to rub her breast on me, shoulder to shoulder, ears and all.

I am thinking, well, she is really working for a tip. Then I noticed a sign on the wall saying ''Improper behavior will not be tolerated''.
Improper behavior by who is what I am thinking.

After that I went to the grocery store to pick up some supplies. Being Monday I also picked up a few newspapers. After getting home, I see a article in the paper about how Anchorage Police and the barber school are working together to train former hookers to work a different trade...
Click to expand...

There used to be a beauty school right next to where I worked when I was young 20s. My Mom went there if remember right to get her hair cut cheap because the students did the work. So when my barber retired I gave the school a try and that is when I met the women who does my hair now. She was a instructor then also and she did my hair a few times at the school. I am not sure why she did me and not a student?... Then she gave me her card and I started to go see here at a salon at nights or late afternoons. This was around 1980 when I was divorced and not sure if she had other ideas? She has cut my hair ever since except for few times when I tried my wife's salon later in the years.
 
I use The Boardroom...not a cheap cycle thru there, but cut, wash, face and arm massage....about a 45 minute process, even easier as I get a #4 all over, trim the eyebrows and even up and thin down the sideburns. It's my one luxury for myself, as I only need a visit every 4-5 weeks. I tip about 15$ or so.
 
66% tip here.

I go to a cosmetology school, #2 all over. They do a fine job, it's $6 and I give them a $10.

I feel like it's a deal.
 
The lady that cuts my hair gave me my first hair cut. She no longer takes my money. Instead she asks for honey and whatever wild game most recently was put in my freezer.

She wants me to date one of her daughters...I'm not the one that needs convincing.
 
My last haircut was in 1996 (been shaving it since then), but back then I paid $10 plus a two dollar tip. It must have been a good enough tip, because the barber gave me a perfect cut every two weeks for the eight or 10 years that I went to him.
 
@Zeldman

There is a short Thai lady that often works at my local Supercuts. She is so well endowed and short (maybe 5ft tall) that often her boobs rub on the person who's hair she is cutting. I have watched her cut others a few times, just to see why she kept rubbing against me. When reaching up to the top of anyone who is close to 6ft or taller she has to stretch to do the top of their heads. And the taller the torso, the more she rubs. I now slink down a lot, and she always says thank you, and has me cut the line. :)

Tim
 
- The total amount is a detail decided between the business and I. The employee serving me generally has no influence over this.
- The tip is money given to an individual for personal service they provided me.

I view the above as entirely separate issues.

If I am getting a $30 haircut, I'll tip 50% or so. Same thing for a $30 restaurant bill. However...make it a $300 restaurant bill, and I'll no longer be tipping at such a high percentage. Basically, I think someone's time is worth a certain amount of money, and I make sure they get that money, regardless of the total amount. The person serving me rarely has anything to do with deciding the total amount of the service. Therefore, I don't factor that in when I decide how much I tip them.

Truth be told...I don't use services often that expect tips. Those types of services represent a very minimal portion of my overall expenses. So, making it 50% more expensive...really is not something I will ever notice or think about, but might just make someone else's day.
 
$8-$10 on a $25 cut. My barber runs a pretty great shop and always offers a beer or cocktail on the house. I rarely accept, but the offer, banter and shop dog are well worth the price of the cut and tip.
 
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