To tip or not to tip (that is the question....)

[sue11]

I have just come out of my 2nd visit to a different hairdressor and so far I have not tipped them anything. I had a cut and colour (as on the previous first visit) and the stylist left me with the receptionist to pay the bill. During this the colourist came over and started playing with her tip box, turning it over and opening it to look inside. I took this as her silent reminder that she is expecting a tip!
I am not against tipping staff and wonder if I should be doing so, but I have had a few bad experiences with hairdressing salons, with the last one, I used to tip each visit giving at least £10 sometimes £20 to my stylist who would cut and colour herself, the bill would be between £90 to £120 depending on the treatments I had. I felt that I had got into an awkward situation where a tip was expected regardless. the stylist started out okay doing my hair, but the service I received got progressively worse, sometimes she could not even be bothered to cut my hair on a visit, regardless of what I had booked in for.
This is why I am very hesitant to tip in the new salon, I have not been over the moon with the result so far, the first time the stylist cut the front too short, today the colourist told me she would leave the colour on for 30 mins and I was left for about 50 mins. I had a chat with the stylist today and we agreed that she would not cut the front this time, she acknowledged my concern and she seems to be trying her best to get my hair in the style I like, although she has not quite achieved the finished result so far.
What does everyone think? Am I being mean and should I be tipping the staff regardless to show my appreciation of the work they are doing, even though things are not right at the moment. My worry is that if I tip and they do not get any better, then I am tipping them for a poor service!
Thanks for your thoughts
Sue

[Ankou]

in my olden days of visiting 'salons' it was typical to tip the hairwasher, but only a couple of quid or so. a tenner seems ott.

[mccfluff]

i wouldn't tip unless you feel they have carried out a service worth tipping and if someone hinted, i def wouldn't.

[ummmm]

It's completely up to you. I wouldn't tip someone who seemed to be hinting for a tip though.

[cazzz1975]

its costly enough to have a haircut and colour without them expecting tips! like ummmm says its up to you but as she is hinting at a tip, she would not get one from me :)

[sue11]

Thanks for your thoughts so far, it is good to know that others share the same views! I think that a hairdressor seems to be one of the few places that customers are still expected to tip, so it tends to go against my better nature not to, but I am a bit fearful of building an expectation that I will tip each time I go in.
Cheers
Sue

[Arti]

Curious things, tips. Tipping a taxi driver is considered the norm, even though he may be earning more money than the passenger. We don't normally tip a shop assistant after buying 20 cigs and a mars bar. I give tips only if a good job has been done eg the taxi driver being friendly and getting you to your destination efficiently. I agree with Cazz, regarding someone hinting for a tip. Also, I tip bar staff if they've given me a warm reception. I would never tip for poor service.

[China Doll]

I don't tip taxi drivers (unless to say keep the change which is generally minimal) or hairdressers. I tip waiting staff if I think I have had a good service.

[maclarencat]

I think the tipping of hairdressers goes back to the days when as a trainee you earned very little money and relied on your tips. With the advent of the minimum wage I think that negated the need to tip. I must admit I feel mean when I dont tip but I am overcoming this and have started only giving my hairdresser a tip at Christmas. I wouldnt on principle tip someone who virtually asked for a tip!

[sue11]

Do trainee hairdressors earn mimimum wage? I seem to remember that they are one of the few groups that are not on minimum wage as they are classed as apprentices?
To be honest the trainee is one of the ones I tend to forget to tip in a salon given that they mostly only wash my hair, when they probably need the extra money the most!

[flip_flop]

I don't tip.

I hate having my hair cut at the best of and will go to great lengths to try and find the cheapest barber I can, which at the moment is £9 a go - pegged at that amount, presumably, expecting a £1 tip. If I don't have the right money I will wait for my £1 change.

Likewise in restuarants - I'm already paying for my food so I don't see why I should pay more for somebody to bring me my food.

I'm sure people will consider me a tight bastard - which I am - but its just not in my nature to tip.

[Cowtipper]

Same on the hinting for tips. That's panhandling. I've waited tables and bar-tended so my food service tips start at 20% and go down depending on the service. I usually toss 5% for a good haircut and 10% on a good cab ride.

[Arti]

Why do you tip bovines, though? Is it for the milk they serve? :)

[Cowtipper]

LOL. I'm kinda dense, I read that three times before I got it.

[sue11]

Flip flop I am sure that you are right and you are expected to leave the £1 change as a tip and I know that you are right in not giving in. To me £9 is very cheap for a haircut, although I think my partner can get his done for around this amount and still complains how expensive it is! Isn't it crazy that it is still relatively cheap in places like barber shops, but eye wateringly expensive in a hairdressing salon, but I bet the barber does just as good a job! Mind you I know that lots of people can find haircuts at nowhere near the money I pay, I still have to learn the lesson that expensive does not always equal good value!

[sue11]

Yes I was looking for the reference to the cow until I realised it was in your name, doh!

[tamborine]

You can cut & color your hair at home for free.

It takes 3y training to become a basic hairdresser with further courses required to be stylist & earn a clientele.

http://www.hji.co.uk/...aining-courses-9.html

Like all professions the training costs are met in employees salaries. Salons charge according to costs for the service & location.

Your hairstyle will last 6weeks, divide your charge by 6 for the weekly cost of being well groomed. Tips are not expected if the full service is paid for but with coloring a deep conditioner is extra; its a stylists perogative to charge. Better to tip than be charged £10+.

[crisper]

Hi Sue...I read with this with interest...I'm a hairdresser...(mrs crisper)...so I do get tipped.. in the salon I work in.. at Colour, cut and blow dry.would cost you 35 pounds.. I work in a village on the outskirts of a town.. so the prices are cheaper..bit I'd NEVER expect to get a tip... luckily for me most of my customers do tip..some don't...and I really don't mind... I think its a huge responsibility to do someone's hair..and to do it well .. and as far as I know..myself and all my work mates do our clients hair to our best ability.. the average tip I get..is 1 to 2 pounds... I think thats enough...I'm grateful to get anything..lol...alot of my clients tip that sort of amount weekly.. monthly etc.. but alot kindly give me.. say 10 or 20 pounds at christmas time, which is fantastic.. when a customer leaves our salon..we always without fail.. say to them to come back..ring up..if their not happy...but Sue, don't feel obliged to tip..alot of my clients don't... and I stilllook forward to seeing them...and making their hair as nice as i possibly can!...p.s I'm sure your hair looks wonderful! xx have a nice weekend all xx

[boxtops]

When I went to a salon I used to tip, 10%, but my stylist used to come to the till so I gave her coins when I paid for the bill with my card. I don't ever tip taxis these days, the only other time we leave tips is in restaurants and then only if we are pleased with the service.

[scraggy55]

I think they charge quite enough these days, so I don't tip my hairdresser. I have been going to them for quite a while as well. I have got past caring whether they will be bothered about that, as I cannot even afford to have my hair done very often, without paying them extra - particularly in your case where you are not entirely happy. Maybe you should only tip your hairdresser when she finally does what you are asking for - she might get the message! Generally I would not advise anyone to tip a Hairdresser, they get paid quite a good salary these days. Once upon a time they were quite poorly paid, but definitely not these days, so don't feel bad about not tipping. Perhaps you could tip the apprentices that wash hair, sweep the floor and make cups of tea...................now they ARE poorly paid!

[crisper]

Actually scraggy55..I've been a qualified hairdresser for over 15 years... and I only get minimum wage!!!..and I think you'll find alot of stylists are in the same position! We work hard..often late and unsociable hours...there alot of people who wouldn't work long hours on their feet all day.. for the minimum wage..so when I do a clients hair well , tips are very gratefully recieved.....mrs crisper xx