Should You Tip the Owner of a Salon? Plus, What About Holiday Tips?
Thursday December 13, 2007
I got an email from someone today (I promised I wouldn't post her name) wondering if she's supposed to tip her hairstylist of years (who happens to own the salon), and if she's supposed to give her a holiday gift. Currently, she gives 15% on visits and gives a box of very nice chocolates for the holidays. She's wondering, though, if this is necessary considering the woman has added a lot of staff and now she finds herself tipping the person who washes her hair and another who gives her facials. Plus, she wonders, are the chocolates going overboard?
Yes, you should tip the owner of a salon. Times have changed and it's now protocol to tip the salon owner, who these days has a lot of overhead costs and has to pay a staff a salary and probably benefits as well. The appropriate tip amount is 20 percent, minus tips for assistants (about $5 for the person who washes your hair and another $5-$10 for the person who dried it). Facials are usually considered a separate service and it's protocol to tip 20 percent to a facialist.
As for the holidays and gifts, I did research (see this article from Real Simple) and was very surprised to learn it's appropriate to give a regular stylist a tip or gift equal to one visit. So those chocolates, it turns out, are a smart move. Find out more about holiday tipping here.
Yes, you should tip the owner of a salon. Times have changed and it's now protocol to tip the salon owner, who these days has a lot of overhead costs and has to pay a staff a salary and probably benefits as well. The appropriate tip amount is 20 percent, minus tips for assistants (about $5 for the person who washes your hair and another $5-$10 for the person who dried it). Facials are usually considered a separate service and it's protocol to tip 20 percent to a facialist.
As for the holidays and gifts, I did research (see this article from Real Simple) and was very surprised to learn it's appropriate to give a regular stylist a tip or gift equal to one visit. So those chocolates, it turns out, are a smart move. Find out more about holiday tipping here.
Comments
What a valueable post for the holidays! Thanks.
yea definitly! thanks
you must be kidding! Having my hair done now costs me a hefty $165 – - If they aren’t making any money or covering the overhead, that’s their fault.
No, I’m not kidding. As someone mentioned to me, it seems outrageous to tip someone who gets tipped for every service an entire visit’s price. After all, a hairstylist or manicurist gets 15-20 percent or so on each visit, whereas the housekeeper, the nanny, the Fed Ex guy, etc. do not so it makes more sense to tip them one visit’s price.
A Stylist’s point of view… YES, you should tip extra or a small gift for the holidays. Just remember all those times you were late, or needed squeezing in for that emergency cut or needed an extra service that wasn’t scheduled or cancelled appointments at the last minute. Stylists do talk about this and do remember generous clients and ones that forget us.
What to tip? Anything is appreciated! And it does mean a lot. A small box of chocolates. A card with $20.00. Whatever you can afford. It truly is all in the thought and at my Salon, it’s the thought of the gift, not what it is or how much.
Now about the tipping in general… For a shampoo, $2-3 is plenty for a 5 minute deal. And yes, if your stylist chooses not to do the extra work of your shampooing or applying hair color, etc, then you should deduct that from your normal tip and give that to the assistant. As far as the facial comment, yes, absolutely you should tip them separately. It’s another service by another person. Why wouldn’t you tip them?
We work on commission. And tips are a huge part of our income. NO, most Stylists ARE NOT offered any type of benefits or insurance, no holiday pay, and no sick day pay. Tips supplement what “normal” jobs would pay for.
Love your stylist as they love you. We are artists and passionate people and most of us adore our clients. You should appreciate what your stylist does for you and if you don’t then maybe you need to look for another or go to Fantastic Sams for a cheap $15.00 cut. Think of it this way… if you feel taking advantage of by extra tipping, then you must not be as happy as you should with your hair stylists and it might be time for a change.
Merry Christmas all , be well and be safe!
I would love to be able to afford being generous when I tip my stylist and anyone else, but this needs to be looked at from a consumer point of view also. The salon I go to charges me about $150 for a cut and single process color. Add a 20% tip and the bill becomes $180. I only make $14 per hour before taxes. That means I have to work about 15 hours to pay for that 2 hour cut/color. Doesn’t seem fair to me that I am expected to tip an amount that is higher than my hourly wage on top of the salary that the stylist also earns. Then at Christmas, I am also supposed to tip or buy a gift worth $150? I don’t spend that much on a Christmas present for my mom!!!
I love my stylist, who is also the salon owner. I have always been told that is it considered an insult to tip the salon owner. When did that change?
This is a great thread and I’ve got to chime in along with the other last few people. Referring to Deb’s comments as well as the other last few people – You say we should tip generously and also give gifts at holidays for superior/extra service? I do agree I that is the case and it’s appropriate for your wallet. My salon is a small simple place and one of the few who can decently cut my think curly hair for which i am glad. Their prices are not bad, tho they increase regularly with no change/improvement in service or anything else for the client which would support the increased price. Also, when I arrive for my appointment on time, but have to wait 30 min or more while they complete someone else? I understand how this can happen and am patient, as I plan my appointments when I don’t have to be somewhere else. But not everyone can do that and should that wait not be included in the overall service?
Also when the shampoo girl (who is always a HS kid with no training who is working only for some extra money) soaks my sweater with water because she is careless with the hose- should I lay out extra $$ for that service? That has happened to me more than once. A mumbled “sorry” is all I get (if anything) when I tell them what they did and it’s especially problematic in the winder to go out with soaked clothes.
So when I have to wait a long while, is that OK? Again I may understand why but is that worthy of extra $$? I do tip regularly at each visit, and like the other poster who doesn’t make a lot of money, neither do I. I’ve never had a stylist who was “passionate “and cared more about me than that I was just another head in their chair. Be honest, I’ve had plenty of lousy cuts (and as result I know what works of doesn’t with my hair) should I still tip when I am rally unhappy and know they can’t fix the cut? Maybe the stylists can see the client’s point of view before we become the subject of slurs.
Also I’d also heard that you didn’t need to tip the stylist who owns the salon, tho I’ve never seen them turn it down.
To Nicole: It’s important to speak up if you don’t like a cut or the quality of service. A good stylist will give you another cut or fix the color for no extra charge (see the salon manager if this doesn’t happen). Plus, speaking up makes you happier and gives the stylist a chance to fix the problem so you stay a repeat customer. Also, most salons give you a cape to wear for your cut so your top isn’t affected. If they don’t offer one, ask for one. And don’t wear your sweater underneath it. I say if you have more than one bad experience at a salon, go elsewhere.
Cheers! Julyne
I’ve reached my limit with tipping! I did the math using very conservative estimates, and a salon with 10 stylists, doing 5 cuts per day, at an avergae of $25 per cut, 5 days per week, makes a gross profit of nearly $350,000 annually. This doesn’t cover the salon owners overhead?! Even if the salon owner only nets 25% of this total, they still make far more money than the majority of thier clients. If you examine profits in salons where the average hair service is $100.00, the annual profit climbs by $1,000,000. The social pressure of tipping is a way for business owners to keep more of the profits, while the customers, beyond paying the cost of the service, are helping to supplement the salaries of the employees.
You do not tip the owner, if they are not making enough money they need to raise their prices. You tip an employee, as this supplements their income…..
Do you tip a doctor? What about your accountant ??
No, I’m sorry, tipping has gotten way out of hand. The rules don’t make any sense. I have a great sylist who is also the owner of the salon. I have always added a tip to an already pricey bill. I should have went in for a cut and color weeks ago but I can’t afford a bill of well over $200.00. I would prefer to pay a higher flat fee for a good stylist and cut the crap of feeling the added pressure of giving more of my money away.
they charge way to much as it is. I go to a salon that has one person that colors your hair, another person shampoos and yet a third person cuts it. that is three tips that i have to leave, and then they charge me $200 for the services and my hair looks like ____ all the time. i cannot find a decent salon, plus i am driving an hour each way to this salon. i am going to start doing my own, because you cannot find a decent hair salon and be happy paying all that money for them messing it up.
So you tip someone who throws a dish down on the table or a drink across the bar but not someone who takes care of personal services for you? Who you allowed to touch you? Who affects what you look like for at least the next 6-8 weeks??
I think providers of personal services should be tipped BETTER than waitresses who carried one meal across a restaurant and filled a drink. And to Monty if you are only making $14 an hour choose a salon that charges prices that you can afford. $150 per color/cut is out of your league (and mine). And NO I do not work for tips so this is not based on personal issues.
Tipping shouldn’t be done, anymore at least, to supplement someone’s income, it should be done to show your appreciation for a job well done and adjusted accordingly. If it happens to be the business owner that does a good job, leave a tip. Why not? If a hairstylist or anyone else isn’t making enough money and are relying on tips to survive, then they need to find a different job.
I also wanted to say, regarding someone else’s post, prices increase on a regular basis because the cost of doing business increase on a regular basis.
No, I’m not a hairstylist. I tip at minimum 20% but if you give me bad service I’ll leave you nothing.
Don’t forget to tip your dog groomer.
People that get tips remember customers that tip well and MOST of those customers will get better service because of it.