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Haircut Tip
updated: Oct 30, 2012, 9:45 AM

By Edhat Subscriber

How much of a tip do we give for a good haircut? 20% or more?

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 337053	2012-10-30 09:47 AM
I give 20% for my standard mutt cut.
AQUAHOLIC	2012-10-30 09:49 AM
20%
COMMENT 337057	2012-10-30 09:50 AM
My barber charges $16. I give him a $20 and call it a day. 20% is fine for a good haircut.
COMMENT 337061	2012-10-30 09:55 AM
20%
COMMENT 337065P	2012-10-30 09:59 AM
I give $2 when I go to Sams or Supercuts & get a $20 haircut... cause all they do is trim my hair about 2 inches, straight line.
COMMENT 337067P	2012-10-30 10:03 AM
I tip, but still find it "strange" that it's assumed tipping is in order, especially at a salon, etc. If it's the owner of the shop, do they expect a tip on top of their posted fee? Don't the other people "rent" a chair & act as independent contractors? Do they also expect tips on top of their fees? It's like restaurants with normal or sub-standard service. Are we expected to tip for anything other than outstanding, over the top, service?
COMMENT 337069	2012-10-30 10:05 AM
My haircut costs $30 and I tip $5.
COMMENT 337073	2012-10-30 10:12 AM
I pay $60, tip $10. Been going to the same woman for many years, she does exactly what I want .When I feel adventuresome, she isn't scissor-happy. And she does really cool braids! Since I only go 2-3 times a year, I feel it is worth it. Thanks, Espy.
COMMENT 337074	2012-10-30 10:14 AM
Why put it in a percentage? My haircut is $20. I give her $5-$7. My wife pays $100 and she gives $20. Makes no sense to me but I can't stop the crazy idea that woman think they need to pay more for the same service.
COMMENT 337075	2012-10-30 10:15 AM
You pay for a good haircut, you do not tip for a good haircut. You never come back for a bad one.
COMMENT 337076	2012-10-30 10:21 AM
067P: I have never assumed tipping was for outstanding over the top service, but for general good service. If service truly was awful, ok, don't tip. But waitresses (and stylists and similar professions) generally make their money on tips. I don't tip at coffee shops & places where you order at the counter (ok, well, sometimes I throw my change in the jar) because the people get paid a normal amount, unlike true waitstaff or stylists. And did you really just say, well, the hairdresser has to PAY TO WORK SOMEWHERE, so why should I tip them? Please tell me you're trolling. 20% is a reasonable tip for pretty much anything, assuming the service was good. (In the States, at least.)
COMMENT 337078	2012-10-30 10:37 AM
I give between $2 and $5 depending on the experience.
COMMENT 337081	2012-10-30 10:44 AM
I go to Supercuts. Haircut $16. Tip $5.
COMMENT 337086P	2012-10-30 10:48 AM
Mine costs me $25, I tip $3. I guess I could tip $2 more.
COMMENT 337093	2012-10-30 10:59 AM
20% is my usual, but I round up to the nearest $5 to make it easy.
COMMENT 337107	2012-10-30 11:17 AM
Mine is free! Bald has its perks!
COMMENT 337114	2012-10-30 11:22 AM
$5 on a $30 haircut
COMMENT 337119	2012-10-30 11:27 AM
I tipped Costco $20 for a set of Wahl clippers and never go scalped at Supercuts again.
COMMENT 337136	2012-10-30 11:53 AM
How about when you go in for the free neck trim between cuts?
COMMENT 337142	2012-10-30 12:10 PM
Mine is free too! Long hair has it's perks!
COMMENT 337175	2012-10-30 01:02 PM
I pay $160 for a cut and color so I figure $10 is enough since I pay too much already (and the guy owns his own salon so the theory is you don't need to tip him).
COMMENT 337179	2012-10-30 01:06 PM
175 - Since you pay him too much already? Um, no. You choose to pay what he asks. If that's too much, it's on your end, not his. Go find someone else, then who you can afford and give a real tip to. This kind of thinking is beyond me. If you're paying "too much" it's only your fault, nobody else's.
COMMENT 337195	2012-10-30 01:29 PM
My minimum tip for something like this is $10.00 or 1/3 of the total cost whichever is more - I believe in tipping well for good service.
COMMENT 337204P	2012-10-30 01:48 PM
I'm with 175 - I pay $150 for a haircut/color and tip $10-15. Always figured the price covers the service and the tip is the "thank you". It is the owner of the salon that cuts my hair. It makes sense to me that the tip percentage would go down as the price goes up. Maybe I'm just cheap....I've stuck with the same hairdresser for over 8 years and she keeps welcoming me back!
COMMENT 337225	2012-10-30 02:19 PM
Hairdressers need us as return customers more than we need them, so that is reward enough in this economy. They need to charge fairly for their services in response to what the market supports and not expect a "tip" on top of that. Something is wrong when services demand a tip to be preformed properly. And when displeasure is indicated by leaving no tip. Never coming back is the risk hairdressers need to put on top of their own priority list of concerns, not whether the patron tips or not. The service industry is about pleasing the customer; not the other way around.
COMMENT 337246	2012-10-30 03:25 PM
I cut my own hair, and give myself a pat on the back.
COMMENT 337252	2012-10-30 03:38 PM
Hairstylists aren't always in a booth rental situations at a salon. Sometimes it's commission based. Hairstylists have to pay their own taxes and do not get holiday or sick pay or any kind of retirement. It's a physically fatiguing job that not every stylist can do forever so tips are very much appreciated for our savings.
COMMENT 337268	2012-10-30 04:24 PM
17 for the cut, give them a 20 to round it out.
COMMENT 337283P	2012-10-30 05:39 PM
20 percent. And you $160 ladies KNOW what a bad color job does to your hair! Give the stylist 20% because she's/he's WORTH that much for her/his expertise. Or maybe they'll just be reading this thread and hike your fee next visit. sheesh. People can be so cheap, yet throw money away on other stuff that is valueless.
SEEDLADY	2012-10-30 05:42 PM
$60 haircut, $12-15 tip. She's WAY worth it, and I can make a way to afford it. hugs, Heather @ Lux!
COMMENT 337290P	2012-10-30 06:07 PM
@136 - I think you are just fishing for comments here. You can't be serious. I'd be way to embarrassed to expect a free neck trim between haircuts. Use a razor in the shower. I've never cut myself. Otherwise, use an electric razor. I can't believe you wait in line and then don't give the guy anything. He has to prepare and clean his tools. So - are you a barber, just making a joke?
COMMENT 337313	2012-10-30 07:41 PM
136 Free neck trim? You are lucky he doesn't punch you in the face for free....Pay or tip the people please!!!
COMMENT 337386	2012-10-31 06:42 AM
I also pay $160 for cut & highlights and thats alot! But I always give a $35 tip. I also dont think it makes a difference whether they own the salon or not.
COMMENT 337394P	2012-10-31 07:11 AM
My haircut is $16 and I give the barber a $20.
FLICKA	2012-10-31 07:56 AM
I always figure, if you can afford the service, you can afford a 20% tip. If not, skip the whole deal, salon or resturant.
COMMENT 337413	2012-10-31 07:58 AM
The more fair and reasonable their prices are, the better the tip. If their fees are on the high side, they're lucky if they get any tip at all.
SPARKEY	2012-10-31 08:44 AM
good, timely, haircut $16, tip $4-6.
COMMENT 337521	2012-10-31 10:52 AM
I go to my hair stylist every month. She charges $39 for a mens hairuct. I usually tip her to round it out to an even $50. And yes there is such thing as a 'free neck trim' i get mine every two weeks. It's not expected for me to tip her when i go in for my neck trim since it only lasts 5 in, but i'll usually slip her a $5 for taking the time.
COMMENT 337574	2012-10-31 01:08 PM
It depends on the service performed. Haircuts for men and women vary widely and in the case of women often includes a shampoo or other services. If you go to a regular barber or beautician it is appropriate to give a tip but the amount is a matter of absolute discretion. My sliding scale is 10% to 20% and varies with other factors. Is it Christmas, their birthday, or some other occasion? If you know the barber or beautician you may know their personal situation which can affect the amount of the tip. I can remember tipping my barber more money when I knew he was going through a divorce, for example.
CORKY	2012-10-31 02:48 PM
I get a good haircut at Supercuts Magnolia. It's cheap, under $20, so I always leave $5.
COMMENT 419395	2013-06-11 12:51 PM
I tip 20% when service is good, less if it is sub-par, and maybe more if it is excellent or beyond expectation. While it may be true that service industry workers rely on tips to get by, tipping for bad service encourages more of the same and reinforces the behavior. If bad service receives low tips, the worker can consider improving the quality of their work to earn better tips or find a profession that better suits their skill-set or personality.

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