How much do you tip a massage therapist for a 60 minute massage?

[Anonymous]

I'm a massage therapist. 10 years working for a 4 star spa and I get roughly 24% of a service and do 4-6 massages 5 days a week... I'm very good at what I do... And it kills me when I do a fantastic job and the person I work on says I'm the best and leaves me a tip less than 10% ( in crumpled bills).... It makes me feel like I did a shitty job but they are back next month saying the same thing...
Please leave gratuity for the folks who work hard to make u feel better,

[Anonymous]

I hate our American culture of tipping. It's absolutely ridiculous and we are one of the few places in the world to do such a thing, in the manner that we do it. What about your local garbage man, your electrician at the local utility company that gets up in the middle of the night to fix a power line during a blizzard, etc.... Hell, even an employee at Best Buy who goes out of their way to ensure you understand everything about a product and leave satisfied. I mean the list goes on and on. What makes the service industry (i.e. Hotel, restaurant, etc.) so special?

I understand that some people get paid piss poor wages, but shouldn't we fight this battle against the employers? Instead of complaining about customers who don't tip or leave a small amount? I tip for how I feel the service is performed but I can't stand it. I'm not tipped for my line of work and I can tell you I work for very little compared to what I do. Just my 2 cents....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The price of massage today is high for what people get paid and we are in a recession, I used to tip, but one massage therapist who owned her own place said there is no need. I am sure they would rather have customers, verses no customers, because no one can afford the services today. I am not in a place where I can afford to tip on top of $75 fee. Besides we do not get an itemized print out to know how much they get to pocket. If they want to keep business going, you have to lower prices or give up the idea that people can afford to tip on the already high price.

If you can't afford to tip, don't go out. That goes for anyone in any industry whether it's food, spa, or any other related. If someone busts their ass and you notice it's a slow night, yes, they would appreciate a hefty tip. If someone isn't busting their ass and just gives sloppy work then tip is up to you but as stated beforehand, if you can't afford the tip, don't use the service. I work as a waitress and trust me when I say my coworkers make sure to remember, and not take care of, bad tippers.

[Anonymous]

I'm surprised at the low tips.
I've never tipped less than 30% and I've seen people tip 50%.
I tip my hairdresser 25%.
They work on your body, they are not delivering food that someone else has made
or drove you from one destination from another.
Of course this all depends of level of service.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The price of massage today is high for what people get paid and we are in a recession, I used to tip, but one massage therapist who owned her own place said there is no need. I am sure they would rather have customers, verses no customers, because no one can afford the services today. I am not in a place where I can afford to tip on top of $75 fee. Besides we do not get an itemized print out to know how much they get to pocket. If they want to keep business going, you have to lower prices or give up the idea that people can afford to tip on the already high price.

If you can't afford to tip, then don't go out. Do you absolutely need a massage? I am a pro athlete and I don't get massages. Those people are depending on tips to make a living. If you can't afford it, then don't do it.

[Anonymous]

Now that I am older and make plenty of money I tend to tip 25% of the bill as a minimum at restaurants. The only time I don't do that is when the auto gratuity kicks in then I tend to leave it whatever was already taken out (Maybe I should add the extra money in as it is probably not the servers fault that the establishment auto gratuities a bill for parties larger than 5 or 6. My thought is they should not take away my ability to determine the tip at groups of 6 or less and I am usually okay with them saving me the extra bit of $$$ by not trusting me.)

For my first massage I got a 1 hour couples massage with my wife and tipped $40 after reading through the 1st page or two of this site. (Thanks)

Because I signed up for a large block of massages I get a discounted rate and figured that a 20% tip on the full rate was correct. Was not sure if this was about right as I don't want to be perceived as cheap and I appreciate that the therapist has too touch most of my body. I paid for my massages with a credit card and tipped in cash.

The therapists seemed to light up when I tipped them so I am guessing that my amount was acceptable.

Many of my friends and colleagues are tight wad cheap curmudgeons and they think I am too generous. Some of them have crazy money and make me look like a destitute street bum in comparison by scale. I criticize them frequently for being so stingy and ask that they take on a more generous stance to help out those hard working folks who service them well. I have converted a few and reset their thinking to be more giving and sharing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We go to the Kingsmill Spa in Williamsburg a few times a year (family nearby) and at the end, the receptionist will say, "we've automatically added 18% gratuity, would you like to change it?" I usually just say its fine, even though I think it's a bit high. The masseuse already gets about half of the price too (so $60 of a $120 massage). That's not a horrible hourly rate. I don't get tipped for doing my job.

15 to 20% is the average range for tip, keep in mind that some massages such as short or deep tissue massage takes mor engery and strength for the Massage Thererist to do, and you may whant to tip the 20%. The best way to base your tip is by how you feel after the massage. I you told the Massage Therpist that you wanted the stress you hold in your neck and shoulder worked on, and they payed no more attention working on those areas then the rest of your body, and you feel about the same leaving as you did comming in tip less. Mast Massage Therpist do not make 50% of the cost of the massage they make 25% to 30% and sometimes even less if the massage is part of a special offer.

[Anonymous]

Tipping is out of control. I get restaurants, limousine drivers, ect. I don't mind tipping but everyone has their hand out.I drive a truck and I don't have a tip jar, even though I work long hours and crazy shifts to get goods Americans use ever day to to stores.You shouldn't have to tip everyone and everyone shouldn't get the same percentage. It's not being cheap, it's tipping is getting out of control. If you pay 100 for a massage 10 should be good.Waitress make like 2-3 a hour so tipping should be high, but someone making 35-50 on a hours work shouldn't be 15-30 percent. No wonder people aren't going out as much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hate our American culture of tipping. It's absolutely ridiculous and we are one of the few places in the world to do such a thing, in the manner that we do it. What about your local garbage man, your electrician at the local utility company that gets up in the middle of the night to fix a power line during a blizzard, etc.... Hell, even an employee at Best Buy who goes out of their way to ensure you understand everything about a product and leave satisfied. I mean the list goes on and on. What makes the service industry (i.e. Hotel, restaurant, etc.) so special?

I understand that some people get paid piss poor wages, but shouldn't we fight this battle against the employers? Instead of complaining about customers who don't tip or leave a small amount? I tip for how I feel the service is performed but I can't stand it. I'm not tipped for my line of work and I can tell you I work for very little compared to what I do. Just my 2 cents....

Oh my God. My thoughts EXACTLY. I moved to the US from Germany and am shocked at how entitled people here are when it comes to tipping. Tipping is optional. Not mandatory.

If people don't get paid enough we should try to fix THAT, instead of making every day people feel bad for not paying more than what they have to pay for something. If I feel like tipping, sure fine. But if I don't give you a tip and you don't make enough money due to that - you need to talk to your employer and be mad at THEM, not mad at the customer who HAS paid for the service already.

[Anonymous]

For those trying to equate tipping a doctor or nurse, the problem is that you are forgetting what's going on. A doctor charges you a fee for HIS services. He gets all of the money AND even if you didn't like his bedside manner or his attitude with you, you still pay him his fee and he gets to maintain his lifestyle. Sure, you can choose not to come back, but his time, education and work was worth something and you paid it. At a spa, gym, etc, the therapist isn't getting all of that, and regardless of how "hard" you think they worked for you, it took a toll on their body. The petty $15 or $20 an hour hardly makes up for that...so a $20 tip on top of that begins to make it more worth it. Now you might say $40 an hour?! That's more than I make. Yes, but you also have a steady job with a salary and probably sit at a desk typing...hardly tough work. A therapist might only be working a 20 hour work week because of how hard massaging is on their body, so really, in full time terms, they are still making $20 an hour when you tip them $20 on top of the $20 they get from the spa. I'm so sick of people who complain about tipping people like therapists or servers. If you don't like it, stop going out to eat or getting massages. Or demand that these industries pay a real wage. The fact that most places are keeping 60% or more of the fee you pay just to have the space is ridiculous when the therapist is doing the hard work. On a side note, if you are going to a therapist's home or they are coming to you, i do NOT think you should tip at all. In that case, they are charging you a fee that should be reasonable for their time, work and experience/education. They are keeping 100% of that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those trying to equate tipping a doctor or nurse, the problem is that you are forgetting what's going on. A doctor charges you a fee for HIS services. He gets all of the money AND even if you didn't like his bedside manner or his attitude with you, you still pay him his fee and he gets to maintain his lifestyle. Sure, you can choose not to come back, but his time, education and work was worth something and you paid it. At a spa, gym, etc, the therapist isn't getting all of that, and regardless of how "hard" you think they worked for you, it took a toll on their body. The petty $15 or $20 an hour hardly makes up for that...so a $20 tip on top of that begins to make it more worth it. Now you might say $40 an hour?! That's more than I make. Yes, but you also have a steady job with a salary and probably sit at a desk typing...hardly tough work. A therapist might only be working a 20 hour work week because of how hard massaging is on their body, so really, in full time terms, they are still making $20 an hour when you tip them $20 on top of the $20 they get from the spa. I'm so sick of people who complain about tipping people like therapists or servers. If you don't like it, stop going out to eat or getting massages. Or demand that these industries pay a real wage. The fact that most places are keeping 60% or more of the fee you pay just to have the space is ridiculous when the therapist is doing the hard work. On a side note, if you are going to a therapist's home or they are coming to you, i do NOT think you should tip at all. In that case, they are charging you a fee that should be reasonable for their time, work and experience/education. They are keeping 100% of that.

SO MANY assumptions in this post. I make $9/hour and I work in childcare. I work my behind off every day - yes I love my job, but it's hard work. I don't get tipped. I don't get bonuses. I don't get benefits. And I don't complain. I do however complain about people making an industry problem MY problem, instead of taking it up with the people responsible. I pay $40 for a massage, that's what I can afford. That's what it says on the price chart. That's what I pay. If there are hidden fees, people take money and don't pay employees enough, whatever...that is NOT my problem. Change your rate then and make the prices real! Charge $100/hr instead of $40 so everyone gets paid enough. Stop hiding behind this ridiculous argument!

[Anonymous]

This Money CNN.com website has a helpful tipping list, and it says "15% to 20% for Spa Services. If service is provided by owner, no tip." http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/tipping/ I have had massage at the chiropractor for car accident injuries, which were being paid for by the insurance company of the at fault driver, or my personal injury protection plan, and I didn't even think to tip...Oops! But at the Spa I always tip 15-20%.

[Anonymous]

I'm a little surprised by some of the posts here. I am a massage therapist, not a waitress. I'm really good at what I do, and in my experience, other therapists aren't as good. Its an art form really, some have passion, some are just working for the money and don't care. Therapists' at small spas are paid 15 to 20 an hour, the spa keeps the rest. Private contractors have to pay for the room your in, the sheets you lay on, the oil the put on you, the music you hear etc...not cheap. If your paying more than 60.00 for a massage, 15-20% is very reasonable. But if your paying less, your getting a really good deal and tipping a percentage isn't appropriate. If you enjoyed your massage, 15 to 20 $ is norm, if you didn't enjoy it, tip whatever you want. Remember, we went to school for this, spending 15 to 20 grand in total. Most therapist can only work 6 hrs a day of massage. So, lets do some math, if they get 15 an hour, you tip 10, that's 25 to work on u for an hour straight. Not bringing an occasional plate or drink. And not serving many at once, its all you in that hour. Thx for reading ?

[Anonymous]

My regular therapeutic is $75 for 60 mins. and I tip 20% on top of that, so $90... to a sole proprietor who rents her space.

[Anonymous]

Someone may have already said this, but I did not go through the 100s of responses to this. However, as a massage therapist in a high end resort spa and as an independent contractor, I can say it depends on the situation. Most often gratuity is appreciated at the typical 10-20% & is a sign to the therapist that they did a great job as well, but it's not always obligated. Additionally, in some spa locations, the therapist doesn't necessarily get paid a commission from the service. I've worked for one where you received a minimum wage and then only 18 out of the 20% gratuity automatically applied to the service. The gratuity was the therapist's paycheck and when it was adjusted, the therapist only gets their $9/hr for that $200+ treatment you just paid for. We have food to put on the table too. Spas usually discourage the staff from telling you that about the pay structure, but if you are unsure, just ask the therapist. They will let you know if the establishment allows for gratuity or not. Yet, in all cases if you have a great therapist who is in the profession to truly help people, the additional love donation is always appreciated more than you can know. Every little bit counts when we go from week to week paychecks because you never know what the schedule will be like. Thank you.