Salon Owners and Tipping

[Anonymous]

I'm sure this has been covered before but here goes:

Do you tip owners of hair salons? And if so, how much do you tip?

thanks

[Anonymous]

My stylist is the salon owner. I don't know if I do the right thing or not, so I am interested in hearing other people's opinions.

My total bill for haircut and highlights comes to $155, and I tip 20% of that split between my stylist (15%) and his assistant (5%). The assistant usually does comb out, wash & condition w/ neck massage (!), and most of the blowdrying.

[Anonymous]

No, I don't tip owners.

[Anonymous]

There IS a hard and fast rule for this and the industry is well aware of it: hair stylists are to be tipped 20% of the bill (cut/color/etc...)unless the stylist is the owner. Owners are not tipped at all, because they are the owner (and ergo, hardly need a tip). You can leave it to your stylists to break the 20% tip with the person who washed and/or blow dried your hair or you can leave a little extra, say $5, for this person separately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There IS a hard and fast rule for this and the industry is well aware of it

Sorry, I missed that; was it passed in Obama's first 100 days?

[Anonymous]

My stylist is the owner and I don't tip him; I do tip the assistant between $5 and $10, depending on how much she's got to do (e.g, just shampoo or shampoo and remove foils if I'm getting highlights).

[Anonymous]

So I've been tipping the owner 20% all along. If this is a "hard and fast rule" in the industry, shouldn't the owner have said something to me from the beginning, or am I just being naive?

Really - why would anyone turn down on average $20?

FWIW, my hair always looks good and the cut grows out nicely each time.

[Anonymous]

I asked the desk people if customers tipped the owner, my stylist, and they said "yes." I know tipping and gifts are appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Everything I've read about tipping rules says don't tip the owner; in practice, though, it seems like many people do. My stylist owns his salon, and I don't tip him. I have no idea if his other clients do.

[Anonymous]

Back in the day (yes I'm old) it was slightly insulting to tip the owner. But more and more people do tip now. I think asking the receptionist beforehand is an excellent idea.

[Anonymous]

gee, I didn't know that. I've always been tipping the owner.

[Anonymous]

While I know their is a "rule", I do tip the owner and she's never turned me down. I know she is having a hard-time of it - opening up a place just a little before a recession. So I think she could really use the extra cash.

[Anonymous]

I don't tip the owner. The employees only retain a percentage of the cost of your service (sometimes less than 50%) so tips are a large part of their income. The owner keeps not only 100% of their fees but s percentage of all their employee fees too. No need to tip.

[Anonymous]

I went to a small salon at a slow time and the owner did my hair and was the only person there to ask. So stupidly (or awkwardly), I asked if people normally tip him. He said some yes, some no - so I didnt. I still feel weird about it and I havent gone back - for completely seprate reasons (just wasnt convenient to my schedule/house).

It was really awkward.