15-20% is standard. A massage therapist has a very demanding, job, they generally are
Responsible to pay their own insurance/ retirement.
In most cases they do not get any paid vacations or holidays. Also, this is not a full time in which you can't preform massages 40 hours a week, It is a part time job. 15-20% is standard. Take into consideration it is a difficult job as well, If you find a good therapist they are worth a gratuity.

Anonymous wrote:Hello, massage therapist and business owner here! The general rule for tipping is 10-20%, depending on the quality of service. Etiquette says that you do not have to tip the business owner since they are receiving all monies for the service. The type of service or how much the massage therapist makes should not really matter here, only the quality of service and what you deem appropriate.

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From one massage therapist to another, please allow me to correct you.

It is my strong opinion that there are ONLY 3 reasons you don't tip for massage therapy:
1. You do not have the funds. (It happens)
2. You receive terrible service.
3. You receive therapeutic/medically based massage which is billed at a rate of 1.5x to 2x the rate of a Swedish massage in the same geographic area.


If a massage therapist works as an employee, it would be reasonable to expect that the owner is making a profit ---That is called BUSINESS. And, yes, it would seem appropriate to tip the massage therapist in that case. If you assume that your LMT at the spa or salon is an employee and feel inspired to tip with the justification that "they only get a fraction of the service fee" or "they are only paid hourly" ---there is a good chance you are mistaken. And unless they tell you what the arrangement is, you will have no way of knowing. But quite honestly, how much your massage therapist (hairdresser, bartender, waitstaff, etc.) earns for an annual income should in no way affect your determination to tip or how much.

If you are a "tipper", I would have to ask ---why do you tip? And if there is ever a situation where you deliberately do NOT leave a tip ---why do you NOT tip (when you otherwise would)? If the answer to this second question is that it has to do with the quality of service, then I would have to say that a practicing LMT who also happens to be a business owner should get the exact same consideration.

If you tip for reasons other than quality of service, I beg of you to reconsider.

I, personally, tip in situations where it is customary, such as: my hairdresser, other massage therapists (unless we agree to trade for time only), wait staff in restaurants, bartenders, and hotel cleaning staff. I'm a generous tipper, if etiquette dictates 15-20%, I usually tip 20%+. The only time my tip might not be a reflection of quality of service is if I am short on funds. But I am more likely to postpone until the service plus tip are in my budget. If the service was good, but not exceptional, then the tip is going to probably be a little more average. If I have a terrible experience with wait staff in a restaurant, I am not going to tip at all ---but I am still going to pay the bill. Likewise, if the food is terrible, but the service I receive from the wait staff is good ---I don't penalize the wait staff for the cook or the restaurant manager's shortcomings.

When it comes to having a disappointing massage, I will not tip, but I will expect to pay for the service. IT DOES NOT MATTER to me if I am dealing with an employee at a franchise, a self-employed LMT renting space in a chiropractor's office or at a salon, or a business owner/practicing LMT. I realize that not all massage therapists and clients are going to be a good fit. Just because a massage therapist does not have the skill set that I am looking for, it does not mean that their time is not of value, hence my willingness to pay for the service but not tip.

Keep in mind, that the majority of massage therapists NOT working at a franchise or in a resort setting are self employed ---AKA "Business Owners" It doesn't matter whether a massage therapist rents a room (think hairdresser and booth rental--also self-employed/business owner), rents a private office, or sets up an office in their home.

*If your LMT happens to have a home office, please do not justify NOT tipping because you figure that they have no business expenses.
*If you are under the impression that being a business owner means that he or she magically makes money, therefore does not deserve a tip for the same service for which you would tip their employees ---that is just wrong thinking.
*If you don't tip because "I don't receive tips for doing my job." ---Your line of work may not dictate tips as being customary. But if you work full time and are other than self-employed, there is a strong possibility that you may be eligible to earn overtime/doubletime rates, night differential pay, hazard pay, bonuses, paid sick time, and paid vacation time. NONE of which exist in the world of the self-employed/business owner.

There are also some that feel justified in not tipping because they associate the therapeutic massage they are receiving as more medical. You don't tip your doctor, dentist, or chiropractor, so why would you tip your therapeutic massage therapist? Right? I actually can almost buy this argument. But here is what stops me:

* Doctors, dentists, and chiropractors charge a considerably higher rate than most every massage therapist I know. Granted, they have spent years in school to attain their professional designation versus an LMT spending several months in school.
**The nature of the work that a doctor, dentist, or chiropractor does, means that they typically have the ability to see as many as 4 people in an hour. Yes, they do it with a support staff. And that support staff has to be compensated too. So their expenses are higher. It is a numbers game for sure.
***In contrast, the industry norm for billable work/being actively engaged in providing massage therapy is 15-20 hours per week. The average work week is cut in half and caps the earning potential of all LMTs. So that $70/hour fee which you think is fair (therefore, no tip) equals $35,000/year gross and with the BIG assumption of being AT CAPACITY 50 weeks a year---let's hope your LMT doesn't get sick or injured. ---Still have to pay income taxes, just like you. Have to buy health insurance, just like you. ----oops, my bad...you might actually have employer provided health benefits. Rent, utilities, food---That $70 an hour has to cover all personal AND business expenses.
****Massage therapists give you their UNDIVIDED attention for the duration of your scheduled session.
*****LMTs have a very low career duration average as compared to doctors/dentists/chiropractors due predominantly to the physical nature of the work. This translates to a shortage of exceptionally skilled LMTs. That chronic rotator cuff problem, low back issue, or carpal tunnel syndrome your LMT helps you keep at bay so as to avoid surgery/injections/pills and maintain your ability to function every day and make a living---these are all physical conditions which can be a career stopper for a massage therapist. The very conditions that LMTs assist their clients with are often a result of repetitive motion activities. How much repetitive motion do you think your LMT endures? Yes, it is the LMT's choice to do massage, just as it is your choice to do whatever you do. It is a known hazard of the job and why therapists don't last very long unless they are very diligent in taking care of themselves. Supply and demand.

So, if you receive a more therapeutic or medically based massage and it is priced at a rate that is comparable to the relaxation or Swedish massage, you should probably tip your LMT.

And to the lady who tips a dollar a minute. God bless your soul you are one of the great ones! ?????????

Start tipping your massage therapists 20% of the full service cost Jesus Christ. Stop being cheap.

I am an LMT. I appreciate tips but I don't expect them. My job pays me $15 a hour when I'm booked, nothing when I'm not. I'm usually booked solid so for me it's not an issue. I've received a $100 tip for a 60 min massage, if I'm working on someone and they tell me how good it feels and that they can't wait to come back, well to me that's as good as gold! But in fairness I'm not the breadwinner in my household so it may be diffrent for others...

I recently have been going to an Asian Massage Parlor and they are Awesome!!! These women really know what they are doing!! I get a 60 minute Massage for 70.00. I gave her a 10.00 tip because I really didn't know how much or if it was even necessary to give one since the massage was so high. I know the women doing it are trained and work very hard to do it. But 70 dollars and hour is pretty good money if you say you have at least 18 customers in a 10 hour day between the 2 workers and I'm just using 18 as a figure for the amount of time for the 2 women to have a lunch break too.That would amount to $1260.00 per day times 7 days( because they are open 7 days a week) That is $8820.00 a week. $ 35,280 a month. That's more than most lower class paid people make in a year. That's pretty good darn money even with all the cost involved with their job supplies rent ,insurance and ect. My thoughts to this are when the women don't speak English to where you actually know what they are saying about the massage itself ,but when it comes time to pay and they don't get what they think is enough money as far as a tip they get really mad and start arguing in English to where you can't understand that part! LOL! I had a friend with me and she didn't have any tip money with her and this happened last night. I ended up giving the lady that done her massage $6.00 of all the cash I had with me ,By the time I had already paid for my massage and tip to my lady. The two workers were still arguing between each other in Chinese even after we left out. It was a little disturbing.. I really enjoyed my 2 visits, minus the tip thing on the end and was wandering if anyone else may have encountered this same experience?? Thanks in advance for advice.

After reading several pages of comments by both MT and customers 20.. Tip for one hour 60. Total 80 is to much for many I was a teacher at a tech school that also had a massage therapy program I received massages from students who had to put time in and I have had good and bad experiences but never were they taught to expect a tip. I am on oxygen. Disabled now on a fixed income I use get a mesasage often by many different people over the years and tipped when I could some took it some didn't but I do not appreciate when a therapist speaks during my massage in a different language as if I am not there and looks at my tip as if I insulted them when it wasn't that good and i was not happy. One person has it right a client is better then none tip ore not. Tipping should not be expected or demanded if so include it in rate and let the client know. But make it standard not all over the place. I look at a MT as medical. my doctor has saved my life ,the nurses don't expect tips and they do more plus are around sick all day long. We live in a time when people expect something extra the'"give me more" generation. What values are we teaching our children. We are all struggling. Be thankful you have a job and can breath and walk with out assistance. Be thankful you can pay for a massage at all. God Bless

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IF you think that your therapist is making a LOT of money....ask the front desk how much your therapist is being paid.
As a therapist at a spa and a clinic and a chiropractor I can tell you generally the rate of pay IS LOW!
And yet schooling runs $10,000-$15,000 or more and requires at least 6 months and ALSO requires therapists to pay for continuing education classes every year, carry their own liability insurance AND pay for their own state licensing every single year! Figure $400 per year just to practice!
Additionally due to repetitive stress to the hands, wrists and joints a therapist can't/won't usually work more than 25 hours a week MAX!
Expected career span for a LMT is ONLY SEVEN YEARS! Due to repetitive stress injuries.
Additionally therapists are paid ONLY for the time that they are giving massage. If I am there 8 hours but work only 90 minutes, I get paid for 90 minutes!
Chiropractors pay between $18 and $33 per hour. Typically no tips. So even $5 is nice. I've seen chiro's pay as little as $15/hr.
Envy/Heights/Elements (membership base clinics) pay $15-18 an hour. Will max at $20 but therapists rarely stay 5 years.
Spa's usually it's like between 30% and 50% of the charge. but 50% is RARE. Where I work 50 minute Swedish is $90 and I get paid $22.
Every therapist appreciates the gratuity. Some therapists are counting on it to pay the bills. But it is rare to be tipped through a chiropractic office or PT office.
Otherwise here is how I feel and see others feel about tips for a one hour session (50 minutes hands on)
Zero: Shameful. If you leave me nothing and come back again, don't expect my best work. Good work, but not my best.
That said: I have had a LOT of bad massages out there. Communicate what you want. If it is that bad still, don't tip.
$5: Wow. You better be in a tough spot. But I won't give you my best work next time. Thumbs are the first to go. And I won't give you my thumbs.
$10: acceptable but nothing special or inspiring.
$15: I know that you appreciate my work, my education and my commitment.
$20: You get my very best every time. I am committed to you and your health and well-being. I may give you extra time, better lotion or other little freebies to let you know you are appreciated.
More than that and you got the massage of a lifetime and you really do appreciate it.

Awesome post. What goes around comes around. That said, here are some guidelines to tipping your doctor:

Nothing: Disgraceful and disrespectful. If he prescribes you the wrong thing and you die, your family shouldn't even have the face to show up at the hospital to ask for compensation. Zero tip? Seriously? The man went to med school for your health and you stiff him?! You know that $100,000 operation fee goes entirely to the hospital (if he were an idiot, he may enter into such an agreement) and your doctor survives on tips, right?
10%: Damn, I hate poor people. If you can't afford to tip the doctor properly, you can't afford to come to the hospital! Try a vet next time. Let's get this over with...
15%: Ok, not too bad; this is when the doctor starts to actually think about how to get you better. Nothing special, no late-night trips to the med library or anything, but he'll start to function at this level.
20%: OK, now we're in in the cool-people-who-deserve-good-care section. This 20% tip on your $5,000 1-hour visit is how you show your doctor that you appreciate him putting in all those long hours and paying $50K tuition for 4 years in med school
25%: I will do my very best every time for you when you show up to nurse you back to health. Now, I am committed to you as a patient and may give you little freebies like antiseptic wipes, pill containers, a fridge magnet with our logo on it, etc...
But more importantly, if you tip well, you are investing in your health and a life-long relationship with a doctor committed to your well-being, and you will appreciate better health as the years add on!

So next time you go to the hospital, remember how you like to be tipped for a massage, and tip your doctor the accordingly. Same goes for your garbage collector, doorman, supermarket clerk, the police, security guards, floor sweepers, laundromat, etc...

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+1

Couldn't have put it better myself. Best response that I've read to any of this nonsense.

Anonymous wrote:The main thing this thread makes clear is that no tipping amount is generally correct. NONE. There are people who wave away any tip; there are decadent fools who would prefer $0 over the "insult" of receiving a mere $10; there are people who really need $20 but will gracefully suffer if given less. There are people who can afford to give nothing, people who can afford to give 20-30%, even a few people who can easily pay $5000 per massage if they feel like it....

Every new therapist-client pairing will more or less randomly assign one of the many types of therapist to one of the many types of client, and since neither therapist nor client is psychic, the only solution (other than becoming an activist or superhero or something and working to fix the deeper systemic problems of which this tipping controversy is just a symptom) is to COMMUNICATE. If you pick a simple tipping rule and use it everywhere, you are WRONG... sometimes. Because you generally don't know what a particular stranger expects or needs until you ask, and a stranger generally won't know what you expect or need until you tell them.

Why are so many therapists willing to seriously damage their precious, irreplaceable hands for their work, yet unwilling to tell every client their actual feelings on this matter? Is it so much harder to open up about that than to destroy your own body for money and another's health? Is it hard for the client to honestly yet humbly say, before the massage, that they can afford to pay $X extra per massage (and no more) and that they would welcome the therapist's feedback on that, even if the therapist chooses to permanently reject them as a client because they can't pay enough? Maybe it is. Probably it is. In that case, then THAT is one of those systemic problems lurking behind the tipping debate: We are awful, monstrous, well-meaning animals that utterly SUCK at communicating with each other.

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+1


Love this opinion everyday, all day.

I provide inhume Massage in MD/DC as Lymphatic, Reiki, Sacrocranial and Sculping. Along with the red light.

I do have packages or individual sessions and I do NOT expect TIP, Some do tip me some don't. Which is fine for me. Or the just add with the packages or they tip me at the end of all our sessions. But Like I said I do not expect and I do appreciate yes if you do.


I DO BRING MY MASSAGE TABLE, REDLIGHT AND EVERYTHING I NEED FOR THE SESSION.

Call or txt me if you are interested.

FaceTime for questions if you want.

2022978811
Maria

Nah, totally agree. I'm seeing these posts "$15 an hour + tips isn't decent!" and I keep thinking that I chose the wrong career. If the average customer only tips $5 that's still better than the job I got fresh out of a 4 year degree... That's better than $35k a year, and that's with a shitty average tip. Combine consistently good tips of $15-25 and you're realistically looking at a job from a 2 year degree program that beats $50k a year.

That's nothing to sneeze at. If you're a LMT, and you think it sucks, maybe you should advertise and open your own business and cut out the middleman.

I really don't get the whole basis of this tipping for services provided by professionals who make a decent wage. I always tip 20% or more for waiters/ waitresses, but that is because they do not even make minimum wage in their paychecks. Massages are not cheap and I assume the masseuses are paid a very nice hourly rate. This is the same with upscale hairdressers. I am retired from work as a government attorney. I considered it a well-paying job, although much less than most private sector attorneys. I figured out one day that my hairdresser was probably making more than I made as an attorney per hour. I just don't see the logic of tipping such professionals, given their pay scale. In my opinion it is not at all on a par with service sector jobs paying minimum wages, or less. Am I the only one who thinks this way?

Yes, hello. Massage therapist here.. I tip other massage therapists 15.00 to 20.00 for an hour. Most of us make commission, and some are even paid less than 15.00 an hour. It is also very physically and mentally demanding occupation.These girls rely on their tips to for living expenses, So please, if you received a great service, be generous!

What people are failing to realize is massage therapists only get paid for doing massage. So if they have 1 client but are scheduled to work 8 hours that day they make around $16-20 for the whole 8 hour shift there is no hourly rate... Servers get $2 an hour plus tips MT's don't. MT's have to go to school and take national and state test as well take continuing Ed to obtain and maintain their licenses. On average 18-20% is what ppl tip at my job but I work at an upscale spa. I have a lot of continuing education and I go above and beyond for my regulars so I typically get 45-50% tips. All of which I appreciate and use towards continuing Ed to help make my clients experience better!

Well if it's medical , they should be making the money to begin with, tips I would imagine go to the roadside massage parlors .