Tipping the person who pierces ears

[Anonymous]

Today I took DD10 to get her ears pierced at a place that's often mentioned on DCUM. We picked out earrings then had to pay for everything prior to getting pierced. While paying, I was confused by the tip screen and I hit zero and now I feel terrible.

Should I have tipped? If so, how much? Should I go back and tip the piercer tomorrow?

What got me was (a) being asked to tip 15% or 20% or 25% of the total cost, which included the piercing plus the earrings...a 20% tip would have been $40-$50; and (b) I was being asked to tip prior to the service. What if the piercer had messed up or if my child had run out screaming?, and (c) piercing isn't something we regularly do, so I don't know the etiquette!

[Anonymous]

No, this is not something you tip for. Don't feel terrible, don't go back to tip the piercer, just let it go.

A lot of places just use a machine that automatically prompts customers for a tip. That doesn't mean we're supposed to give one.

[Anonymous]

I would have done the same thing.

[Anonymous]

I agree OP that it makes zero sense to ask for a tip PRIOR to a service being rendered.

🤔

[Anonymous]

Yeah, this is one of those examples of how tipping culture is wildly out of control.

[Anonymous]

Oh my gosh I am experiencing I agree. I am in here for the same reason. First of all I agree with the other posters, you did the right thing! I am seeing tip everywhere now beforehand, after, even baseball games (for ringing up my drink that I stood here 10 minutes for, why)? And like you said, what if it doesn’t work out? Then what?

So here is something I cannot get a straight answer on and need to know what you all would do. I went to this shop and had a great experience. Mind you I am used to the mall experience right? So when they worked the cost up for me on their iPad told me the cost of the earring (I didn’t know they were “real” and said how does this look? They were $300. I was surprised but the place was busy as they were doing walk-ins as the place is smack dab in the middle of a street art fair at a major University- I said yes it’s fine.

So all that is fine okay. What bothers me is that at the end when I went to pay, I saw that tip selection you are talking about and when I selected 20%, it applied 20% to the entire total! So the tip alone ended up being $80! MORE than the cost of the piercing. How do they add a tip onto merchandise? Who gets it? The person that did the piercing? How do you take a tip on the merchandise that I already purchased? Am I making sense? What would you do? Call or let it go?

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't have tipped and wouldn't feel bad at all about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh my gosh I am experiencing I agree. I am in here for the same reason. First of all I agree with the other posters, you did the right thing! I am seeing tip everywhere now beforehand, after, even baseball games (for ringing up my drink that I stood here 10 minutes for, why)? And like you said, what if it doesn’t work out? Then what?

So here is something I cannot get a straight answer on and need to know what you all would do. I went to this shop and had a great experience. Mind you I am used to the mall experience right? So when they worked the cost up for me on their iPad told me the cost of the earring (I didn’t know they were “real” and said how does this look? They were $300. I was surprised but the place was busy as they were doing walk-ins as the place is smack dab in the middle of a street art fair at a major University- I said yes it’s fine.

So all that is fine okay. What bothers me is that at the end when I went to pay, I saw that tip selection you are talking about and when I selected 20%, it applied 20% to the entire total! So the tip alone ended up being $80! MORE than the cost of the piercing. How do they add a tip onto merchandise? Who gets it? The person that did the piercing? How do you take a tip on the merchandise that I already purchased? Am I making sense? What would you do? Call or let it go?

You're overthinking - it's just the way the machine is set up. I always tip in cash, and would not have tipped on earrings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Today I took DD10 to get her ears pierced at a place that's often mentioned on DCUM. We picked out earrings then had to pay for everything prior to getting pierced. While paying, I was confused by the tip screen and I hit zero and now I feel terrible.

Should I have tipped? If so, how much? Should I go back and tip the piercer tomorrow?

What got me was (a) being asked to tip 15% or 20% or 25% of the total cost, which included the piercing plus the earrings...a 20% tip would have been $40-$50; and (b) I was being asked to tip prior to the service. What if the piercer had messed up or if my child had run out screaming?, and (c) piercing isn't something we regularly do, so I don't know the etiquette!

No. The tipping everybody who provides a service is outrageous. I tip waiters 20% because they are only paid $2/hr. Minimum wage for hourly employees is now $13 to $15 an hour. Stop the tipping insanity.

[Anonymous]

The 15/20% of the entire purchase is ridiculous. I got a piercing recently and the piercer gave me her card afterwards, which had a link to her Venmo. I sent her $10 which I was fine with (she did an excellent job and it was a great experience).

[Anonymous]

Those machines usually have a “custom” option where you could have just added $10 or whatever. When I took my daughter there was a cash tip jar that I dropped money in after the guy was fine.

[Anonymous]

I didn't tip at Craig Pokes U.

[Anonymous]

It would be expected to tip at a tattoo parlor so why not all places? Where do we draw the line? I’m so sick of it.

[Anonymous]

I did tip at Rowan for DD’s pierced ears. It felt like a haircut situation. I don’t tip for counter service at Shake Shack or places like that. This just felt different, given the process and how it successfully played out with a very nervous DD.