Originally posted by SchippeWreck I go to the salon on the corner every couple months and get my whole head #3 clippered (aka The "Renton" cut). It used to be $8 and I tipped $2 ($3 near Christmas). They recently upped it to $10, so I tip $3. I figure a 25-30% tip is fair for what amounts to a pretty easy and quick cut.
Originally posted by Shem the Penman$2 for a $9 haircut. I'm a "#3 blade all over" guy myself.
As someone who bought a barber clipper with all the attachments (I like a #1 on the back and sides), why not just buy a decent barber clipper and do it yourselves?
That's what I do. (1 all over) Every now and then I'll pop into a barbershop and get my beard cleaned up and my neck done right.
The same woman has been cutting my hair for almost 20 years now and her father cut my hair before that. I over tip and I know it - 35% plus a Christmas Bonus.
She also now cuts my son's hair and he is a pain in the ass in the chair for her so I over tip for him too.
Originally posted by Leroy I haven't paid for a haircut since 1993.
This post was brought to you by Gillette Mach 3 - when you're totally screwed over by genetics.
Mach 3 guy here as well. I'd let my hair grow a week or so and then trim with clippers, then shave. My clippers broke and I went for about 3 weeks and had to pay $12 for a haircut (I think the last one I paid for was $5) So I gave her $15 total. I'm not one for tipping because society says it's right, but somebody makes me less ugly, I feel obligated.
Actually - that's an overstatement, but I do find myself easily confused by corner cases. Given that I live in a society where tipping is not the norm, I can understand my confusion. But I have an interest in some of the rituals of arcane cultures - and I also don't wish to offend when I visit, so I seek clarification.
This is what I understand about tipping: Due to the minimum wage being very low - what $7 per hour? Tipping is used to augment the income of those souls working in jobs that attract this wage; typically 'unskilled' workers in the service industry such as wait staff, delivery agents, etc.
I thought I mostly had a handle on who I should be tipping and as nobody spat on me during my previous visit I thought I was about right. But this haircut stuff has thrown me in a loop!
If I consider where I get my hair cut here. I obviously don't tip because it's not the done thing here, but I would never even think of it because the bloke who cuts my hair owns the place. I think he charges 22 clams for a haircut. Now, as he owns the place, if what he actually needs to get by is $30 a haircut, then he can easily just charge that much instead. I don't get the point of the tip in this scenario. Indeed on my last visit we chatted about the 3 weeks he and his wife had just spent touring Spain and France. They guy probably has more money than me.
Similarly, back when my ex-wife was just a wife, she seemed to be of the opinion that I couldn't get a decent haircut unless I had been shamelessly gouged for it. So she sent me to the same place she went. A place that sounds similar to what emma described above. Again the owner cut my hair, this time for $49 followed by the upsell for special shampoo, etc. Same deal - if the margin's tight, just put up the price rather than rely on a tip. And I know this dude had more money than me. Also the place employed a dedicated salon manager and a bimbo to make coffee for people waiting. I don't know what he paid the staff, but given they were all getting round in designer clothes I'm sure they weren't starving.
I just can't grok the sense of tipping in a scenario where the service provider is setting the price. Like those shoe shine dudes. How much for a shine? $4 a shoe. So $8 then? Plus tip. Dude, you're the one setting the price. If you want $15, then just fucking tell me that!
So help a brother out. Who am I supposed to be tipping? Customer facing hospitality staff, delivery staff, taxi drivers, and apparently barbers. OK.
What about general retail staff, cashiers, dealers, hookers, the person at McDonald's that puts my Big Mac in a bag and gives me Coke instead of Sprite?
How about information desk staff, customer facing government agency staff, postal workers, garbageman, town criers?
Or even your accountant, lawyer or doctor?
I'm assuming tipping the policeman who gave you a citation is a faux pas?
Originally posted by Big GIf I consider where I get my hair cut here. I obviously don't tip because it's not the done thing here, but I would never even think of it because the bloke who cuts my hair owns the place. I think he charges 22 clams for a haircut. Now, as he owns the place, if what he actually needs to get by is $30 a haircut, then he can easily just charge that much instead. I don't get the point of the tip in this scenario. Indeed on my last visit we chatted about the 3 weeks he and his wife had just spent touring Spain and France. They guy probably has more money than me.
Gilmore Girls taught me that you don't tip the proprietor.
Or even your accountant, lawyer or doctor?
I highly encourage tipping your accountant.
It is the policy of the documentary crew to remain true observers and not interfere with its subjects. "Well. Shit." -hansen9j Go Pack Go! (Champs!) Let's Go Riders!
Originally posted by Big GThis is what I understand about tipping: Due to the minimum wage being very low - what $7 per hour? Tipping is used to augment the income of those souls working in jobs that attract this wage; typically 'unskilled' workers in the service industry such as wait staff, delivery agents, etc.
My understanding - and Americans, feel free to correct me because I might be very wrong - is that in the States, they don't have to pay you minimum wage if you're in a job that relies on tips.
In Canada, you have to pay someone at least minimum wage, and that's why tipping isn't done quite as much here (which, in turn, is why Canadians have the reputation of being bad tippers).
People I tip: - servers in restaurants - food delivery people (pizza guy, etc) - hairdresser - cab driver - I don't have an accountant but I do trade Flamin' Hot Cheetos for tax tips
The ones I really don't like are the fast food places where they expect you to tip when you pay, i.e., before they deliver the service. A tip is supposed to be a reward for good service, not a bribe for good service.
Federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. Federal minimum wage for people who receive tips is $2.13 per hour. If their wage + their tips don't equal the minimum wage, the law says that the employer must make up the difference. I'm guessing this is mostly theoretical, because (1) you'd probably find yourself out of a job if you repeatedly tried to get the money you were owed, and (2) you'd have to claim your tips as income, which some percentage of people don't do (I don't want to get into whether that's ethical or not).
The hard part is that you don't know which people are which. Some restaurants pay a reasonable wage plus their employees take tips.
Delivery people are tough too. Usually if there's a delivery charge on the bill, I just round up to the next dollar. If there isn't, then I give a couple dollars extra. But I knew a guy who was a cashier / delivery guy for a sandwich place. They charged an extra dollar delivery charge that the store did not share with the employees, plus they charged the employees $.25 per delivery to use the company delivery vehicle. If he got no tip, he actually lost money on the deal!
I sometimes wonder if I opened a restaurant that expressly forbid tipping (huge sign at the door and such), if that would be popular with people?
Originally posted by Mr. BoffoFederal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. Federal minimum wage for people who receive tips is $2.13 per hour. If their wage + their tips don't equal the minimum wage, the law says that the employer must make up the difference. I'm guessing this is mostly theoretical, because (1) you'd probably find yourself out of a job if you repeatedly tried to get the money you were owed, and (2) you'd have to claim your tips as income, which some percentage of people don't do (I don't want to get into whether that's ethical or not).
The hard part is that you don't know which people are which. Some restaurants pay a reasonable wage plus their employees take tips.
Delivery people are tough too. Usually if there's a delivery charge on the bill, I just round up to the next dollar. If there isn't, then I give a couple dollars extra. But I knew a guy who was a cashier / delivery guy for a sandwich place. They charged an extra dollar delivery charge that the store did not share with the employees, plus they charged the employees $.25 per delivery to use the company delivery vehicle. If he got no tip, he actually lost money on the deal!
I sometimes wonder if I opened a restaurant that expressly forbid tipping (huge sign at the door and such), if that would be popular with people?
Depends on where you are. In California, restaurant workers make the state minimum wage ($8.00/hour) plus it's standard practice to tip around here too.
Nous ne nous pouvons pas sortir. I get a #1 or #2 buzz and tip $3 to round up to $15 like about half a dozen others in this thread. I used to buzz it all over myself. Unfortunately, I can't stand the neck fuzz and wish I could go all HeadBladeTM on it but I'm not sure I want to go all bald.
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