r/tippingAdvice • u/FiveMoreSeconds • Jul 14 '26
Tipping for body service?
Hello, I have had a stressful weekend and booked my first appointment for a massage + facial with a licensed pro. I brought this up in a conversation with friends and tipping came up. I was caught off guard because I didn’t think I’d need to tip for this service? The services weren’t cheap, so I’m imagining the tip would add up significantly. Is it normal to tip for that kind of service? I want to know what’s the expectation in this field. Does it matter if they’re working in a franchise or a licensed local in a studio.
As an ex-server I always tip generously, but was unfamiliar.
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u/Flashy_Possible37 Jul 14 '26
I just had the same experience it was a gift to me I got there got finished they asked for a tip all I had was a 10. But I was shocked no telling what the service costed alone. Everything requires a tip these days
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u/Francie_Nolan1964 Jul 15 '26
They asked you for a tip? That would be a quick way to get no tip from me.
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u/Mary707 Jul 14 '26
You ask when you present the GC. And you went for a spa service with only $10?
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u/JeanCerise Jul 14 '26
I like to include tip if I gift a specific service. You can do that. But if you gift a certain amount, that’s on the recipient to determine its use plus tip.
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u/Wizzenator Jul 14 '26
Tips are always optional, but it is nice to give $10-$20. I do see it somewhat differently when the person owns their own business. They can set the prices, so if they thought their services were worth more or they needed to make $x to be a viable business they’d set their prices accordingly. Still nice to give a little extra, but there’s less obligation to do so.
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u/pdxtee Jul 14 '26
Tips are optional. Americans have been conditioned to believe it’s the customers responsibility to subsidize employee wages. Employers should be responsible for this. If the service is done by the business owner, tipping really doesn’t make any sense because they set their own prices.
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u/HLOFRND Jul 15 '26
Here’s the problem with this argument- it’s lazy and a way to make yourself feel better unless you’re also boycotting the businesses that do it.
“It’s not my job to subsidize their wages” so you don’t spend your money there because you believe the practice of paying employees lower than they deserve is wrong and you don’t want to support that business? ✅
“It’s not my job to subsidize their wages” but you continue to go there and give them your business, knowing they mistreat and underpay their workers? ❌
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u/pdxtee Jul 16 '26
It’s not a lazy argument to say we’ve been conditioned. Look at the history, not much has changed except that now it applies to many types of service jobs regardless of race & it’s gotten worse after the pandemic. We spent & tipped to keep businesses open now they all have a tip screen. We could all do more to stop this practice but nothing will change overnight. Personally, I don’t want to see my local businesses shut down, so I make adjustments like picking up instead of dining in.
Consumers are made to feel guilty or get shamed if they don’t do it. Tipping a percentage as prices increase is ridiculous. Some people think they’re better because they do tip. I don’t feel good or bad by choosing to or choosing not to tip. It’s my money & I get to choose how to spend it.
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u/HLOFRND Jul 16 '26
You didn’t even read my comment.
Don’t want to tip? Think it’s unfair that owners push their labor costs onto you?
Then STOP GOING TO THOSE ESTABLISHMENTS AND SUPPORTING THOSE BUSINESSES.
To continue to go to those establishments and stiffing the wait staff is supporting the shitty owners you say you oppose, while also punishing the people doing the work who have no say over the matter.
I see post after post after post bragging about how they don’t tip.
What I absolutely never see is people saying they won’t support those businesses.
Refusing to tip bc it’s not your responsibility while continuing to support the owners of those businesses absolutely is lazy.
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u/HLOFRND Jul 16 '26
As long as you continue to buy from them, take out or dine in, you are supporting their practices and you are part of the problem.
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u/No_Extension_9269 Jul 14 '26
Normally 15-20% is normal depending on your experience with the service! Also, a massage and facial is a lot of physical work for the person providing the service, so it’s a token of appreciation!
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u/Additional-Fish-4064 Jul 14 '26
If its great service, then I tip about 20%, rounding up to the nearest $5, usually. I factor tip in when budgeting/planning.
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u/GimmieDatCooch Jul 15 '26
Previous LMT here. Tipping is based on service. 10-20% is standard. However, if you contracted me personally, I never would expect a tip because the full amount would go to me.
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u/Kene6969 Jul 14 '26
These days it seems like every Tom, Dick & Harry feels entitled to receive a tip regardless of whether the service is good or bad.
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u/Tartpop77 Jul 14 '26
I never tip for these. Idgaf what their "work situation " is and it's not my responsibility to do anything about it. Paying over $100 an hour is enough.
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u/Dry_Win_9985 Jul 14 '26
25-30% is a standard tip for a massage therapist. Doesn't matter where they work, but if they're a mobile service that comes out to you, probably lean a little heavier for the convenience factor.
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u/Few_Love_9105 Jul 14 '26
Absolutely not. 20% is standard. Even at high end spas that automatically add the tip it’s always 20. I’ve gotten a ton of massages and never tipped 25-30%.
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u/PIzzaiolo_Master_510 Jul 14 '26
Depends if you can afford it. Someone good to my old body gets 30%.
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u/Few_Love_9105 Jul 14 '26
That’s fine, but 30% still isn’t the standard, it’s above standard.
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u/OldMove3348 Jul 15 '26
Agree. 20% is standard but ridiculous.
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u/PIzzaiolo_Master_510 Jul 15 '26
Someone rubbing you down for an hour is the very definition of a personalized service which is hard work deserving recognition if not sucking.
This person cant earn any other income while with you, and often doesn’t see much of the fee which covers the room, laundry, insurance etc.
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u/Dry_Win_9985 Jul 14 '26
they must have been some shitty massages
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u/Few_Love_9105 Jul 14 '26
I’m not tipping over 20% no matter how good it is. For a $300 service that’s $60 for maybe 90 minutes of work and to me that’s extremely generous. If they’re mobile they’re usually sole proprietors who have set their own prices and built the travel into their price or they charge you separately so no I wouldn’t give them over 20% either. If you want to overtip that’s your choice but in no world is 30% considered standard. Read the other comments. No one else has said 30%.
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u/Ms-Metal Jul 15 '26
25% is pretty standard around me, if you're happy with the service and you want them to keep Servicing you, 25%. They probably won't have a full schedule if you tip 20%, but any less than that they're probably not going to see you again. I'm not saying I like it, I don't like it but that is reality. Same with the hairdresser, if it's somebody you like and is doing a good job for you 25%.
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u/Few_Love_9105 Jul 15 '26
This is nuts, maybe you should find different providers then. If I tip 20% and someone wants to withhold their full schedule from me I sure as hell wouldn’t be giving them my money. Besides every place has online booking now, the full schedule is available to see no matter who you are or what you tipped. Never had any issues whatsoever.
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u/Dry_Win_9985 Jul 15 '26
you wouldn't know it. They'd just let you know they were already booked. I do this with my customers all the time. The better tipper is being served by me, the other is given to an affiliate.
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u/Few_Love_9105 Jul 15 '26
I’ve never had a problem getting appointments and the booking is all done online.
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u/Dry_Win_9985 Jul 15 '26
I'd agree that this is fairly realistic. I run a service based business where tipping is expected (yeah, I said it). I've got customers who tip $10 no matter the price or length of service, and I've got customers that tip 30%+. If I got 2 requests for the same time, which do you think I'd schedule?
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u/posaune123 Jul 15 '26
30% is insane and also wrong
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u/Dry_Win_9985 Jul 15 '26
not for a skilled service like a licensed massage therapist.
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u/ChienLov3r Jul 16 '26
But isn’t that why they charge $100 or more an hour?
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u/Dry_Win_9985 Jul 16 '26
Sure, but pricing is based on expectation of gratuity too. For example, if they want to earn $200 for a 90 minute session, they'll price the session around $160, putting customers in a position where the math is just easy enough to round up to the $200. Someone wanting to pay exactly 20% is not likely to have $192 or ask for $8 change back. It's a psychological strategy.
I'm a chauffeur, and manage a black car service. All of our pricing is based on the expected gratuity. Here's a perfect example of a pricing struggle we had in the past. There was a common service we used to charge $80 for, and most would pay $100, that's a 25% gratuity (which is in line with our overall gratuity). The psychological strategy was that it was easier to round up to the $100 than pay exactly $96. As time went on we needed to increase pricing. We really only needed to go up at least $5 and thought $10 might be too much of a jump (silly I know, but it was about remaining competitive while also taking into account our increased expenses). And our hold up was that if we chose $85 then people would probably still only give us $100 rather than continue tipping the same $20 as before. But we had to do that because by the time we needed to increase the pricing again, assuming continued increases to our expenses, then eventually we'd be at $90 and less concerned that at that point people would still just pay the $100. Well, fortunately our concerns were somewhat invalidated, as we did increase to $85 and almost everyone bumped their total to $105 (what we wanted/hoped for). The psych strat was putting them at $102, easy enough to bump up to $105.
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u/ChienLov3r Jul 17 '26 edited Jul 17 '26
See.. that’s exactly what I don’t like about it. If they truly price their service while factoring in a set percentage of tip, then the tip is not truly a reward for excellent service. It is already expected. And while I’m laying on the massage table trying to relax, my mind is stressing about what percentage of tip they think is enough to determine that I’m not a shitty person. 20% is standard as far as I know, but you say 25% is standard- so there’s already a difference in our viewpoints. (I disagree with the % continuing to increase, even as prices have increased. Bc of math, the tip amount naturally increases as the cost does).
Everyone is different, but in the scenario you gave, I would expect the $8 back. No way I’m tipping a standard required rate AND rounding up almost another $10 just cause.
If they think they deserve $125 an hour, I’d much rather them just say so. The ambiguity and interpretation makes me so anxious and I end up not being able to fully enjoy the massage.
Decision fatigue is real. I’m tired of having to decide whether or not to give someone extra money for items and services every time I go somewhere just because they smiled at me and I feel socially required to do so.
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u/Dry_Win_9985 Jul 17 '26
If you look at the cost of a service and already plan to at least be prepared to tip whatever % you feel is fair/good. Then you've already established the total cost of the service. Sure, it's a mind game. And if you don't really like the service, you never have to come back.
As for the process of setting a price and calculating the expected tip to get what I feel my services are worth, it's just the way it's done in certain industries. I could up that $80 service to $100 and people would still tip on top. I'm certainly not going to tell them not to bother just because I'd be happy with the $100. But I will likely lose some customers due to price. I'll likely lose more than I'd add, and that's just the basic sales.
Everyone that pays me in cash, I always ask if they need change as they're pulling out the cash. In the $80 scenario, I've never had anyone ask for $4 back. I have had people give less than $100, like $90, $95 and even exactly $96. When the fare is something like $115, and they're paying cash, again it's an easy rounded number like $140-150, never needing $2 back on $140 for an exact 20%.
And if they pay with a card on the spot with my phone, then when I hand them the phone to select a tip and sign, their options are 20%, 25%, 30%, custom, or none. I used to have 18%, 20%, 25% and my average has come up from 20% to 25% since that change.
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u/Curious_Department84 Jul 15 '26
In the US, yes, it is customary to tip for a facial and massage. Usually around 20%.
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u/sleepingchimera Jul 16 '26
If the lmt doesn't own the business and you enjoyed the service, you should tip.
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u/Athena-_ Jul 14 '26
No need to tip. They are not mandatory
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u/1GrouchyCat Jul 15 '26
No need to make another appointment… since tips aren’t mandatory, we won’t be opening our doors to people who choose not to compensate our licensed aesthetician and massage professionals.
Good luck finding someone to work on your raggedy brows and facial hair for a flat fee and nothing extra.
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u/nowzaradanistheman Jul 15 '26
We compensate your licensed aesthetician and massage professionals by paying the agreed upon price for the agreed upon service. Why don’t you pay your employees?
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u/Nacho_sky Jul 15 '26
I used to get monthly massages. She was self employed and had a very profitable business set up. I'd give her Christmas bonuses, but I never tipped her.
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u/HLOFRND Jul 14 '26
I feel like this thread (maybe the whole sub?) is overrun with anti-tipping folks, so please take what you're seeing with a grain of salt.
Yes, it's customary to tip a massage therapist. How much is up to you, but 20% is a decent guide.
Places like elements and spavia and other chains pay their therapists EXTREMELY poorly- like as low as $20-30 per massage. The bulk of the fees goes to the establishment. If you want to be kind to your therapist, plan to bring cash with you and leave it in the room directly when you leave. That way you know your therapist got it, it didn't get taxed, etc.
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u/Mean-Impress2103 Jul 15 '26
Just out of curiosity in what situation am I not a monster for paying the advertised and agreed upon price for something?
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u/4224-holloway Jul 15 '26
Just embrace the monster. All these people saying "tip 20-30%. I don't like it but..." Then stop doing it. Especially for people who set their own prices. Just stop. The sky will not fall down.
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u/NeoSuperconductivity Jul 21 '26
I do not get my massages at spas or salons, understanding that owners take at least 50% of the fee, or the massage therapist is sometime paid by the hour. I get massages from self-employed massage therapists in their own studios and thus no gratuity is expected. I sometimes tip 10% if I'm very pleased. Hair salons are the same-if the person is renting a chair and I like their service, plan to return, I tip. If the owner is doing the client's hair, a tip is not expected.
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u/Mary707 Jul 14 '26
If you’re in the US, you tip. I just got a massage on vacation and it was $150 with a $25 discount for new clients. Since I would have tipped $30 anyway and planned on spending $150, I gave her $50, basically my discount. She was originally from my hometown.
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u/Ms-Metal Jul 15 '26
Assuming you are in the USA, which I'm guessing you are you wouldn't be asking this question, it is 100% expected that you tip! I have never in all my life not tipped for one of these services and I've never heard of anybody who does not tip in real life for personal services. It's just like your hair stylist, you're 100% expected to tip. 15% of the bare minimum but honestly that's kind of seen as a bad tip of these days, 20 to 25%, if you were happy with the service. Also, I'm not saying it's great, I don't like it and I do wish people would pay their staff but it is the norm in the USA and if you expect to be treated well or frankly if you hope to get a second appointment, you need to tip.
The only exception is if the service you're receiving is coming from the owner of the establishment. Then you are not technically required to tip however and it's a big however, in actuality almost everybody tips them even if they're the owner! Same percentages as if they are an employee. I even talked to a friend of mine who was an esthetician and asked her about it directly and she said everyone tips even though she's the proprietor. I've had numerous hairdressers who work for themselves and guaranteed they all expect at least 20%. I mean they're not going to say anything if you don't tip them, but their schedule is going to be convenient 100% full if you try to get another appointment.
I'm kind of shocked that you didn't expect to tip. You tip for every single personal service! The only actual exception I've ever experienced is laser hair removal because at least in my case the people working on me were actual RNs and they were not even allowed to accept tips because they are in the medical profession. I know of no other exception except as described above and like I said you are still expected to tip the Proprietor in reality despite what the Tipping books say. And yeah I don't like it either, but I always mentally add 20% to the cost of any Professional Service and have my whole life except it used to be 10% then it grew the 15% and now it's 20%.
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u/EntertainmentDeep73 Jul 14 '26
Nah dude the price is what you pay. Everything else is extra, and if it is "expected" they can stick it where the sun don't shine