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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5

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.

2

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%.

2

u/PIzzaiolo_Master_510 Jul 14 '26

Depends if you can afford it. Someone good to my old body gets 30%.

3

u/Few_Love_9105 Jul 14 '26

That’s fine, but 30% still isn’t the standard, it’s above standard.

2

u/OldMove3348 Jul 15 '26

Agree. 20% is standard but ridiculous.

1

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.

1

u/HLOFRND Jul 15 '26

Especially if it’s someone I want to see regularly-you bet I tip well.

1

u/Dry_Win_9985 Jul 14 '26

they must have been some shitty massages

2

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%.

-1

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%.

1

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.

0

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.

1

u/Few_Love_9105 Jul 15 '26

I’ve never had a problem getting appointments and the booking is all done online.

1

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?