Tipping Etiquette Question

[Batbrony 16,054]

Good evening, everypony! Got a bit of a headscratcher here that I thought I'd run by you lovely folks since I'm not quite sure myself what the right answer is.

 

 

I just got myself a spa appointment set up for late December at a local place and it'll be my first trip there, but unlike the previous two appointments I've had, this time I know for a fact that I'll be working with at least two spa technicians, a massage therapist for the first half and an esthetician for the second half.

 

My quandary is this: standard tipping at spas is anywhere from 15% at the low end to 25% or more at the high end (with 20% kind of accepted as the baseline medium). The spa let me know that they typically prefer cash tips and said that if I have more than one technician they provide envelopes for splitting the tips. The problem for me is that the first half of my appointment is probably going to be about an hour long and cost $100 while the second half will be AT LEAST $130 (probably more since I may add some add-ons to the facial) and probably somewhere between an hour and an hour and a half long.

 

Typically I'd have no issue tipping both technicians the same amount, but in this case I'm not sure that would work UNLESS I went above 20% for both of them. If I tipped them both 20% for the services provided, my fear is that the massage therapist will feel undervalued, but if I tip them the same amount my fear is that the esthetician may feel undervalued. This place looks lovely and has great reviews, so more than anything I just want to ensure that I'm fairly compensating anyone I'm working with there, especially if there's a chance it could become a spa I end up frequenting in the future.

 

So my question for all of you is what do you think is proper spa tipping etiquette in this instance?

 

 

Tip your spa ponies, er, spa technicians, everypony!

[Iforgotmybrain 5,654]

I would personally tip both the same, going with the higher amount, so 20% of whatever the 2nd half ends up being. Everyone gets the same amount that way. I don’t think either party will think too much of it regardless, I imagine they don’t think or worry about tips too much unless they’re tipped extremely high or low.

[Batbrony 16,054]

@Iforgotmybrain you raise a fair point but thank you for the feedback. That route may indeed prove to be the better option. Besides, with the appointment being nestled between Christmas and New Year’s Eve I don’t mind giving both a bit extra during the holiday season.

[Ice Princess Silky <3 13,861]

Oooh this is such a good question and point! I tend to go with the usual 20% but it may just be a habit from restaurants and the like. Hmmm…  something to think about, thought! Thanks for this post 

[Arrlong28 789]

On 2024-11-11 at 3:42 AM, Batbrony said:

Good evening, everypony! Got a bit of a headscratcher here that I thought I'd run by you lovely folks since I'm not quite sure myself what the right answer is.

 

 

I just got myself a spa appointment set up for late December at a local place and it'll be my first trip there, but unlike the previous two appointments I've had, this time I know for a fact that I'll be working with at least two spa technicians, a massage therapist for the first half and an esthetician for the second half.

 

My quandary is this: standard tipping at spas is anywhere from 15% at the low end to 25% or more at the high end (with 20% kind of accepted as the baseline medium). The spa let me know that they typically prefer cash tips and said that if I have more than one technician they provide envelopes for splitting the tips. The problem for me is that the first half of my appointment is probably going to be about an hour long and cost $100 while the second half will be AT LEAST $130 (probably more since I may add some add-ons to the facial) and probably somewhere between an hour and an hour and a half long.

 

Typically I'd have no issue tipping both technicians the same amount, but in this case I'm not sure that would work UNLESS I went above 20% for both of them. If I tipped them both 20% for the services provided, my fear is that the massage therapist will feel undervalued, but if I tip them the same amount my fear is that the esthetician may feel undervalued. This place looks lovely and has great reviews, so more than anything I just want to ensure that I'm fairly compensating anyone I'm working with there, especially if there's a chance it could become a spa I end up frequenting in the future.

 

So my question for all of you is what do you think is proper spa tipping etiquette in this instance?

 

 

Tip your spa ponies, er, spa technicians, everypony!

 

Since I don't live in USA probably my opinion about the subject it's not the best...

Where I live, no tips are needed ( in Spa a tip of 10% of the price is considered a Very generous tip!)

BUT, if I was in your shoes, being near Christmas and New Year's Eve and knowing in advance you have to tip (I suppose it's the USA)

I would do this:

15% if the service was OK. But if the service is good and you end feeling great, I will give them 30% 

It's Christmas for everybody. 

 

[Fluttershutter 2,453]

Tipping is stupid. Let the spa pay them.

[Misty Shadow 7,862]

I always tip 15-20% at a restaurant unless the service isn't good. I can't stand being shamed into tipping though. I've legitimately been criticized for not tipping for bad/subpar service or when my meal has been overcooked, I'm not joking.  

[Batbrony 16,054]

15 hours ago, Arrlong28 said:

 

Since I don't live in USA probably my opinion about the subject it's not the best...

Where I live, no tips are needed ( in Spa a tip of 10% of the price is considered a Very generous tip!)

BUT, if I was in your shoes, being near Christmas and New Year's Eve and knowing in advance you have to tip (I suppose it's the USA)

I would do this:

15% if the service was OK. But if the service is good and you end feeling great, I will give them 30% 

It's Christmas for everybody. 

 

 

Oh I fully accept that different countries have different standards for tipping (or not tipping at all), as a history teacher it's hardly mindblowing that different cultures are going to have different cultural practices. Seems like your system works pretty well for you!

10 hours ago, Fluttershutter said:

Tipping is stupid. Let the spa pay them.

 

Probably not gonna be the route I take, especially given that I don't know what their typical rates are. I AGREE that some places are ridiculous about tipping (there's nothing that peeves me off more than when you're picking up drive thru and they ask if you want to tip, like, why, I had to go there myself and they're not waiting on me???), but with a spa this is both about being courteous but also recognizing that there's a lot of effort and care put into these services (assuming, of course, they are GOOD services). But again, agree to disagree, to each their own.

8 hours ago, Misty Shadow said:

I always tip 15-20% at a restaurant unless the service isn't good. I can't stand being shamed into tipping though. I've legitimately been criticized for not tipping for bad/subpar service or when my meal has been overcooked, I'm not joking.  

 

Seems like a good policy, though my question was more specifically about a spa service split between a massage therapist and an esthetician (and both services DON'T cost the same, hence why I'm not sure how I should tip both).

[EpicEnergy 23,218]

Tip what you want, if you think they did a great job then tip them maybe tip them a little more than their standard. I don't think they would be particularly annoyed with anything standard or higher since they work that job on a regular basis. In the end, I personally wouldn't think about it too much because you really don't know what they will think, what matters is that you tipped the preferred amount for the quality of service you received.

[Dreambiscuit 9,691]

On 2024-11-13 at 3:54 AM, Fluttershutter said:

Tipping is stupid. Let the spa pay them.

I agree 100%

These days the concept of tipping seems to have devolved from a voluntary gratuity awarded for service above and beyond the expected duties of the job, to a mandatory requirement which the employers use as an excuse to pay their employees less, with the customer picking up the slack. In Japan, tips are not allowed or desired, and considered to be in poor taste because workers are already receiving a fair wage and anything else would be inappropriate. Such should be the case everywhere, but especially in western culture where greed is king, it’s become another way to squeeze the customer. If people want to earn tips, they should do exactly that; EARN them! The whole point is to inspire workers to provide greater service for the customers and not give them extra pay for the same poor service just because businesses can now get away with it.

[Finding_Marty 822]

I 100% agree with @Fluttershutter and @Dreambiscuit

These people earn a salary by doing their jobs. Why don't we give tips to teachers, fire fighter, police officers and people who work in shops? Are they worse? Why don't I get any tips from my customers?

In some countries you are asked if you want to pay a tip and it's fine but in some places tips are already included in your bill. This is so rude. I never visit such places again 

But I don't mind tipping servive workers or taxi drivers if they do an exellent job. Especially if they are very talkactive with me and give me some advice 

Edited November 22 by Finding_Marty

[TheRockARooster 51,091]

18 minutes ago, Dreambiscuit said:

I agree 100%

These days the concept of tipping seems to have devolved from a voluntary gratuity awarded for service above and beyond the expected duties of the job, to a mandatory requirement which the employers use as an excuse to pay their employees less, with the customer picking up the slack. In Japan, tips are not allowed or desired, and considered to be in poor taste because workers are already receiving a fair wage and anything else would be inappropriate. Such should be the case everywhere, but especially in western culture where greed is king, it’s become another way to squeeze the customer. If people want to earn tips, they should do exactly that; EARN them! The whole point is to inspire workers to provide greater service for the customers and not give them extra pay for the same poor service just because businesses can now get away with it.

You speaketh the truth, Dreamy. 

[Fluttershutter 2,453]

4 hours ago, Dreambiscuit said:

I agree 100%

These days the concept of tipping seems to have devolved from a voluntary gratuity awarded for service above and beyond the expected duties of the job, to a mandatory requirement which the employers use as an excuse to pay their employees less, with the customer picking up the slack. In Japan, tips are not allowed or desired, and considered to be in poor taste because workers are already receiving a fair wage and anything else would be inappropriate. Such should be the case everywhere, but especially in western culture where greed is king, it’s become another way to squeeze the customer. If people want to earn tips, they should do exactly that; EARN them! The whole point is to inspire workers to provide greater service for the customers and not give them extra pay for the same poor service just because businesses can now get away with it.

It's been that way for a long time in the U.S. where it's considered a part of a waiter's pay. It sucks for them but it's never going to change unless people stop paying. Luckily I almost never go to restaurants so I don't feel the pressure.

[Batbrony 16,054]

8 hours ago, Dreambiscuit said:

I agree 100%

These days the concept of tipping seems to have devolved from a voluntary gratuity awarded for service above and beyond the expected duties of the job, to a mandatory requirement which the employers use as an excuse to pay their employees less, with the customer picking up the slack. In Japan, tips are not allowed or desired, and considered to be in poor taste because workers are already receiving a fair wage and anything else would be inappropriate. Such should be the case everywhere, but especially in western culture where greed is king, it’s become another way to squeeze the customer. If people want to earn tips, they should do exactly that; EARN them! The whole point is to inspire workers to provide greater service for the customers and not give them extra pay for the same poor service just because businesses can now get away with it.

 

I hear what you're saying, and I'm certainly not trying to be the part of a problem. As Fluttershutter said, that's unfortunately the reality of tipping culture here in the U.S. For me, my original question was more of a courtesy question than anything else; I don't like to assume what people's salaries are and, based on what I've seen as far as reviews go along, I'm hoping this spa appointment does in fact come with exceptional service, it looks like a very well-reviewed facility. Usually I'm not one to overthink tipping since most of the time it's for services I decided to get that very day, I think the one reason I'm putting thought into it in this case is because it's for a type of appointment I don't always have the chance to book, and which I already booked months in advance, so I'm just trying to make sure I'm prepared to tip accordingly (assuming the service is worthy of the tip, of course). That and, like I said, I've never had a spa appointment where I'll be working with not one, but TWO spa technicians, my massage therapist and esthetician. 

[Dreambiscuit 9,691]

On 2024-11-22 at 2:53 PM, Batbrony said:

 

I hear what you're saying, and I'm certainly not trying to be the part of a problem. As Fluttershutter said, that's unfortunately the reality of tipping culture here in the U.S. For me, my original question was more of a courtesy question than anything else; I don't like to assume what people's salaries are and, based on what I've seen as far as reviews go along, I'm hoping this spa appointment does in fact come with exceptional service, it looks like a very well-reviewed facility. Usually I'm not one to overthink tipping since most of the time it's for services I decided to get that very day, I think the one reason I'm putting thought into it in this case is because it's for a type of appointment I don't always have the chance to book, and which I already booked months in advance, so I'm just trying to make sure I'm prepared to tip accordingly (assuming the service is worthy of the tip, of course). That and, like I said, I've never had a spa appointment where I'll be working with not one, but TWO spa technicians, my massage therapist and esthetician. 

I completely understand that, @Batbrony. I was just using the topic as an excuse to rant. I rant a lot. 

[flonko 12]

Personally, I wouldn't tip each person the same. I would do 20% for each based on how much the service was. 

 

I feel like since they're doing different jobs it shouldn't be too much of a problem; if you were to get two different facials in the same day by two different people with the same title, I would tip the same regardless if one was more than the other! (I'm aware getting two facials in one day is not something that people do but I don't know how to express my idea other than with that example)

 

Basically what I'm trying to say is since they're completing different jobs, the same tip shouldn't be expected. Of course, since it is near the holidays, tipping them both 20% based on the more expensive service isn't a bad idea (but don't feel expected to do so)!

[Batbrony 16,054]

On 2024-11-25 at 10:06 AM, flonko said:

Personally, I wouldn't tip each person the same. I would do 20% for each based on how much the service was. 

 

I feel like since they're doing different jobs it shouldn't be too much of a problem; if you were to get two different facials in the same day by two different people with the same title, I would tip the same regardless if one was more than the other! (I'm aware getting two facials in one day is not something that people do but I don't know how to express my idea other than with that example)

 

Basically what I'm trying to say is since they're completing different jobs, the same tip shouldn't be expected. Of course, since it is near the holidays, tipping them both 20% based on the more expensive service isn't a bad idea (but don't feel expected to do so)!

 

Yeah and I mean this is probably what I'm leaning towards doing. I'll just have to make sure cash tips are prepared ahead of time since they did already communicate that cash is preferred for tips (which is pretty standard for the spa industry). But thanks for chiming in, appreciate all the feedback on this topic!