10%, 12% or 15%

Aaargh, the proof-reading has failed again!! Those, not hose.

I'm with those who hate tipping and can't see why people in some jobs expect them and hose, equally helpful/useful in other jobs don't. I go to the hairdresser about every 2 months as self indulgence because she can cut my fringe straight and I can't (I can do the rest as it's long and I just chop it off when it gets too awkward to put up). It takes 5 minutes and she charges £1. About every second time I ask if she wants to charge more and she always says no.

I always tipped my hairdresser at least 10% because I knew the salons tried to pay her as little as possible. She walked out of the last salon because the owner had her attend to some of her ( the owner ) clients and my hairdresser had to disappoint three of us even though we had appointments. My hairdresser is now mobile and comes to the house and costs me about £20 less than the salon.

I think I'm not going to tip next time as she does own the salon and my 4 weekly hair do is £75! really trying to work out a way to go grey without looking like a badger - I'm a very dark brunette naturally and have had my hair coloured for years. I have tried doing it myself with disastrous results.
As for restaurants my husband starts calculating the tip from the moment we arrive starting at 105 and working downwards if things aren't right. I nearly always do a Trip Advisor review trying to be as objective as possible but stupidly don't look at reviews before I go somewhere new.

My hairdresser wouldn't make much in tips if all her customers where like me I only visit 4 times a year for a trim and a fringe tidy she never charges me more than £10.00 so at 10% she will never get rich from me I'm afraid.

Numberplease, I so agree with you. People should be paid a fair wage for what they do. Many low paid workers are never tipped (as previous poster gave examples) so why is it expected in some jobs?
I wouldn't be popular in America, where they even hold their hands out for tips!!

I`ll probably be labelled a skinflint, but myself ad my husband never got tips for doing our jobs, so why should hairdressers, taxi drivers, dustmen,etc? They already get a wage for doing what they do. I only go to the hairdresser once every blue moon, because I can`t afford it more often, so only pay what is asked for.

I get a senior discount at my hairdressers if I go on a Wednesday. The cost for colour, cut and blow is £52, which I think is very reasonable. The salon owner does my hair and I always tip £5, which I know is shared out amongst the staff. I am happy to tip because the service is always so friendly and cheerful and because I can always have a free fringe trim between my regular appointments. I also tip my taxi driver, and at Christmas always give my wonderful bin men something. I tip the young men who valet my car and make a terrific job for a tenner - also every 6th valet is free. I have no hesitation in not tipping in a restaurant where the service has been poor and I hate the 'service charge' added to some bills.

In the 60's I was a hairdressing apprentice and bless the clients used to get more in tips than I did in wages. Mind you I had to work a 50 hour week to earn 10/6 !! Having said that I don't tip my hairdresser as I reckon she has a weekly income much greater than mine so my money stays in my pocket. I hope she doesn't think I'm mean and just understands the situation.

I agree with tiggypro - there shouldn't really be a call for tips and if everyone was paid a decent salary, there'd be no need for them for anyone.

It's horrible to be so grovellingly grateful for a good hairdresser that some people ( ) do feel the need to tip

I think 10% is sufficient.

My hairdresser owns the salon (and is an acquaintance). Also the prices are quite high. As I think that tips are generally for employees who are on a low basic wage and who have little scope for significant career progression, I don't tip her (though I do tip the girl who brings me a drink or washes my hair), but I do wonder if I'm considered mean.

What do other gransnetters think - should owners receive tips?

I really do not like tipping. It is very difficult to know how much people are being paid as a wage or salary and if a service provider asks for £x then that is what they should get. Why should we be made to feel awkward and mean if we only pay what we are asked for? We are not expected to tip in supermarkets, doctors etc and numerous other places so why hairdressers etc? Why is a heartfelt 'Thank you' no longer enough?

Crumbs, if I tipped my hairdresser £5 I'd be almost doubling the cost. I only go for a trim, which takes a maximum 15 minutes, and I pay £7. If I had change I might give her £7.50, but otherwise I don't tip her. I am more likely to give her £10 or maybe more (on top of the £7) at Christmas but not each time I go, so she gets a year's worth of tips in one go.

I'm shocked about the idea of a 10% tip yet in the back of my mind I suppose I expected this to be the case. So if I go to a fancy hairdresser in central London I should give a tip of more than £10 for a colour and blow dry - eeek!

I really get wound up if we'e had bad service in a restaurant and DH (or whoever) still leaves a tip. grrr
I agree, about a fiver is ok for a tip for a hairdresser, but not the salon owner. But it is a stupid bloody system and its time people were paid a proper wage throughout the books.

A friend of mine says you shouldn't tip self-employed hairdressers, including those who rent a chair in a salon. I disagree, because mine's wonderful and if I want to express my appreciation in monetary terms, I will.

As I only have a dry cut at £17.80, which I round up to £20, I'm probably one of her best tippers!

I was told you don't tip the salon owner!

I would tip an employee or a girl doing the shampooing but where I go it is just the owner of the salon and I say 'How much do I owe you?' And that's what I pay. If she wanted more she should ask for more. This probably makes me a skinflint (I am 100% Yorkshire), but to me the point of tips is to help people on very low hourly rates, (waitresses, shampooists etc.).

Are you meant to tip hairdressers? I had no idea.

10% is enough, I think.

Sorry but when a trim and dry costs £64 then a tip is not going to happen. All the hairdressers around here are that price or more so I have long hair and a fringe I cut myself!

Finding a good hairdresser is liking finding a gold nugget here so I am happy to tip mine 10% - anywhere where tipping is expected would have to seriously pull something extraordinary out of the hat for me to tip more than 10%. My husband was a stickler for certain rates of tipping and would, at times, tip the 15%.

I don't like tipping as I never know how much to give. However, I do tip and hope for the best. Colour, cut & blow costs me £70. I usually leave £5 to be split between the colourist and the guy who cuts my hair. Hopefully they give the junior something.