Barber Admits He Expects At Least A 40% Tip From Clients Once The Service Is Done
It's just another sign that tipping culture is out of control.
Jacob Lund / Shutterstock A lot of people think tipping culture has gotten out of hand. You’re being asked to tip for almost everything now, even when no one is really performing a service. And demand for higher tips continues to get stronger.
Most people would agree you should tip when you go to the barbershop or hair salon. However, most people would probably not agree that you should tip almost half of what the service costs. But that’s exactly what one barber said he expects.
An Arizona barber said he expects customers to tip him 40%.
Quicks Barber Shop is located in Gilbert, Arizona, and is known for its “men’s haircuts, fades, styles for the young and old, and so much more.”
Each of the barbers who work at Quicks was briefly interviewed for a TikTok video about tipping. One man’s comments are raising some eyebrows.
“What kind of tip do you expect when you check them out?” the interviewer asked.
“You know, the minimum is 20%, but I say I’d expect, like, 40% for the time and detail I put into my haircut,” the barber replied.
Even the interviewer seemed surprised, echoing, “40%?” back to the barber.
Quicks does not offer prices for its services online, so it’s impossible to say how much a 40% tip would be on top of the regular service's cost.
M_a_y_a / Canva Pro
Other barbers responded more reasonably. For example, one said, “At least $5, but I’ll take a Google Review over a tip any day.”
Another replied, “A tip is always going to be appreciated. I’m always very grateful for a tip. But, yeah, I don’t really expect a tip.”
“The tips can come in many different ways, so I don’t really expect it one way,” another said. “Cash is cool. Money is obviously cool, but reviews are dope, too.”
Commenters were not happy with the man’s 40% expectation.
Fellow TikTokers took issue with the barber who expected a 40% tip from his customers.
“40%? Never go to that guy,” one said.
“The 40% guy can kick rocks,” another stated.
A third person summarized what seemed to be the majority of people’s thoughts when they said, “Tipping has become a joke. Everyone wants a tip for doing their job. Everyone wants to be rewarded for doing their job. I’m never tipping again.”
How much should you really tip a barber?
Kelly Jacobson, a barber, wrote for Schedulicity, “The recommended tipping standard for barbers is 15-20% of the total cost of the haircut. This means that if your haircut costs $40, you should tip between $6-$8. If your barber went above and beyond to make sure you were happy, consider tipping them a little extra as a way to say thank you.”
When it comes to other services like shaving, grooming, or styling, Jacobson said, “Some barbers may expect a higher tip for these services, while others may not. As a general rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to tip between 20-25% for ‘special’ services.”
Tipping is a nice gesture. It shows your service provider that you are grateful and appreciative, and it is customary in our society.
However, it should not feel like tipping is always necessary. There are many situations where one is asked to tip on something they mostly did themselves. Some people's expectations when it comes to tips are simply too high.
Times are tough, and the economy is not as stable as it could be. Asking someone to tip nearly half of what a service costs, on top of paying for it in full, just doesn’t feel right.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news and human interest topics.