Tipping has always been one of those things that can turn an ordinary purchase into an unexpectedly complicated moral debate, especially when the bill is already eye-wateringly expensive. Most people understand the expectation of tipping at restaurants, where servers often depend on gratuities to supplement their wages. But what happens when the service costs hundreds of dollars before a tip is even considered?
One woman is preparing for a hair appointment that will cost approximately $800 for just three hours of work, and she is seriously questioning whether she should be expected to add another $160 simply because twenty percent has become the standard tipping amount. She appreciates her hairstylist’s talent, understands that running a business comes with expenses, and is perfectly capable of paying the bill. However, her stylist sets her own prices, and the appointment already costs more than $250 per hour. After asking the internet whether refusing to leave a percentage-based tip would make her unreasonable, she finds herself caught in a surprisingly heated debate involving hairstylists, beauty routines, Canadian tipping culture, and millions of strangers who cannot seem to agree on what is fair.
I Have An $800 Hair Appointment Coming Up, And Now I’m Wondering If Refusing To Add Another $160 In Tips Would Make Me A Terrible Person
I Never Hesitate To Tip Servers Twenty Percent Because I Know They Often Rely On Tips, But An $800 Hair Appointment Feels Like A Completely Different Situation
It’s Just A Cut And Highlights, But My Extremely Long And Thick Hair Makes Even A Regular Color Appointment Significantly More Expensive
To Everyone Saying Their Own Hair Costs Far Less, Congratulations, But Different Hair Types And Different Salon Experiences Don’t All Come With The Same Price Tag
She Rents A Chair Inside The Salon, Pays The Owner A Base Fee, And Sets Her Own Prices, Which Means This Isn’t Quite The Same Situation Many Commenters Initially Imagined
Somehow, More Than Four Million People Have Now Seen My Question, And Instead Of Getting A Clear Answer, I’ve Ended Up Even More Confused Than Before
Several Hairstylists Have Told Me That At This Price Point, Some Clients Don’t Tip At All, While Others Leave A Smaller Flat Amount Instead Of Automatically Adding Another Twenty Percent
And Before Anyone Wonders Why I’m Spending So Much On My Hair, Yes, I Know That $800 Is Expensive, But My Extremely Long And Thick Hair Requires More Product And More Time Than The Average Appointment
I Already Tried Going Somewhere Cheaper For My Last Appointment, And Even Then I Paid Around $500 Without Getting The Result I Actually Wanted
I Have Lost Count Of The Women Telling Me How Little They Spend On Their Hair Or How Rarely They Ever Visit A Salon, As Though Their Personal Beauty Routines Somehow Set The Standard For Everyone Else
Wondering what Reddit thinks? Let’s take a look.
After receiving an overwhelming response from millions of people, the woman behind this $800 hair appointment debate discovered that asking a seemingly simple question about tipping could turn into an exhausting argument about money, beauty standards, professional expenses, and personal responsibility. While some commenters insisted that anyone who can afford an expensive salon appointment should automatically be prepared to tip twenty percent, others argued that a service costing hundreds of dollars should not require an additional three-figure gratuity, especially when the stylist sets her own prices.
Interestingly, the most helpful responses came from actual hairstylists, many of whom explained that clients at higher price points sometimes leave smaller flat tips rather than following a strict percentage. After considering their experiences, she decided that leaving $50 would be a reasonable way to show appreciation if her stylist delivered the excellent results she expected. She also explained why she was willing to pay more for someone she trusted after a cheaper appointment left her disappointed. Yet the internet remained divided, with countless people comparing her spending habits to their own. In the end, her question raises a broader issue: should tipping always depend on a fixed percentage, or should customers have more freedom to decide what feels fair when the original price is already substantial?
