To answer the original question, I pay my stylist $20 for a wash & cut and a $5 tip... 25%. Yeah, I'm a hypocrite But that's because my wife tips her at least 25% on her super expensive color & cuts and I don't want to look like a tool.Tipping is one of my personal favorite disgusts. I love the idea of tipping and really think a well-placed tip means a lot to the person receiving it and is a very good and tasteful gesture on the givvers part.
I do however think that modern society has ruined the entire concept. A tip these days is now so expected and the expected amount is increasing every day. In vegas these days cab drivers and bellhops and bouncers are expecting rediculous amounts of tips for doing barely their prescribed job.
The first example is perfect. A $3 tip on a $12 haircut = $15 (which I think is a pretty common thing to do) is 25%. Think about it, you wouldn't tip a waitress that much unless they did something particularly special. My wife insists that the "base tip" for a waitress is now 20% and it's 25% if you got good service. I guess I'm old school or something, but I had always thought base tips were 15-18%. I _always_ tip more if the person has gone out of their way specifically to improve my experience, save my time, or save me money. I just think now my gesture of their above and beyond service is getting lost in the expected tip amount.
The example where the barber honed your blade is a great example of where a massive tip is deserved... and so impressed he wouldn't accept it. That's a man that deserves a small trinket or something next time you come in.
Another thing I object to with tipping though happened last time I was in vegas (did I mention vegas has gotten out of control expecting tips?). On the flight back my checked luggage was a few pounds over the weight limit. We were offered to move some our luggage from one suitcase to another but since we had zip-tied them shut and nobody is allowed scissors (or razor blades, haha) within a 1000 miles of an airport anymore I resigned myself to paying the extra fee. The baggage handler said $25 (for 3 pounds over). When I asked if he was serious he held out his hand and said "or I can just take care of it". $5 later I saved $20. Now, normally that's fine with my "helps me out" rule above... but when you're cheating your employer out of money they're really due, I kind of object to the whole deal. If somebody saves me money, I think they're entitled to 50% of the savings. I don't know where that rule comes from though.
Sorry that got so long... got on a roll!
Sincerely,
Mr. Pink?
p.s. Don't get me started on tipping casino dealers (I do when they are friendly or help me out in some way) or random starbucks cashiers (I've seen people put in $1 on a $3 drink, 33%!!!).
In any event, why Mr. Pink? I liked Mr. Red or Mr. Blue (I forget) more in Reservoir Dogs.
