Tattoos + Tipping

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Replies

  • Amanda21202
    Amanda21202 Posts: 210 Member
    I rarely tip the hairdresser- £35 for half an hour of listening to blather about reality TV shows? she should tip me :-D

    That made me laugh. I always tip my hairdresser but I dislike doing it, firstly like you said plus its expensive enough as it is lol.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    I tip my artist. All my pieces are custom and I appreciate the effort he puts into them. Usually I tip around 20%. It isn't because I feel obligated.
  • SyStEmPhReAk
    SyStEmPhReAk Posts: 330 Member
    I've had significant custom work done where the final price has been well over $1,000 on two occassions -both artists refused a tip! Instead, I've bought t-shirts from the shop, given gift cards for their children, or given books on subjects that i found the artists have liked through conversations during my tattoos...
  • RikanSoulja
    RikanSoulja Posts: 463 Member
    Why do you need to tip? Shouldn't they just charge you what they want? I'm not trying to sound like a **** or anything I just really am wondering? If they wanted more to do your tat why don't they just charge more?
  • jboccio90
    jboccio90 Posts: 644 Member
    I rarely tip the hairdresser- £35 for half an hour of listening to blather about reality TV shows? she should tip me :-D

    That made me laugh. I always tip my hairdresser but I dislike doing it, firstly like you said plus its expensive enough as it is lol.

    Being a former hairdresser, a lot of people outside of the US have this mentality and I know this from experience. Most hairdresser here only make about 40 percent commission on whatever services they provide.

    So if you pay 35 dollars for a haircut the stylist only receives 14 of it.
  • OP mentioned tax as part of the bill. You might be able to avoid paying tax if you take cash too instead of using a card. Both times when I had mine done the artist said it would be more because if tax if I paid with the card and he ran it throught he register. I'm guessing if there's no official record of what the artist/shop is charging you they're reporting it as a lot less and pocketing some. Fine by me if it saves me a few bucks.

    It's not just a matter of taxed paid when it comes to cash vs. credit card. Credit card companies charges fees to the seller, that can be 2-3% of the purchase amount and they often have a monthly fee, plus it can take a few days for the payment to be received.

    BTW - I always tip - 20%
  • offthedeependay
    offthedeependay Posts: 435 Member
    if they do good work tip them ,if they don't do good work,,go to another artist,,you made a wrong choice,,,,the same guy does my work,wont let anyone else do it,,I moved 8 hours away 2 years ago and every time I travel near where he is ,I get more work done by him,A great tattoo artist is worth his weight in gold
  • swordsmith
    swordsmith Posts: 599 Member
    Bah- I never tip my tattoo artist.

    In fact I usually trash talk him, tell him what a poor artist he is and otherwise make his life hell to include throwing sometinga t his head when I walk in the door.

    Then again my tat artist is my brother and I am sure that SOB uses the biggest needle he can find....
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    Glad I read this.. I didn't know. And I'll be going for my first one soon.

    Can I watch? And 20% :)
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    I also tip for touch-ups.... I think it's customary around here.

    Each situation is individual, though. When I ask my artist to take a couple of weeks getting my idea down on paper, that's a lot of additional time and work he's putting in outside of the time I'm in the chair.

    For example, I was charged $300 for a 14" long custom drawn piece that took over five hours in the chair... I will have and love it the rest of my life... that was worth a $200 tip to me.
  • Carlyannabelle
    Carlyannabelle Posts: 621 Member
    Wow, I had no idea you were supposed to tip! I am glad I read this, I am hoping to get my first tattoo soon. Thanks!
  • spade117
    spade117 Posts: 2,466 Member
    For example, I was charged $300 for a 14" long custom drawn piece that took over five hours in the chair... I will have and love it the rest of my life... that was worth a $200 tip to me.

    I wanna see it.
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
    Generally, I think it's a bad idea to stiff the guy or gal who is tattooing something permanent onto your body... Just sayin'
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    For example, I was charged $300 for a 14" long custom drawn piece that took over five hours in the chair... I will have and love it the rest of my life... that was worth a $200 tip to me.

    I wanna see it.

    8873686_926.jpg

    voila... hoping to expand on that...
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
    I won a tattoo and I gave him $20 to get a beer and a snack at Boston Pizza next door. But I know my artist, no way in hell I'm tipping him, he can kiss my butt lol
  • I feel bad now, I've gotten 3 tattoos all around 60-80$ and I've only tipped 5$.
  • spade117
    spade117 Posts: 2,466 Member
    8873686_926.jpg

    voila... hoping to expand on that...

    Cool.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    8873686_926.jpg

    voila... hoping to expand on that...

    Cool.

    Danke :)
  • Show_Stopper
    Show_Stopper Posts: 656 Member
    Yes....yes...yes. If you have a larger piece and you'll be going in for different sessions, I would tip 25% for first session. They'll be happy to see you come back and give you an extra bit of attention next time around.


    This the artist is more willing to work with you if you tip well and you always should tip owner or not they are still doing a service for you
  • odusgolp... bet it will look incredible when done :)
  • Show_Stopper
    Show_Stopper Posts: 656 Member
    I would tip if you ever expect to show your face at that tattoo parlor again. Tattoo shops aren't like restaurants, they'll straight up tell you to gtfo if they remember you didn't tip them.

    Not really. The place I go, I get inked by the owner. So, I feel stupid tipping the prick because he's the freaking owner, he makes profit off the entire operation. You don't tip owners. It's stupid, but, nevertheless, I have an internal quandary as he is the artist, so I should respect his work and say thank you, financially, I guess. But it still pisses me off. So, I don't tip him every time, just like every third time. Lol.



    So you, what, verbally tip? I am a BIG fan of always tipping. It's just a respect issue for me. When I was working as a waittress, a "great service, thanks!" didn't pay my bills. Also, as the owner he is still doing work that he probably doesn't have to do.

    I don't what you mean by verbally tip. But, being a waitress and owning the restaurant are two completely different things. You don't tip the owner if they wait on you. That's just ridiculous. You might have to own a business to understand the dynamics of it. But, it's odd to get a tip when you own the business. The waitress does not profit from the food the patrons are eating. The owner is literally making money off the food the people are eating, so tipping is not necessary, it's built in. Lol. I realize not everyone understands this. Again, if you ever own a business, you will.

    This is not true I owned a business with my ex and you should still tip the owner if there are providing a service
  • justal313
    justal313 Posts: 1,375 Member
    Not tipping the owner because they are the owner is silly. The cost of the Tatoo goes to payroll, taxes, and overhead. The owner draws a salary (or at least a wage) like any other employee and the tips are part of the assumed part of their compensation. Any money that comes from the tatoo straight to the owner is compensation for their investement in the business and for what they do to keep the lights on while you are getting tattooed

    If you are going to an American place, it is assumed that you tip and the wages reflect the fact that tipping happens.

    I tip anywhere that tipping is appropriate in cash so the service personnel can report their taxable income however suits their conscious. I put the whatever on my card as it gets me that much closer to taking my daughter to Disney World on points.

    Oh, and the last time I did anything that would involve tipping, I had a paper route, so this isn't some waiter or tattoo artist *****ing.
  • Wuggums
    Wuggums Posts: 339 Member
    Since this one is going to take about 20 hours spread out over 6-7 sessions, I made it clear to my artist at the beginning that I wanted to give him one big tip at the end when it was all finished. He's been amazing and often charges me for less than he should per session. He'll be getting a big tip - probably about 30% and over $500 - right around Christmas!!
  • mommycullen
    mommycullen Posts: 48 Member
    for $350- I would give $25-$40. Plus I always give my girl presents.... she likes CD's and stuff. I have spend thousands with her. So it depends on my level of brokeness at any given session- what I tip. She understands.
  • _Fatty2Fitty_
    _Fatty2Fitty_ Posts: 150 Member
    I just still don't understand why you have to or should give tips....you are already paying to get the piece of art done? Are you tipping because they have done a good job? But surely that's the least you'd expect from them?
  • polarsjewel
    polarsjewel Posts: 1,725 Member
    I usually tip my artist one hours worth of the "shop rate"
  • dicoveringwhoIam
    dicoveringwhoIam Posts: 480 Member
    I love my tattoo guy! I always tip $50. I tip more if it's a large piece. He's awesome and worth every penny, plus he's awesome to talk with. ;)
  • When I went to the shop I use for the first time, I asked the shop manager about tipping. He said that the artists understand that times are tight and don't have any expectations regarding tips. He said they don't think badly of anyone based on the tip, but do absolutely appreciate and "reward" people that do. He also said that I should gauge it based on how happy I was with the work. After my first session, I was so impressed with the quality of the work, the overall experience in the shop, and the price of the session that I went WAY above what would be expected. After paying the shop manager, he must have went back and showed the artist, because the artist came out and thanked me personally. When I went back for my second session, he definitely hooked me on the cost of the session.
  • I usually give them $20 as a tip. That's for piercings and tattoos. I never thought about doing a percentage.