NWR: Tipping at Nail Salon

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Posted by MJDoc12

I have to ask---how come you made sure to title this a 'Korean Nail salon' vs. just a nail salon? Does it make a difference if its Koreans or Vietnamese or American??


and to answer your question--if I am being charged the same amount to my nails by the owner as I am the regular girls--Yes I tip. However like in many hair salons, if the owner is doing my nails and they are charging me MORE to use her, then no I wouldn't tip.

But i'm not sure why it makes a difference being a KOREAN salon

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I mention this due to the fact of customs. If you have travelled at all you would know different countries have different customs when it comes to tipping and here in the US it is customary not to tip the owners and an owner would never accept it. I was curious if the custom was different due to the fact Korens are from a different culture and many of these salons are 1st generation americans.

Does that make you feel better. I am very insulted that you even question why I specified that it is a Koren salon. I am far from racist.

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Posted by StacyJill2009

I mention this due to the fact of customs. If you have travelled at all you would know different countries have different customs when it comes to tipping and here in the US it is customary not to tip the owners and an owner would never accept it. I was curious if the custom was different due to the fact Korens are from a different culture and many of these salons are 1st generation americans.

Does that make you feel better. I am very insulted that you even question why I specified that it is a Koren salon. I am far from racist.

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I love when I ask a SIMPLE question and get a super defensive answer. I was really just asking why you worded it the way you did. No need to get nasty. And for your information I HAVE traveled to various places around the world. So I do understand that different countries had different customs.

When you word your question specifying KOREAN nail salons only, its gonna make people wonder why you targeted just one group. From the responses on this thread, I wasn't the only one. And for your information, many people just ASSUME that all nail salons are run by Koreans, when in fact there are several different nationalities from that region of the world that run nail salons here in the U.S. I have been to many salons that are run by Vietnamese and everyone just assumed they were Korean because they never actually take a minute to talk to the person doing their nails, they just figure, 'its a nail salon--must be run by Koreans.'

I've been to plenty of salons here in the U.S. where its run by Americans and the owners take tips gladly. So I asked the question of why you specified 'Korean' salons cause it seemed silly singling out just them.

My nail salon is Chinese. My sister lived in China and she speaks Mandarin. She tells me that they talk about people who don't tip the owner. When I go without her I wonder what they talk about. I think you should tip somebody who does a personal service for you... although I have never been tiped after any of the millions of bed baths i've given!

But def tip.

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Posted by MJDoc12

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Posted by StacyJill2009

I mention this due to the fact of customs. If you have travelled at all you would know different countries have different customs when it comes to tipping and here in the US it is customary not to tip the owners and an owner would never accept it. I was curious if the custom was different due to the fact Korens are from a different culture and many of these salons are 1st generation americans.

Does that make you feel better. I am very insulted that you even question why I specified that it is a Koren salon. I am far from racist.

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I love when I ask a SIMPLE question and get a super defensive answer. I was really just asking why you worded it the way you did. No need to get nasty. And for your information I HAVE traveled to various places around the world. So I do understand that different countries had different customs.

When you word your question specifying KOREAN nail salons only, its gonna make people wonder why you targeted just one group. From the responses on this thread, I wasn't the only one. And for your information, many people just ASSUME that all nail salons are run by Koreans, when in fact there are several different nationalities from that region of the world that run nail salons here in the U.S. I have been to many salons that are run by Vietnamese and everyone just assumed they were Korean because they never actually take a minute to talk to the person doing their nails, they just figure, 'its a nail salon--must be run by Koreans.'

I've been to plenty of salons here in the U.S. where its run by Americans and the owners take tips gladly. So I asked the question of why you specified 'Korean' salons cause it seemed silly singling out just them.

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as I said before as well, i don't know why it would matter if they were Korean or not either. And I can't for the life of me understand why you wouldn't tip even if it was the owner. I really just don't get it.

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Posted by StacyJill2009

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Posted by MJDoc12

I have to ask---how come you made sure to title this a 'Korean Nail salon' vs. just a nail salon? Does it make a difference if its Koreans or Vietnamese or American??

and to answer your question--if I am being charged the same amount to my nails by the owner as I am the regular girls--Yes I tip. However like in many hair salons, if the owner is doing my nails and they are charging me MORE to use her, then no I wouldn't tip.

But i'm not sure why it makes a difference being a KOREAN salon

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I mention this due to the fact of customs. If you have travelled at all you would know different countries have different customs when it comes to tipping and here in the US it is customary not to tip the owners and an owner would never accept it. I was curious if the custom was different due to the fact Korens are from a different culture and many of these salons are 1st generation americans.

Does that make you feel better. I am very insulted that you even question why I specified that it is a Koren salon. I am far from racist.

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Just try and tip them then, why even ask? If they don't want to accept it they won't. But I think you should absolutely ALWAYS try.

I for one tip everyone, no matter whether they are the owner or not and regardless of their ethnicitiy, and my tips have never been refused. Wouldn't you rather try to be generous, and appreciative, and make the attempt to tip rather than not tip at all just because you assume or think the owner won't/shouldn't take it?

The deal is.. Not tipping an owner is pretty OLD SCHOOL.

Regardless of customs .. as you mentioned - the Asian culture is preforming services in America and they don't go by that rule. Trust me on that! Besides , they are performing a service for you regardless.They are not rolling in dough!

What now we should be discussing is not the tipping part by why they feel the need to not speak English or pretend to understand it when it comes to money. now that deserves no tip

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Posted by Sweetie51804

i only tipped the person who does my nails.

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oh--well that's a given. but the issue was whether or not you tip the person who does your nails if they are the OWNER of the salon. like if you know the person who did your nails is the owner, do you not tip was the OP's question.

I tip everyone except Puerto Ricans.

My hair stylist does not accept my tips because she owns it. I try every time for YEARS. Just trying is enough. I tried to tip the manager at BB&B the other day for helping me carry something to my car and he refused. Some people do refuse. Its not unheard of. Just cause most of you would take the money doesnt mean other people wont

Overall, I think tipping is getting out of control ... when employees of starbucks and mcdonalds starting having tip cups out, that's just crazy. BUT that's besides the point.

I can't even imagine NOT at least making an attempt to tip the person who is doing my nails, my hair, my waiter/waitress, etc. Those are situations where a tip is somewhat of an expectation.

Owner, employee, makes no difference.

Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, Russian, Israeli, makes no difference.

Here is the scoop on why salon OWNERS usually won't accept tips and it might even be an insult

technically hairdressers, florists, dj, waitresses, etc. if they don't own the business have to figure tips into their salary because they actually can be paid below minimum wage because the state looks at their tips as income. They are also considered 'servants', legally, and hence work for someone who makes money off of them.

The owner makes money on the business and on each servant that works for him/her and makes way above what their 'servants' make and it was seen as a sort of elitness and to be offered a tip, like a servant would be considered insulting.

Does this make sense?

So the only reason I asked is because I have always tipped and she accepted my tips when most other owners won't and find it a little embarrassing.

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Posted by StacyJill2009

Here is the scoop on why salon OWNERS usually won't accept tips and it might even be an insult

technically hairdressers, florists, dj, waitresses, etc. if they don't own the business have to figure tips into their salary because they actually can be paid below minimum wage because the state looks at their tips as income. They are also considered 'servants', legally, and hence work for someone who makes money off of them.

The owner makes money on the business and on each servant that works for him/her and makes way above what their 'servants' make and it was seen as a sort of elitness and to be offered a tip, like a servant would be considered insulting.

Does this make sense?

So the only reason I asked is because I have always tipped and she accepted my tips when most other owners won't and find it a little embarrassing.

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So wait, Im confused....its an insult to them to accept a tip because they would be considered a servant?

The nail guy who used to do my nail owned the place~he never refused a tip from myself or other clients I have seen him do.

I think it should be customary to tip regardless and if they dont take it then so be it.

Im not sure where you go this 'servant' information from but it sounds pretty ridiculous being that its 2008 and in all honestly I dont believe anyone that falls into any of those professional categories is considered a servant in many peoples eyes. Just bc they are doing a 'service' doesnt mean they are considered a servant~LEGALLY a 'servant' is not a profession or job standard, sorry~you wont find 'servant' listed on anything where you fill in your profession. Times change and so does what is considered insulting~this day and age it should be offered.

Hairdressers that are owners dont usually accept a tip b/c they make more and CAN charge more. DJs accept tips, florists accept tips, waitresses accept tips......ALL of them!

i believe if you do a good job you tip, period. Tipping is NOT a city in China.

Im not sure what you mean by its embarrassing whether its for them or for you when they dont take it. If it was me giving a tip and they refused, oh well, its not an added few bucks out of my pocket, if they are embarrassed by it then thats their problem.

ETA: I also have to add here, not directed at you~but its pretty sad that in TODAY in 2008 there are people out there who consider anyone doing a service a 'servant' or would even consider this a reason not to tip. I know plenty of people in all those businesses and some are owners/some arent and they make more money then I do at a billion dollar business.

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Posted by PegaLega

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Posted by StacyJill2009

Here is the scoop on why salon OWNERS usually won't accept tips and it might even be an insult

technically hairdressers, florists, dj, waitresses, etc. if they don't own the business have to figure tips into their salary because they actually can be paid below minimum wage because the state looks at their tips as income. They are also considered 'servants', legally, and hence work for someone who makes money off of them.

The owner makes money on the business and on each servant that works for him/her and makes way above what their 'servants' make and it was seen as a sort of elitness and to be offered a tip, like a servant would be considered insulting.

Does this make sense?

So the only reason I asked is because I have always tipped and she accepted my tips when most other owners won't and find it a little embarrassing.

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So wait, Im confused....its an insult to them to accept a tip because they would be considered a servant?

The nail guy who used to do my nail owned the place~he never refused a tip from myself or other clients I have seen him do.

I think it should be customary to tip regardless and if they dont take it then so be it.

Im not sure where you go this 'servant' information from but it sounds pretty ridiculous being that its 2008 and in all honestly I dont believe anyone that falls into any of those professional categories is considered a servant in many peoples eyes. Just bc they are doing a 'service' doesnt mean they are considered a servant~LEGALLY a 'servant' is not a profession or job standard, sorry~you wont find 'servant' listed on anything where you fill in your profession. Times change and so does what is considered insulting~this day and age it should be offered.

Hairdressers that are owners dont usually accept a tip b/c they make more and CAN charge more. DJs accept tips, florists accept tips, waitresses accept tips......ALL of them!

i believe if you do a good job you tip, period. Tipping is NOT a city in China.

Im not sure what you mean by its embarrassing whether its for them or for you when they dont take it. If it was me giving a tip and they refused, oh well, its not an added few bucks out of my pocket, if they are embarrassed by it then thats their problem.

ETA: I also have to add here, not directed at you~but its pretty sad that in TODAY in 2008 there are people out there who consider anyone doing a service a 'servant' or would even consider this a reason not to tip. I know plenty of people in all those businesses and some are owners/some arent and they make more money then I do at a billion dollar business.

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ITA. I honestly don't even know what to say in regards to the servant comment. The fact that anyone in this day and age would make such an absurdly closed minded remark really bothers me. Maybe this annoys me even more because I am half Korean, but I completely agree with the other girls that race/sex/religion should not have anything to do with whether or not you tip them. A tip should be performance based - if you are happy with the job they did, you tip them - regardless of their 'level' in the company. If the owner doesn't want to accept a tip, that should be their decision. And btw, as someone that IS half Korean, I can tell you that culturally I know of no reason to not accept a tip. And if were a lowly servant doing your nails, I would be pretty embarrassed for you if you didn't tip me.

I also have to agree with mjdoc on the whole race thing. Are you even sure that this is a Korean run salon? I only ask this because I am SO sick of people just assuming that all nail salons and little grocery stores are Korean run/owned, or that all laundromats are Chinese owned. If you know for a fact that they are Korean, then I do apologize.