Massage Gratuity

[Aeneas]

Searched through pages of tipping threads. Many topics came up but I didn't find this answer:
What does one tip a massage therapist? I guess I mean the type at a spa, or chiro office. Try to pay with a card, and the gratuity prompt comes up.
Already paid a fair bit for the service, but if they did a good job...

[albertGQ]

It depends if you got the happy ending or not

[Aeneas]

Figured I'd be walking into one there, but played it straight nonetheless.

[flip]

On that topic I heard there was a rub and tug next to Churchill by the macs and the Japanese restaurant.

[Locke]

That depends, did he go hard enough for you?

Good service is hard to come by in the city these days...

In all seriousness, I imagine the standard 15% would be good enough. I wasnt aware it was a tipping industry. Then again, compared to you I guess there are a lot of things I dont know about the massage industry....

[Dion]

If the person has done a good job, passing on to other people the wonderful service you got would be something they would appreciate. Especially if it brings more business their way.

[Aeneas]

Originally Posted by Locke

That depends, did he go hard enough for you?

Good service is hard to come by in the city these days...

In all seriousness, I imagine the standard 15% would be good enough. I wasnt aware it was a tipping industry. Then again, compared to you I guess there are a lot of things I dont know about the massage industry....

It didn't move!!!!

[HelloHockeyFans]

this has so much potential for cp hall of fame

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Dion

If the person has done a good job, passing on to other people the wonderful service you got would be something they would appreciate. Especially if it brings more business their way.

What are you saying? Aim for the lobby?

[Aeneas]

Originally Posted by Dion

If the person has done a good job, passing on to other people the wonderful service you got would be something they would appreciate. Especially if it brings more business their way.

That's an excellent suggestion.

[OilersBaby]

I work for a program that offers therapeutic massage and we get asked all the time (I'm not a massage therapist, Im the Sales/Marketing Manager for the massage therapy/aquatic exercise that is offered)......

Anyways...the bottom line is you tip what you feel comfortable with. It depends on if you like the massage or if you didnt like it...if it's a good massage, then as much as you want to. The norm seems to be "double the tax" or around 15-20% depending on where you live.....

However, some people dont leave a dime.....and they have their reasons. Either they feel they paid enough already or they didnt like the massage, or they didnt realize or forget they should tip.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Aeneas

That's an excellent suggestion.

I was going to suggest you ask her out on a date so you could show her your own brand of massage therapy. Then again she might slap you in the face

[Aeneas]

Originally Posted by Dion

I was going to suggest you ask her out on a date so you could show her your own brand of massage therapy. Then again she might slap you in the face

You had me thinking you were all reasonable and rational with your well thought out answer at 11:12; just how much did you drink in the intervening 4 minutes?!?

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Aeneas

You had me thinking you were all reasonable and rational with your well thought out answer at 11:12; just how much did you drink in the intervening 4 minutes?!?

I guess my ceaser was spiked with too much vodka

[PowerPlayoffs06]

Disclaimer: I'm an average to good tipper.

I never understood tipping. These people get paid for doing their jobs, why are we compelled to just give them extra? Why only certain places? Especially any food/beverage related establishment?

Why do I have to tip a bartender who only poured me a friggin' drink, but not the chick at the shoe store who ran back and forth to the stock room 5 times helping me find a new pair of runners?

Why do the twits at Subway get a tip jar, but the Full Serve guy at the gas station can't take a tip?

Why give extra to a masuess who rubs your back, but not the doctor who sticks his finger up yer bum and looks for cancer?

Why tip your barber, but not your tattoo artist?

Why the hell do I have to tip a coat check girl, who does nothing but take my coat and hang it on a rack? Seriously...

[BuzzardsWife]

Originally Posted by PowerPlayoffs06

Disclaimer: I'm an average to good tipper.

I never understood tipping. These people get paid for doing their jobs, why are we compelled to just give them extra? Why only certain places? Especially any food/beverage related establishment?

Why do I have to tip a bartender who only poured me a friggin' drink, but not the chick at the shoe store who ran back and forth to the stock room 5 times helping me find a new pair of runners?

Why do the twits at Subway get a tip jar, but the Full Serve guy at the gas station can't take a tip?

Why give extra to a masuess who rubs your back, but not the doctor who sticks his finger up yer bum and looks for cancer?

Why tip your barber, but not your tattoo artist?

Why the hell do I have to tip a coat check girl, who does nothing but take my coat and hang it on a rack? Seriously...

.

I was a waitress for years as a young girl, but I do have to agree with you on all points. It makes me mad when I get crummy service but still feel pressured to tip. I got a really bad meal and bad service at the Keg a few weeks ago, honestly my first bad experience there, but I still felt I had to leave something. What really got my goat was that I went to the washroom while my husband was paying, after the wrong meal was served to me, and the second one was burnt steak and frozen crab legs..so I leave my husband 2 gift cards. The bill was 94.00 and I gave 100 dollars in gift certificates. So the waitress comes to my husband while I'm in the bathroom and asks him if he wants the gift certificate back, the one with $6 on it. My husband doesn't quite understand, and he says'yeah'..so she looks at him and says..'so you do want it back??' ..ok..this is BEFORE we have left, or left a tip on the table. He said to me, why would she want the gift card? I said..to have a drink after work..but the point is..she was EXPECTING this card. I totally would have left in on the table for her had she not been such a cow about it. Anyway..I still left her 10 bucks, even though it was all a bad experience. Just one example of how I feel pressure to tip. My Mom used to always say they should pay waitresses good money instead of them having to tip. Another thing..do I tip the Water Delivery Guy? Or the flower delivery guy? It just goes on and on and on. You know who I do like tipping??? The kid that's outside in 40 below weather pumping my gas. Even if its only a toonie its a hot chocolate or coffee for them on their break.

[chid]

I tipped my tattoo artist

and I completely agree with all your points about who gets a tip and who doesn't. I always feel bad trying shoes on just for that reason alone..

[The Goon]

For years I never tipped, now the debit machine at my massage therapist gives the tip option, so this is a question I've been wondering about as well. I suppose I should tip given that I'm getting the massage $ back through my benefits.

[troutman]

"Tipping is not a city in China"

"Pita spelled backwards is a tip" (seen at Opa!)

[llama64]

TIPS (To Insure Prompt Service).

If you're going back to the masseuse, tip how you think they deserve. The better you tip, the greater the chances of more service. And I don't mean in a rub in tug way.

Just because some prompt on a debit machine pops up doesn't mean they require tipping. North America (Canada particularly) boggles my mind in how many people tip without really knowing what it's for. The fee for a service covers the business cost. If you want more service, you pay for it through tipping and developing a relationship with your server.

Good rule of thumb: tip the people you're going to see again and receive service from in the future. Ignore the prats that think they deserve a tip for doing their job. Never ignore tips for people who could ruin your night.