Massage Therapists

[jamesglewisf]

I got this question via email:I have a tipping question. I have been getting massages from a wellness center for a few weeks. The massages have been prescribed by my doctor and are not the ooey gooey feel good massages that everyone enjoys receiving. I've been driving 30 min. one-way once a week and the owner of the center has been performing my massages. My parents taught me that you never tip the owner of an establishment, that it's actually poor form. Additionally, I assumed the practitioner wouldn't expect a tip since it's a prescribed procedure. A couple of weeks ago, as I was paying with my debit card, the receptionist looked at my signed receipt a little too long and I could tell there was some frustration at my not tipping. I explained that I didn't include a tip because the practioner was the owner and she got very nervous and snappy and said, "Well, I think that's only in restaurants" and just stared at me. It was a very uncomfortable moment and luckily the phone rang and I was able to walk out without explaining myself further. Then yesterday, the practitioner herself processed my payment. Once again, I didn't include a tip and as she took my signed receipt, without looking at me or saying anything, she just frowned and shook her head. Both of these incidents have made me very concerned about their level of professionalism, although my sessions have been nothing less than comfortable and professional and I actually have a very good rapport with the practitioner. I don't like having anxiety about going to a wellness center and can't change practitioners for a couple of reasons. I obviously need to have a conversation with them about this. What do you think? Thank you for your help.

[jamesglewisf]

Here was my answer:There's not really a good answer.

The general rule with a hair or nail salon is that you tip whomever provides the service, whether it is the owner or not. I worked at a restaurant for about five years when I was a teenager. It was owned by the cook and the head waitress. She always got tipped. She was providing the service. If you would tip a massage therapist who is not the owner, I would think that you would tip a massage therapist who is the owner.

All of that said, if the massage therapist gets the entire fee, then I wouldn't tip because they can set the fee at whatever they want. Usually at a wellness center, this is not the case. The wellness center gets some percentage of the fee, and the therapist gets the rest.

I did a little extra research on the web, and most massage sites that mentioned owners and tipping said that you should tip whomever provided the service. Other sites didn't distinguish between the two. I actually read one article http://spas.about.com/library/weekly/aa050601.htm that said,

"Some agreed that tipping could create an uncomfortable situation for the customer at the end of their service, especially when the spa’s purpose is to reduce stress and not increase it. Other challenges around tipping come during multiple services and how to tip each therapist. Everyone agreed that eliminating tipping once it was customary policy would be difficult if not impossible.

However, when creating a spa anew, it is possible to instill the concepts of professionalism where tips are not expected. Create an attitude of “What can you do for the customer, not what can the customer do your you!” Receiving and giving gratuities are healing gifts only when they are not required or expected. When a therapist does receive a tip, a thank-you note is in order. Consider creating a compensation program and pricing structure not based on the expectation of receiving a gratuity. "It's an interesting article because it explains a little about how people at wellness centers are compensated.

I've been to hotels where there is no tipping. They state that clearly when you check in. The employees are compensated well to make up for it. They were not inexpensive hotels, however. It sure takes a lot of stress out of the situation and removes the concern over whether or not you have enough one dollar bills for tipping each day.

The best thing to do is talk to the owner. She is not going to be offended that you ask. Just explain that you get conflicting advice and want to do what is appropriate.

Let me caution you about one thing. Sometimes we see other people's expressions and make assumptions about what they are thinking. They might just have a bad case of gas or be thinking about something someone said on the phone earlier. If you are feeling uncomfortable about a situation, you are likely to read more into a facial expression than is actually there. It is better to have a conversation and talk about things than to make assumptions.

Here's another interesting article about Spa Employee Compensation: http://spas.about.com/library/weekly/aa030301.htm

Tell me how things turn out.

[s_ranke]

My dad is a massage therapist. Tip if you want to don't if you don't. If you are going to a private practice then I would recommend not tipping the owner unless you want to. However w/ this enlightened bunch often times the private owner doesn't charge much for the leased room to other therapists...so you may not want to over tip. If you go to a club (public or ecspecially private) then your therapist is probably making about 1/3 of what the club charged for the massage. They've already figured in room+laundry+time plus remember many of these people are being 1099ed. Also remember that this is your massage therapist, you can't possibly imagine having a physical relationship w/ them w/o being able to get past a small conversation. Peace, Stephen

[michaelfrankie]

Okay, some good points been brought up but tipping your massage therapist remains a confusing subject for most people. Let me start out by saying that I am a massage therapist in the Chicago area. I’ve lectured courses on business practices for massage therapists and I’ve contributed to a textbook about massage therapy business practices. One of the reasons that tipping a massage therapist is so confusing, is that the practice of massage can mean so many different things, ie: spa/relaxation versus clinical or sports or pre-natal or infant or injury recovery or energy work, etc, etc, etc… It can also take place in many different settings, ie: home, office, spa, athletic club, cruise ship, hotel, doctor’s office, etc.

In your decision whether or not to tip, first consider your primary reason for receiving a massage. If it is more of a relaxation-stress relief experience you might want to consider the same tipping rules that apply to other personal services such as hair styling or spa services. If the massage is more clinical in nature, tipping may not be expected or even desired. Some therapists who work with referrals from doctors, dentists, physical therapists, occupational therapists etc. consider themselves on par with those professions and as such have a “no tipping” policy.

Next, consider the setting that you are receiving the massage. Take note that therapists working for someone else ie: spa, club or multi-practitioner massage office are not taking home anything close to what you are actually paying at the front desk. If they work as an independent contractor, a cut is typically taken by the house. In many high-end (read high priced) spas, the therapist actually makes a relatively small percentage of the take, and similar to food servers, relies on tips to make up the difference. In contrast, therapists working in doctor’s offices sometimes receive tips but generally they are not as large or as regular as in the spa setting.

My experience with the clinical setting indicates that tips are usually welcome but not expected. Regarding the amount to tip, there are no hard fast rules to follow but I would generally consider $5 an acceptable minimum. The particular setting and price paid has perhaps more to do with the amount. The $2 tip mentioned earlier could be viewed as insulting in a high end spa (like giving a waiter $0.01). In my own experience, I’ve received everything from a few bucks to $60 as a tip. Really anything, if given sincerely, is generally appreciated. Colleagues of mine have even received non-cash items including everything from concert tickets to a brand new bicycle!

As for my massage practice, I tend to handle more clinical cases. I see clients in a commercial office setting in which I am the sole owner and practitioner. Even as the owner and at $70/hour, after overhead and taxes, I’m not getting rich at this job. Nonetheless, I love my work and I love working on my own. Although I see mostly repeat customers, tippers in my practice tend to be the minority with $5-10 being the norm for most people.

When asked, I make it clear that tips are not expected as part of their treatment. If you ever wonder about tipping your therapist, just ask them. Most therapists understand that this can be a confusing issue and will help explain what the norm is for their particular setting. If you’re uncomfortable about asking and feel that you would like to tip, use $10 as your base and go from there as you like. If you are really pleased and want to do something special, $20 will generally do a nice job of conveying your feelings. If you are a regular client, an extra holiday bonus is always a nice gesture.

[CameronLMT]

I am Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork and a Licensed Massage Therapist. I work in a spa setting, and also for a mobile massage group. I have a very wide variety of clients, and in all income brackets.

The spa in which I work pays me a split of every massage, so like Michael said, I don't get what you're paying at the desk. A good tip is anything in the $20 range, and a typical tip is $10-$15 depending on the type of massage I've given.

There's no need for confusion on this issue. All it takes is a little client/therapist communication if there is any question. Trust me, as a therapist, I would MUCH rather discuss it with you than have you dread the end of the session or dread coming at all. The point is to put you on the road to wellness, and adding stress is counteractive to that.

If you have any question, ask your therapist. However, a good rule of thumb is anywhere in the $10-$20 range depending on how good and productive (to whatever end the massage was directed, be it rehabilitative or simply for stress relief) the massage was.

-Cameron, NCTMB, LMT

[jamesglewisf]

The tip for a massage therapist is based upon the amount of the service. You tip 10-15%. If the massage costs $25, you wouldn't tip $20. Tip a percentage, not a fixed amount.

[Justawoman]

I liked what Micheal posted.

[CameronLMT]

The tip for a massage therapist is based upon the amount of the service. You tip 10-15%. If the massage costs $25, you wouldn't tip $20. Tip a percentage, not a fixed amount.

That would be a more valid point if you could get a full-hour professional massage for that much. But you probably won't. The only place you can get one that cheap is at a school by students, and then you can't tip them because they aren't licensed.

MOST (key word there) spas and such in MOST areas run between $50-$80. I'm not talking about high-end resorts and things of that nature where you're being charged upwards of $100 or more. For general purposes, $10-$20 will be fair. I did not mean to imply that this was "fixed." It's just a rule of thumb.

And 10-15% is low. It should be closer to 15-25%.

[jamesglewisf]

You don't tip any profession 25%. That's ridiculous. 20% is always the max. You can tip more, but that has never been part of a guideline I've seen anywhere for any profession.

When you give tipping recommendations for your own profession that are much higher than any other recommendations given anywhere, it makes your recommendations look suspicious and possibly self-serving.

[jamesglewisf]

BTW, you don't tip students because only licensed massage therapists are supposed to receive any form of compensation for giving a massage.

[RMT4Life]

As a massage therapist, I have some mixed feelings when it comes to tipping.

First, is the massage therapits your going to operating their own business (100% of profits go to them) or are they working for a company, massage franchaise or something of the sort? If the therapist works for themself then tipping should be optional because at the end of the day all monies go to them anyway. They are able to set their price and adjust them accordingly.

However, if the massage therapist works for a spa, hotel, studio or massage franchaise; please be kind enough to tip them! What most people fail to realize is that these people do not set their own rates and rarley do not make an hourly wage. If there are no clients then these people have no income. You may say, "Well, that's not my fault!" Which is true but you do like to attend theses places and expect your services to be provided. In addition, these therapists also don't have to waste their time with someone who has little to no respecet for them and the services they are trying to offer as compared to someone who is kind enough to appreciate their time, talents and services.

Massage therapists are not the same as servers and are not on the same level as servers. To be a massage therapist requires going to a massage school of some sort, successfully passing a state board and keeping your license and skills updated. How many serves have to pass a state board and keep their skills updated? None. A massage therapits does not have the same kind of advantages as servers. A massage therapits can not run 10 massage tables at one time every hours. So basing tips along the same system is ridiculous. If you're only paying $20-25 for a massage; you need to be asking why or know why? This is a rate for most massage schools. Student don't get tipped. Tipping students is against most state laws. An general tip is anything above $10. If you really like the serviesl then $15-$20 is generally gratuity. Leaving a tip below $10 for an hour massage; maybe you need to find a new therapist.

In short, people will tip whatever they want regardless of what other people tell them.

[jamesglewisf]

No offense, but giving a tip amount but not stating how much the service costs is ridiculous. What if it was a $600 massage? Should you still tip $20? That's 3.33%.

You tip a percentage, not a flat amount.

[jmpage2]

I'm glad to have found this thread, as I was also shocked about the mysteries of tipping a massage therapist. My question came about when I had been going to massage therapy at my chiropractors. Since this was in a "medical" setting, the thought of tipping never even occurred to me. Imagine my shock when one day after going to the practice for months I see a patient giving a tip to his therapist. I asked her about it and she said about 1/2 of the clients do tip, a tip is very nice, who doesn't like to make some extra money?

The thing that concerns me the most is that as others have pointed out, massage therapists require licenses, certifications, etc, to do their work.

While I can see the point of tipping a therapist in a "spa" setting, I totally do not understand why one would expect a gratuity of any kind in a clinical setting, where the work being performed is for treatment of an injury or chronic discomfort.

I mean, really, do you tip your nurse for doing a good job giving you an injection or taking your blood pressure? If not then why would you tip a massage therapist in a clinical setting who is performing a professional service that is of a medical nature?

I'm also rather irked with this idea that if you do tip for a massage, it should be "about $20". Who made that rule up? If a massage therapist made $20 on every massage they did they would make more money than I do (and I'm a professional engineer).

Maybe chiropractors and other health professionals who employ massage therapy should just pay their therapists better and have a nice open "no tipping" policy stated.

[jamesglewisf]

I agree -- don't tip in a medical setting.

I also agree -- if you do tip, don't tip a flat amount. Tip a percentage.

[jeff0008]

James, I think you can provide information on this board without being abusive and inconsiderate of others, whose views may not mesh 100 percent with yours. While I think most people tip 20 percent as a max, I have found that the range does tend to vary geographically within the U.S. I have lived in large metropolitan areas, medium sized cities, and in rural areas, on the east coast, west coast, and the midwest. My experience has been that tipping ranges often vary by location.

Speaking generally (not just about massage), 10 percent would be my minimum in some places and 15 percent in others. Similarly, while 20 percent is generally my max, I (and many others I know) do tip as much as 25 percent for exceptional service but usually only when I'm in large cities, such as New York, Boston or San Francisco. Tipping 25 percent, in my mind, is not ridiculous, and tells the person, "Thank you for going above and beyond my expectations for this particular service." Also, I'm one of those people who gets my hair cut at one of those inexpensive, chain haircut places, which costs me $15. While I see many people tip $2, which is fine, I personally would never tip below $5, and I have witnessed many people, who were in such salons at the same time as I, who have tipped the same, so there's an example of a 33 percent tip.

I think that as a general rule, 10 to 20 percent is the range used by most people for most services. However, tipping ranges are suggested guidelines and never set in stone, which is the opinion you expressed in your post by saying that 20 percent is ALWAYS the maximum. I, for one, do not agree, and for the record, I've never worked in a job where I received a tip, so this is not a self-serving comment.

You don't tip any profession 25%. That's ridiculous. 20% is always the max. You can tip more, but that has never been part of a guideline I've seen anywhere for any profession.

When you give tipping recommendations for your own profession that are much higher than any other recommendations given anywhere, it makes your recommendations look suspicious and possibly self-serving.

[Grimey]

I'm sorry, I don't see how he was abusive or inconsiderate. Maybe a bit blunt, but not abusive.

[jamesglewisf]

Well, that wasn't my intent, but I apologize nevertheless if that's how I came across. I should have worded it more carefully. My bad.

Back to the topic, 25% is still too high for a recommendation. You might feel generous and give more than the standard, but it is not the standard, IMO.

[aqua73]

Well, that wasn't my intent, but I apologize nevertheless if that's how I came across. I should have worded it more carefully. My bad.

Back to the topic, 25% is still too high for a recommendation. You might feel generous and give more than the standard, but it is not the standard, IMO.

Sir, if your "Location:" tag is filled out correctly, you are exhibiting one of the less genteel traits associated with Texans by being so arrogant as to think your experience in the world is the sum total of all knowledge in a given subject. George Bush has the same problem. You really should have conceded Jeff0008's point about standards being regional.

In New York, the official range recommended by the City for restaurant tipping does indeed stretch to 25%. That followed a period of 10 or more years where the defacto standard tip for excellent service was 25% among New Yorkers. This number is also fairly common in other "tipping cities," which includes at least Chicago and Las Vegas, and probably a few others here in the U.S.

Tipping in the South is generally lower overall than in the North, so you may not have personally observed this trend. Nonetheless, it is a trend and a standard that is quite real despite it not having not yet crossed into your non-universal scope of the universe.

[jamesglewisf]

I apologized. There is no reason to keep berating me about it.

The reason I came up with a tipping page is that part of my job is travel. My experience is not limited to Texas. I travel all over the US. I spent 4 months traveling in Europe, so my experience is not even limited to the US, although my tipping page is limited to the US. My information is based on extensive research, not just my own "limited" experience. I read articles, books, and websites about tipping. I am not the sum total of knowledge, but I didn't just sit down and write a web page.

That said, this is a thread about tipping massage therapists, not restaurants.

[janie1234]

i go to a place that charges about $100 [which is way above average for the area] But if you buy a bunch of massages it 's only about $60 per.
They have a sign that says to tip 15-20% at the $100 rate.

[jamesglewisf]

Is there a question in there, or are you just sharing your experience? Both are fine, but I don't want to miss a question.

BTW, I believe in tipping based on the normal price of the service, not based on a discount you received. I would probably agree with the sign, except for the 20% part. I think 15% is the norm. You're still saving $40 a visit.

I'm surprised they put up a sign, but I guess it is helpful for people who don't know what is expected.

[SportyLMT]

I am a massage therapist ans found this thread one evening because i was looking into what kind of information is out there about tipping massage therapist. Over the last few months i have been traveling and have found that there is a lot of confuation about tiping. these are a few things that me ans some of my peers have decided is a decent tip for the services we provide.

1st and formost, if you ever see a massage therapist that works for a spa health club ect they are making NO WHERE close to what the session cost. keep in mind most places give a %. the percent avg out to about 16-22% of the cost of the massage. any more than that the therapist has a sweet deal!

most therapist do not get paid an hourly wage. so if they are not working they are not getting paid. if they are gettin apid an hourly its like servers. they get paid less than minium because they are expected to get tips.

ok so you think $22 out of a $100 dollar massage is good right? not really. think of how much work a therapist goes through to give you your wonderful hour massage. its not exactly pushing papers for and hr. so someone who get $22 an hr to sit at a desk all day is doing well, in the massage world you are doing ok.

think about the type os massage you are gettin. is it a deep tissure, a body scrub then a massage, just a foot massage or what? take into accoung how much work they have to put into your session to make it the heavenly hour you are paying for.

how long is your session 15, 50, 90. the longer the session, reguardless of price, the better the tip should be.

personaly me and my peers feel the it is better to tip baised on the length of the session not the price. i mean think about it. if you are tpping according to price thats not really fair. a 50 min facial can cost just as much if not more than a 50 min massage. so does that mean that you are going to tip your skin care specialist more than your therapist when all the skin care person did was slap some creams gels pick at your skin a little and then you were done. when your therapist was working non stop on your entire body for 50 mins straight. just cuz the facial cost more cuz the cream has baby's blood enzymes in it to make your skint ingle(i am just saying that im not into skin care enough to really know what is in all that stuff)? but my point being who do you think worked harder?

i do not see any problem tiping a flat rate for massage services. you should tip according to time. a 50-60 min should be $20 if it was good 25 or more if it were great but no less than 15 cuz that feels like an insult. 80-90min $30 but no less than 20 for a 90 cuz that really feels like an insult. anything uner 10 bucks for any service longer than 30 mins makes the therapis feel jiped. a good judge is $5 bucks per 15 mins and that can go for chair massage too!

I just feel that i had to put this out there because I am noticing that ppl do not know how to tip. a $12 on a 90 min massage no matter that the price is a jip!!

once again this is how i feel and all my opnion. love it hate it i dont care. I just wanted to get m thoughts and feelings as a therapist out onto the interweb for people to read.

be well~
sportylmt

and yes i know i cant spell very well. i am bored @ work and am writing this from my phone :-)

[jamesglewisf]

The price of your massage should be based upon the service, the length of time for the massage, what the market will pay, and what your skills and/or reputation are worth.

Don't charge a low price for a massage and expect people to tip more to make up for it. Charge what you can get away with, and accept the tip that goes along with that price.

The tip should be a percentage of the price of the massage (10-15%, up to 20% if the service was exceptional). Where you tip in that range is based on the quality of the massage and your own personal convictions. Don't tip a flat rate. Tip a percentage of what is charged.

[jamesglewisf]

A massage therapist is compensated like a hair stylist. They don't all get 100% of what they charge. They don't all charge the same amount. But that doesn't change the fact that you tip a percentage, not a flat amount.

One hair stylist might charge $50 for 30 minute minute styling, while another stylist might charge $90 or $120 for the same 30 minutes. When you get color and a styling, they might charge $50, $90, $110, $300, or $500. Again, it depends upon the market, the reputation or skills of the stylist, or the salon they work in. They might get all or just some of the fee. But the tip is still a percentage.

[SportyLMT]

no i do not agree w/ the percentage. that is a kick in the pants for the therapist.

comparing a massage therapist w/ a hair stylist is not fair. think of the amount of work a therapist goes throgh to give the 60 min session. so you are tellin me that i need to tip my hair dresser tha same amount of $ that i would tip my massage thrapist when all my stylist did was slap some die on my har go chill and at while im sitting there. someone else washes my hair and then for the last 15-20 mins they do come work. that is by far not the same to me.

i stand by the flat rate and a lot of my coworkers and peers feel the same. why should you tip the same for a 50 min swedish and a 50 deep tissue? generaly the price differs btwn $5-10 more and baised on you percentage theory thats only an extra buck or 2. that is not right. if you are a therapist you know its harder on your body to do deep work.

you need to tip acording to time i feel not price. you can find some really awesome therapist who just dont want to work for them selves and enjoy working for an establishment. dont punish the therapist for working at a facility where they get to help people receive body work cheaper price. its not like they are going to do a lesser job cuz you are paying less. flate rate thats my opnion.

[jamesglewisf]

You're missing the point on comparing a massage therapist to a hair stylist. It isn't about how hard you work. It is about how tipping works. It is about the fact that some stylists work for themselves, some work for salons. It is about the fact that they charge different amounts based upon different criteria. It had nothing to do with how hard you work.

It is no different than a restaurant. Waiters at more expensive restaurants make more than waiters at cheap restaurants. If you want to make more, work for a place that charges more for your service or work for yourself.

At the same restaurant, I tip more (in dollars, not percentage) for a $40 steak than for a $19 chicken dish. Does the waiter do more work? No. That doesn't mean I tip a different percentage based upon what I order. It doesn't mean that I tip a flat rate either. Tipping isn't based on the amount of work done. It is based upon the cost of the product/service being provided.

In your business, there is only service, no product. Your service is your product. Don't charge the same amount for every service you sell and expect people to tip more or less. If your service costs more (more physical effort), then you should charge more for it. If the market won't bear you charging more, then you have to figure out other ways to make money or change markets or change professions.

If it is more work for you to do a deep tissue massage than a Swedish massage, then charge more for the service. That is why a steak costs more than chicken. Don't charge the same and expect people to tip more. That's not how tipping works.

If you don't like how your profession is compensated, then work for yourself or change professions. Don't try to rewrite the tipping rules.

[jamesglewisf]

You've got to quit comparing how hard you work to other professions. It is not relevant to your compensation.

What is relevant is what the market will pay for your services. You should not get paid the same as an attorney who makes $450 an hour. His service requires more education, more training, and more expertise than that of a massage therapist. It is also what the market will bear.

Does he work physically harder than you? No, but it is not relevant.

If you feel that your work is worthy of getting paid more, raise your fees. People will either pay it or not. It is what the market will bear.

[jamesglewisf]

i stand by the flat rate and a lot of my coworkers and peers feel the same. why should you tip the same for a 50 min swedish and a 50 deep tissue? generaly the price differs btwn $5-10 more and baised on you percentage theory thats only an extra buck or 2. that is not right. if you are a therapist you know its harder on your body to do deep work.
You are missing something here. If you charge $5-10 more for the service, then you got paid $6-12 more when tip is included. You can't ignore the $5-10 more that was charged.

[nerdychick]

I was trying to find the best wording to answer customers who ask about tipping at my work place when I came across this site. It was interesting to just read different points of view, but when I read a post by SportyLMT, I thought I ought to contribute to the discussion, because I am licensed at massage therapy and skin care.

SportyLMT said that LMTs should get higher tips than estheticians, who just "slap cream gels pick at your skin a little". The first thing you must realize is: LMTs manipulate muscles, and estheticians provide skin care. LMTs can do scrubs, wraps, and polishes, but they can't give deep pore facials, because they don't know if the product has "baby's blood enzymes in it", or how that affects skin. Estheticians do learn some massage, as many facials include massage of face, neck, chest, arms, and hands. However, they shouldn't try to help alleviate Sciatica, because they don't know where the sciatic nerve is, or how to manipulate muscles to help. Part of service is KNOWLEDGE.

Who decides what is physically harder, and how much harder it is? For me, body polishes are a little harder than Swedish massage. For some people, it's the other way around. What about LMTs who perform energy work? For example, I find a 15 minute facial to be more challenging than 30 minutes of energy work. Does that mean I shouldn't get a tip at all? What about therapists who have good body mechanics? If you're doing it right, even deep tissue shouldn't be killing you. Most of my clients can't handle what I would consider deep tissue, but I always think I'm going easy on them.

Tips shouldn't be recognition for how much you sweat, but the client's way of rewarding you for service and satisfaction.

[jamesglewisf]

I agree. You tip based upon custom, service level, and your own personal prerogative. The fact/opinion that one person has a more physically demanding job is not really relevant. Just ask someone whose hair was butchered by a stylist or colorist which they would rather have - a poor massage or a bad hair treatment.

[tlppdx]

I have an additional question about tipping a massage therapist… She is the owner and sole proprietor of her massage business (She leases a space out of an old house that has been turned into an office. She shares the space with other therapists - chiropractic, psychiatric, etc.) I see her every two weeks to work on my back which tenses up due to my job, which coincidently is cocktail serving at one of the nation’s highest grossing restaurants. This means I understand and value the idea of tipping, but my insurance is paying for the majority of the cost of the massage and I pay a co-pay of $35. When I got a statement from my insurance it said she was billing them $120 per hour. Most all massages in the area run around $50-$75 per hour, so I know she is billing my insurance for double what she would charge me if I just walked in from off the street and asked for a massage. I haven’t given her a tip yet, but I was wondering since she’s making twice as much as she normally would on my massage and I’m not going in for “relaxing feel good” massages, do I tip her on top of the $35 I’m already paying?

[jamesglewisf]

You don't tip in a doctor's office. I know this isn't a doctor's office, but since it is being paid for by your insurance, I think you should treat it as one. I would not tip. To me it is no different than going to a physical therapist that bills your insurance company. You don't tip there.

[dax]

I'm not necessarily sure the 10-20% rule or economics of supply and demand are something that apply in this case. Isn't a tip, by definition, something given as a gift, outside the bounds of supply and demand? And shouldn't we, the providers of that gift, provide what the workers expect rather than what we perceive as a "general rule of tipping" dictated by the restaurant industry?

It's unfortunate that the restaurant industry seems to have defined what a tip is, and while I'm sure workers in other industries have gotten used to it and marginally adapted, there's no reason to say that there's some hard-and-fast rule that all industries MUST conform to. Tipping is a gift, there's no hard rules about it, and everybody is free to tip the way they want or not at all. But it just seems to me that if you're going to tip, you may as well tip in a way that is agreeable to the service providers. If some particular service requires more work for them, I think it makes sense to tip more, even if the cost of the service is the same. Likewise, if the service requires nothing more than them putting your feet in a pot of hot water and coming back 30 minutes later, I don't see that that should be worth more than 5%, if anything at all.

As far as Jim's 15% argument, I mean, well, his argument really just comes back to "15% is the norm, so get used to it." Which, is fine and true, and I'm sure massage therapists and service-industry workers across the board know this and are used to it. But if that's all this thread is about, then why have a thread at all? This thread is about how would massage therapists like to be compensated for their work. So, let's listen to the therapists themselves. If we the consumers decide to tip in the fashion they prefer, then great. If not, whatever. Ultimately it's our decision.

[jamesglewisf]

Go back and read the first post. I started the thread. This thread is not about what massage therapists want to be tipped.

And besides, if you want to make more money as a massage therapist, then charge more for your services. Don't set your prices artificially low and then expect people to tip a higher percentage than what is customary.

[jamesglewisf]

BTW, go look at most other tipping sites like www.tipping.org and you will see they recommend 10%.

Restaurant tipping is not related to massage therapy because waitstaff are paid the tipped minimum wage of 2.13 in most states. That means that for the hour you are there, they got paid $2.13 plus 15-20% of your meal. On the other hand, a massage therapist gets paid $40-100, plus 10-20% of the cost of the massage. To be equivalent, the waitperson would have to get your entire bill, plus gratuity.

[healingtherapy]

I've come across this website and forum for the first time today and as a massage therapist myself I found the topic of conversation interesting. I am a sole proprietor in my own practice in a rented office space in the downtown area of my small town. I maintain credentials for National Certification, the AMTA and WI state regulation board. I also have overhead costs to run my business. . . rent, utilities(phone), advertising, office and cleaning supplies, taxes, continuing education, ect. It's not cheap to run your own business. In my market/geographic area tipping is low to nonexistent. I charge $50/hr, $25/half hour and $10 for a 10 min chair massage. In my practice I do accept tips and when asked by clients I tell them whatever they feel is appropriate, it's not required but much appreciated if they choose to tip. I tell how much other clients have tipped in the past and they make their own decision. While yes I can be disappointed if I don't receive a tip that doesn't mean I will do less of a job if you don't tip. If you truly can't afford a tip a thank you with a smile is just as good to let me know you appreciated the service. I don't make anything at my business but personal satisfaction, my tips are my only income. Everything else goes to pay operating costs. I consider $5 about the average for a massage regardless if it was a half hour or an hour although for an hour more is appreciated since I spent more time on you. Once in a while I do receive a bigger tip but it is not the norm. Tipping should always be optional when it comes to a massage. It's an expression of thanks for a job well done, above and beyond expectations.

[jamesglewisf]

Thanks for joining and posting. That sounds very reasonable. I agree that someone should tip more for a $50 service that they do for a $25 service. I would think $4-5 would be right for the $25 service, but I would probably tip more like $7-10 for the $50 service.

I tend to tip on the high end, but recommend a range. My desire to be generous doesn't determine what the customary tip is or the amount I recommend.

I would be disappointed also if someone didn't tip.

[healingtherapy]

Thanks Jim that is nice. Wish you were one of my clients in my practice.

[Anna M.]

As an owner of a massage spa I can tell you the therapists live for tips! They study for a long time to receive their therapist license. And, they generally receive only a percentage of the cost you pay for a massage. In a city such as Chicago, New York, L.A., (or other large cities) you should tip the therapist a minimum of 25%. Generally, for a 1-hour massage costing $65, you should tip at least $15-20. If you receive a very good massage it is not uncommon for the therapist to receive much more. After all, they are performing a very personal service for you!

[gillianreynolds]

Right,

You got massage by email. i am happy to read your massage.

[jamesglewisf]

You can read that entire post here - http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos295.htm

[Fairylander]

Massages are a luxury for me and not a necessity but I like to have one every month if I can. I don't go to the same place every time. The problem is that I don't want to pay for a massage and then a tip. It used to be a few years ago that a $5 tip was acceptable but now it seems everyone in our area says they leave at least $10. I don't earn that much as an hourly wage but I am embarrassed not to tip. I wonder if I shouldn't go if I can't tip. I hate going to other countries where you have to bribe everyone to get any service. That is what it feels like to me to tip. I can't help but think paying $50.00 an hour is enough, but if I don't tip, then I will be insulting the therapist. I went to college, I work hard at a stressful job but I don't get tipped. Who came up with the idea that some people get tipped and some don't? Basically we are all working to serve others. So, what I am reading on this thread is that if I can't afford to tip, then I shouldn't go since not tipping is an insult. It makes me sad. I wish the prices were just set for what the therapist needs to make a living and that was that.

[jamesglewisf]

You don't tip a flat amount.

Massage Therapist

No tip if at doctor's office. 10-15% otherwise. If they come to your home or hotel room, find out in advance whether a tip is included in the price.

[howiejim]

Massages are a luxury for me and not a necessity but I like to have one every month if I can. I don't go to the same place every time. The problem is that I don't want to pay for a massage and then a tip. It used to be a few years ago that a $5 tip was acceptable but now it seems everyone in our area says they leave at least $10. I don't earn that much as an hourly wage but I am embarrassed not to tip. I wonder if I shouldn't go if I can't tip. I hate going to other countries where you have to bribe everyone to get any service. That is what it feels like to me to tip. I can't help but think paying $50.00 an hour is enough, but if I don't tip, then I will be insulting the therapist. I went to college, I work hard at a stressful job but I don't get tipped. Who came up with the idea that some people get tipped and some don't? Basically we are all working to serve others. So, what I am reading on this thread is that if I can't afford to tip, then I shouldn't go since not tipping is an insult. It makes me sad. I wish the prices were just set for what the therapist needs to make a living and that was that.

This is the way I feel with reading some of the responses on this thread. I used to wait tables in the past, so I get that based on their pay structure. But for everything else, I'm very confused and frustrated. It is just very uncomfortable for me to tip that I feel I shouldn't even go at all. I just bought a 1 hour massage through Groupon at a big discount. We are short on money, but this was a good deal and my birthday is coming up, and I feel I could really go for a good massage so I went for it - but completely forgot about tipping. Then I read this on the Groupon, "*Remember: Groupon customers tip on the full amount of the pre-discounted service (and tip generously)." So I navigate to this site and now I'm really regretting purchasing this massage at all. I can hardly afford this discounted massage, let alone adding an additional 10-15% above, or as some are saying it should be closer to 25% - ugh. But I DO appreciate those that have written on this thread that you should tip what you can afford and so on... so thanks for that.