The Check in

Check in to see how other Wellness Brands are winning and thriving. Check out with the insights you need to grow yours.

Get our Newsletter

2025 Survey: The state of tipping in salons

How are tipping trends changing? Discover how Americans tip in salons, why confusion persists, and what stylists truly prefer.

Tipping used to be a simple gesture of appreciation. Now, it can be a source of stress, confusion, and tension for both guests and stylists. With digital prompts at checkout and service fees on the rise, people are rethinking what counts as a tip, when to give one, and how much is enough.

To understand 2025 tipping trends, we surveyed 900 guests and 100 stylists across the U.S. If you're a salon provider wondering what your guests are thinking, here's a closer look at the state of tipping in salons today.

Key takeaways

  • Nearly 1 in 3 Americans (29%) have felt pressured to tip more than they want to.
  • Over 1 in 3 Americans (36%) tip less when they see a service fee on the bill.
  • 1 in 5 stylists say tips make up 20% of their income.
  • Over half of stylists (56%) think tipping culture has worsened in the last 5 years, and 55% would prefer higher pricing models over tipping.
  • Millennials (31%) are more than 4x as likely as Gen Z (7%) to be seen as the most generous tippers by stylists.

Why tipping matters to stylists

Tipping is more than a nice-to-have, with many stylists seeing it as essential. Here's a look at how much stylists depend on tips and how disconnects around tipping expectations can create tension with clients.

Infographic on tipping trends by generation; most stylists prefer higher prices over tipping.

Three in five stylists (67%) said most clients don't realize how much they rely on tips to supplement their income. While tips may seem like a bonus to guests, for many providers, they represent a meaningful portion of take-home pay. In fact, one in five stylists said tips account for 20% of their annual income.

That financial reliance is becoming harder to navigate. More than half of stylists (56%) said tipping culture has worsened over the past five years. Many are ready for change, with 55% saying they would prefer higher service prices instead of depending on tips.

This disconnect between guests and stylists can create tension, especially when service fees come into play. Over one-quarter of stylists (29%) said they've lost a client after enforcing a mandatory service fee. And to make matters worse, 42% said they rarely or never receive any portion of those fees. The result? Stylists are often left to explain or defend policies they don't benefit from, while also trying to maintain client relationships.

As for how stylists prefer to be tipped, cash is still king. Nearly three-quarters (72%) said it's their top choice. Beyond that, 36% said they're happy to go with whatever's easiest. Digital options followed: Venmo (21%), card (19%), Apple or Google Pay (14%), Zelle (13%), tablet tip screens (13%), and CashApp (11%).

The best tippers?
Millennials. They were more than 4 times as likely as Gen Z to be seen by stylists as the most generous tippers (31% vs. 7%). Stylists also viewed millennials as more generous than Gen X (21%) and baby boomer guests (9%).

What Americans really think about tipping

Americans may agree that tipping is part of the salon or spa experience, but there's a wide range in how they actually approach it. We'll next explore how guests feel about tipping, how much they usually offer, and how those tipping habits differ by age and gender.

  • Women (56%) were more likely than men (43%) to say they've felt pushed to tip more than they wanted.
  • Millennials (33%) and Gen Z (31%) were about 1.5 times more likely than baby boomers (20%) to report the same.
Nearly half of Americans (47%) believed salon and spa workers rely heavily or entirely on tips. Despite this, nearly 1 in 3 (29%) also reported feeling uncomfortable or pressured around tipping.
Ways stylists pressure clients to tip; 29% of Americans feel tipping pressure.

Even if they don't use the services themselves, most Americans said they believe haircuts (80%), massages (71%), and manicures or pedicures (71%) deserve a tip.

Nail art, hair coloring, extensions, waxing, and blowouts also ranked high. But support dropped off for facial treatments (53%) and significantly for medspa services like Botox and fillers (28%).

Average tips for spa and salon services

Tip %HaircutHair ColoringMassageFacial/Skin TreatmentMani/PediWaxing
Less than 5%5%6%5%6.86%6%8%
6–9%8%9%8%9.31%9%10%
10–14%23%18%16%15.20%19%18%
15–19%22%20%22%17.40%21%18%
20–24%33%27%29%24.26%27%21%
25–29%4%4%5%3.19%4%2%
30% or more3%1%3%2.45%2%1%

Interestingly, older Americans often tip more for a trim at the salon. Nearly half of baby boomers (47%) said they typically tip 20% or more for a haircut, compared to just 1 in 3 Gen Zers (33%). Women were slightly more likely than men to tip at this level (41% compared to 38%).

While some guests are generous tippers, others skip tipping altogether, especially for certain services.

Chart showing how many skip tipping for salon services by treatment type.
Tip rates in salons - how does yours compare?

Tipping rates in salons often correlate with their revenue performance. According to the 2025 Beauty and Wellness Benchmark Report:


Top earners (top 10% in revenue) receive the highest tips, averaging 18% of the transaction amount.

High achievers (top 25%) tip at around 16%.

Average salons (median revenue, 50th percentile) see tipping rates near 14%.

This pattern shows that higher-performing salons tend to inspire more generous tipping, likely due to elevated service quality and customer satisfaction.

Why tipping triggers mixed emotions across generations

Tipping etiquette can be just as emotional as it is confusing. Americans shared their payment method preferences and how tipping prompts on tablets make them feel.

Infographic on tipping payment preferences and reactions to tablet prompts; most prefer cash and higher base prices.

Cash topped the list for guests, with 62% saying it's their go-to tipping method. Credit cards came next at 53%, but only 19% of stylists said they prefer receiving tips that way. Venmo revealed a similar disconnect (21% for stylists vs. 9% for guests). Guests may mean well, but it appears they're often unaware of how their stylists prefer to be tipped.

With this in mind, ensure your salon offers diverse, easy tipping options — cash, cards, and digital platforms — to cater to all generations. Clear communication helps align guest convenience with stylist preferences, creating a smoother, more inclusive experience for everyone.

Top tip: By automating same-day tip payouts with software like Zenoti, salons can better satisfy stylists who prefer immediate access to their tips, while also streamlining operations.

Tipping habits are shifting, with dissatisfaction and changing attitudes reshaping how Americans approach gratuities.

  • 65% of Americans (about three in five) have tipped less than usual due to dissatisfaction, but still felt obligated to leave something.
  • 22% of Americans have walked out of a salon or spa without tipping, not due to dissatisfaction, but because they oppose tipping.
  • Gen Z stood out here, being nearly five times more likely than baby boomers to skip tipping on principle (32% vs. 7%).
Gen Z and the tipping debate
Gen Z is reshaping tipping culture, with many challenging traditional norms. Nearly a third of Gen Zers (32%) admit to skipping tips on principle, making them far more likely than baby boomers (7%) to avoid tipping altogether.

Miscommunication around service charges added to the confusion. Almost one-quarter of Americans (24%) admitted they've mistaken a service fee or "wellness charge" for a tip. Gen Z was the most likely to mix this up (28%), followed by millennials (23%) and Gen X (22%). Another 36% of guests said they reduce their tips when they see a service fee on their bills.

Tablet tipping prompts also stirred strong reactions. Baby boomers were the most likely to call them manipulative (53%), while Gen Z was over 7 times more likely than baby boomers to say they make them feel anxious (22% vs. 3%).

Tipping etiquette isn't one-size-fits-all

Tipping remains an important income source for many stylists, but the rules around it have become less clear to consumers. As new service fees and checkout prompts enter the mix, confusion (and frustration) can follow. Generational and gender differences add even more complexity, with younger Americans both more likely to feel pressured and more likely to skip tipping altogether. 

What's clear is that salons and spas have an opportunity to rethink how gratuities are handled and how those expectations are communicated.

9 Salon growth strategies

Methodology

We surveyed 900 Americans and 100 stylists in 2025 to explore attitudes toward tipping in salons. Among guests, the average age was 38; 50% were female, and 50% were male. Generationally, 3% were baby boomers, 28% were Gen X, 50% were millennials, and 19% were Gen Z. Among stylists, the average age was 37; 48% were female, 50% were male, and 2% were non-binary.

About Zenoti

Zenoti provides an all-in-one, cloud-based software solution that empowers salons, spas, medspas, barbershops, and fitness studios to seamlessly manage every aspect of the business in a comprehensive mobile solution.

Fair use statement

These insights may be used for noncommercial purposes with proper attribution through a link.

Book your bi-weekly check-in for industry tips, trends, and insights to grow your brand

Written by

Cheryl Cole, Managing Editor

Cheryl uses her background in journalism to help brands bring their unique stories to life. Passionate about content strategy, she has extensive experience leading both print and digital publications. As managing editor of The Check-In, Cheryl is committed to providing wellness professionals with high-quality, tailored content designed to help grow their brands.

Your standing appointment for business growth — delivered straight to your inbox

Get the latest industry tips, trends, and insights to grow your brand.