How much to tip an "apprentice" for a free haircut / beardtrim / hot towel / etc.

[TheNinja]

So I'm going to his fancy gentlemen's barber place. The cost of a beard trim and haircut is between $60-$75 depending on the barber. But it says it's like 75 minutes and includes the hot towel treatment, straight razor trim on neck and face and around ears. It includes a short shoulder and neck massage aftewards, etc.

Hair cut is like $50-$65
Beard trim is like $20-$30
Combine and it's like $60-$75

Anyway, they have an apprentice who does it for "free". He's already an official barber but this place is very upscale and has their own program he has to pass first. The other senior barbers are there to assist and sign off on it before you leave though.

Anyway, I have no idea what to pay the guy as a tip. I normally wouldn't pay $50+ for haircut and beard trim b/c I don't need all that fancy treatment stuff. But I also don't want to stiff the guy. On a $65 cut I'd tip 20% or so, so like $13 give or take a few bucks. Should I tip like I'd tip on a $65 cut or should I tip a basic amount (higher % obviously) b/c he's doing it for free?

Cliffs:
An Apprentice at a fancy barber place is going to take ~75 minutes for a full treatment of haircut, beard trim, straight razor, hot towel, etc. and is doing it for free to get his experience in. How much do I tip the guy if the other barbers at the site charge an average of $65 for the same service he is doing for free?

EDIT 4/4/2018:

He took around 90 minutes! It looks good but I wasn't totally blown away. Though I'm not sure what I expected. He did an awesome job shaping my beard. I gave $20.

I was looking anywhere between $15-$30 depending on my happiness, if he gave advice/consultation/etc. Definitely earned his $20 and I'll probably go back.

 

[marioh]

"fancy gentleman's barber place"

was a bit confused, so i googled fancy gentleman, and this was the first pic.

now i'll always associate you with that guy.

 

[TheNinja]

"fancy gentleman's barber place"

was a bit confused, so i googled fancy gentleman, and this was the first pic.

now i'll always associate you with that guy.

That is actually going to be my new avatar.

 

[Headkicktoleg]

I'd say $25ish should be good.

 

[Unknown Pleasures]

If he does a good job, tip generously. I'd say pay about half of what it would cost if an actual barber there did it for you.

 

[Midnighter]

Firm handshake and some bootstraps they can use to pull themselves up with.

 

[Kanuck99]

Tough love. Everyone needs to learn a lesson in humility once in awhile.

 

[Midnighter]

Tough love. Everyone needs to learn a lesson in humility once in awhile.

Fuck you.

 

[Leonard Haid]

I've been going the free haircut route as a "hair model" for several years now, and I never leave a tip. Initially - the first time I did it - after thanking the trainee profusely and complementing her on her work, I offered a gratuity, and it was politely turned down. She said to me something like, "No thanks, you've helped me by coming here". So I figured it just wasn't the protocol to tip. But maybe I should have continued to test the waters thereafter. Now you've got me wondering.

 

[Graves The Elder]

lol at 'fancy gentleman's barber place' in the East Bay.

admit it, you're going to Shortie's in East Oakland because hookers work the back room.

 

[all caps]

Sense an awful lot of white privilege in this thread.

 

[Michaelangelo]

$10

 

[Curmudgeon]

Offer a prayer just to fuck with him, then slide him some cash.

 

[TankAbbott4Eva]

Depends if he gives you a tug under the covers or not.

 

[Jesus X]

I tip 25% at the barber they charge me 20 but I tip 5

 

[BJ@LW&WW]

first of all, lol @ men who get pampered like babies for a small benjamin.

but secondly, if this is done properly, apprentice should still be getting wage + tip. the lack of charge for the cut should come out of the business itself, and its a cost of training employees.


if the cut was just as you would have expected, tip the apprentice the same amount you would have tipped a regular barber. if it was worse, then tip less.


to tip the apprentice more than usual would not make sense. he's making more money than he would as a experienced barber, and the shop itself is eating the cost of the lack of charge.






its also possible he's not getting a wage for training period (not unheard of but typically bad labor practice), in which case you could tip him more.

you could also just straight up ask one of the experienced barbs what the situation is.

 

[Robocok]

Wow, those prices seem incredibly high to me. I pay on average $15 for my haircut and tip $5.

I shave myself.

 

[Kanuck99]

Fuck you.

^^^
Works for tips.

 

[Midnighter]

^^^
Works for tips.

Just the tip?

 

[BisexualMMA]