How Much Do I Need to Tip at Massage Places in Montecito?

When you’re setting the budget for a massage, you need to think about any extra costs involved. One of those is tipping, and you want to set the right tone when trying out new massage places in Montecito.

Do you tip for a massage, as you would at the hair salon? If so, how much do you tip? Here are all your questions answered.

Tipping Is Common at Massage Places in Montecito

While you will always hear that tipping isn’t mandatory but gratefully accepted, there is also society’s standard. Tipping service industry workers has become the norm, so as with your hair stylist, tipping your massage therapist tends to be the norm.

It may not be that common for places that offer massages for medical reasons, where you end up using your insurance to cover the costs. This is deemed medical or health-related, while a general relaxation massage is more for comfort and self-care.

It is also worth looking at any fine print when you come to pay. There will be places that include gratuity in the service price, and if you see this, it means there’s no need to tip extra unless you want to.

How Much Should You Tip for Your Massage?

Like with other service industries, there are different levels of tipping depending on the quality of service that you experienced. People tend to start with 10% to 15% of the cost of the massage before tax as the base. So, if your massage is $100, you’ll tip between $10 and $15.

This tends to be for a standard level of care. If you received poor service and you spoke up about it in an attempt to change the experience, then you could tip a little less.

What if you received excellent care at the massage places in Montecito? In this case, you’ll want to tip a little more, with 18% to 20% now becoming popular as a tipping level when the experience has been above expectations.

Solve Problems During the Massage

If you can, it’s worth solving any issues during the massage experience. This isn’t just better for your overall experience, but it also helps the place of business.

For example, you may have realized that the music you’re listening to or the scent they have in the room isn’t helping you relax. They don’t know this unless you speak up, so talk to them. The same applies if you find they’re not applying enough pressure or there’s too much pressure. Say something so that they can make the massage as relaxing — or beneficial, depending on the type — as possible.

You can also ask them to not speak too much throughout the process. If you like to lie in silence, you can say that from the start. The only time a massage therapist will then speak is to check on the pressure and to ask you to move so that they can get to particular areas.

If, once you have spoken up, nothing changes, then you can say something at the end. Don’t feel guilty about not tipping. However, if you have a good experience at massage places in Montecito, tipping is usually expected.