How much do you tip when getting massages? (insurance, lawyers)

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by softdev

...but one thing my parents did raise me is to do was to be smart with my money. Overpaying someone for a standard service wasn't part of their values...

Originally Posted by softdev

Interesting. Wife and I eat out almost every night in River North/Gold Coast and we only see mandatory tips (usually 15 or 18%) on parties of 6 or more.

Someone smart with their money does not eat out almost every night at a restaurant for dinner.

[softdev]

Originally Posted by coldwine

Honey if you're paying $100 for a 1 hour massage, you're not being sensible with your money. You're retarded.

Unless they came to my house I didn't pay that much for a massage even in Los Angeles.

Could you not call me honey? It's like you're some 13 year old boy masquerading as a female. It would explain your lack of understanding. "I tip to get to know people" What a crock. You sound completely desperate for attention, paying anyone to like you.

And you're full of **** here on the prices here. Lincolnparker is right on with the cost of massages in the nice areas of Chicago. And before you send me craigslist links, those $60 Asian Massage Parlor ads also require an additional $100 payment after the "massage" is finished.

[MannheimMadman]

What about medical massages? My back was messed up for a while and I had to see a chiropractor. They did the stem treatment and 30 min massage followed by the time with the actual doctor. I did not tip. Different type of scenario?

[Avengerfire]

I never tip in that situation.

[coldwine]

Originally Posted by softdev

And you're full of **** here on the prices here. Lincolnparker is right on with the cost of massages in the nice areas of Chicago. And before you send me craigslist links, those $60 Asian Massage Parlor ads also require an additional $100 payment after the "massage" is finished.

I had a personal masseuse who specialized in some form of Asian healing. Or something suitably "eastern" and mystical. I can't remember what, but I do know that she only charged $1/minute and she was in very high demand.

Either which way, yes, if you're going to a spa you're going to pay a lot of money. That's just poor planning. There are highly qualified independent agents who do not cost anywhere near as much. And they'll come to your home so that you don't have to leave in winter.

Tiffani Kim was the first spa I pulled up, and they do 50 mins/$80 which sounds about right to me.

[lincolnparker]

so if I understood correctly, u just said tens of thousands of chicago spa patrons have poor planning skills?

Would I go to some "mystical" healing session that I have no idea what it is? No, thx but no

Originally Posted by coldwine

I had a personal masseuse who specialized in some form of Asian healing. Or something suitably "eastern" and mystical. I can't remember what, but I do know that she only charged $1/minute and she was in very high demand.

Either which way, yes, if you're going to a spa you're going to pay a lot of money. That's just poor planning. There are highly qualified independent agents who do not cost anywhere near as much. And they'll come to your home so that you don't have to leave in winter.

Tiffani Kim was the first spa I pulled up, and they do 50 mins/$80 which sounds about right to me.

[softdev]

Originally Posted by coldwine

I had a personal masseuse who specialized in some form of Asian healing. Or something suitably "eastern" and mystical. I can't remember what, but I do know that she only charged $1/minute and she was in very high demand.

Either which way, yes, if you're going to a spa you're going to pay a lot of money. That's just poor planning. There are highly qualified independent agents who do not cost anywhere near as much. And they'll come to your home so that you don't have to leave in winter.

Tiffani Kim was the first spa I pulled up, and they do 50 mins/$80 which sounds about right to me.

lol of course. Coldwines arguement boils down to use a private mystical lady to do your massage vs. what everyone else does - a spa. Get real. My wife goes to the spa to relax, enjoy the atmosphere. Not to get a cheap massage from someone who doesn't know what they are doing. You're a joke.

[coldwine]

Originally Posted by softdev

lol of course. Coldwines arguement boils down to use a private mystical lady to do your massage vs. what everyone else does - a spa. Get real. My wife goes to the spa to relax, enjoy the atmosphere. Not to get a cheap massage from someone who doesn't know what they are doing. You're a joke.

You would be well served by spending all the money you save by not tipping properly on literature. Your invective is terrible. I'd rather you just not read my posts than insult me so poorly.

I've always used a private masseuse. Sure, you can go to a spa, and in that same vein of logic you can also go to a 4-star restaurant for basic pasta. You're just going to pay more for both.

And for the record, I've yet to find anyone who does a better deep tissue massage than my old masseuse. For under $100.

[Basekamp]

I do 20% around 75% of the time, used to do it 100% of the time.

I have to say Chicago help is getting miserable, not sure if this is tied to the bad economy.. Here are some things not to do if you want to maximize your tip/effort with me.

1) Asking if I want another beer with half a beer left and then:

A) If I say fine, bringing me a cold beer while I have half a beer still. How long do you think the new beer will stay cold?
B) IF I say no, you ask again at any time before the beer is completely gone if I want another one "Now."

2) If I drop more than 100 dollars in your restaurant, I don't care what the situation is, do not bring the bill until I ask for it. Ever. Don't even ask me if I am ready for it if you want full points!

3) If I am smiling and laughing and deep in conversation with my wife and we are looking into each other in that way, and this is hard, because you have to know that way to get this one, but just hold your tongue on the question and come back later. TRUST me my time is more valuable than yours, and even if your question will make service faster, I don't care, because I don't know that. I can prove this theory to you if you will let me do so when tipping time comes versus brushing you off rudely and inconveniently for everyone involved, and then you enter the "annoyance" category.


I know all of this sounds like a lot, but it is the path to the 20% tip.


For a massage, I tip 20% if nothing is broken at the end.

Originally Posted by coldwine

This is so unbelievably tacky. You tip 20% because it's the proper thing to do.

If you can't tip like an adult, don't go out to eat.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by softdev

Interesting. Wife and I eat out almost every night in River North/Gold Coast and we only see mandatory tips (usually 15 or 18%) on parties of 6 or more.

I've never seen only a 15% madatory group service fee on a place in River North or the Gold Coast. The lowest I've ever seen here is 16%, and I've seen as high as 22%. Most are 18%. That should tell you that the normal accepted range is 15-20%. And that's really more of a national figure. Certain cities, the expectation is a bit higher, stretching to 25% for those who really value exceptional treatment. New York is that way. Vegas is certainly that way. And Chicago is that way even if it wasn't so much that way 20 years ago.

If you eat out often enough to be recognized by staff and only tip 15%, I'm guessing you may not even know what you're missing. I used to tip mostly 15-18%, but then I started tipping more and I'll be blunt: In places where they know me by sight, I make up the higher tip in extras - it's been very much worth the relatively small investment. They're not going to spit in your food over 15%, but they won't feel any pressure to go the extra mile, either. At places where they go the extra mile all the time, it's partly because their average tips are closer to 20% than they are to 15%. If you're only tipping 15% there, you're essentially freeloading off of others.

Personally, I think the tipping system is a bad system. But it's the system we have, and I can't change it. Not playing along wouldn't be a principled stand, it'd just demonstrate a lack of class.