Gratuity paid before trial? How much to give.

Check your contract to make sure that she hasn't included a required gratuity in the contract.

If not, I'm with you. No gratuity until services have been completed.

- Have you been to this salon before? I would be really put off that they included a contract with gratuity for a hair salon...for a trial. I tipped my hair girl for my trial and even she said she never expects a trial tip but it’s always nice. If they have a good reputation, they’re within your budget, and you really want to work with them, I suppose you might just have to suck it up and pay the gratuity (if she included it in the contract). If the gratuity is not included in the contract and she’s just verbally asking you for it, I would sign the contract, send back the deposit, and let her know you will give the gratuity to your stylist after your trial.

- 20% is still the norm. My stylist did hair and makeup so I gave 20% of the total trial cost at the end of my trial. If you’re asking how to determine how much you should tip, it sounds like the owner is just requesting gratuity now, not contractually binding you to a tip amount. Again, if the owner hasn’t included a gratuity amount in your contract, I’d tell her you’ll bring it the day of and then divvy it up appropriately.

Honestly, I’m not sure what I would do. None of the hair and makeup salons require I commit to paying in full with gratuity for my wedding day. I paid $150 for my trial plus tip before I went in. After my trial, I signed my contract and put a deposit down for wedding day. I paid in full two weeks prior to my wedding day and brought cash for the tips the day of my wedding. If 20% is included in your total package and gratuity, I wouldn’t tip any extra at your trial. If I had never been to a salon and they were requiring me to pay in full with tip for my trial and wedding day before I had my trial and before I even met the girls who would be working with me, I’m not sure I would sign on to that.

Is a gratuity required? I just wouldn't include it. Then after, you can mail a check to them with the gratuity depending on service. I wouldn't tip before the service either.