Massage tipping controversy

[Eds]

I've always been afraid to ask this question. Here's the scenerio. You go into a massage spa and pay the $40 door fee.

I then choose to get a massage consisting of no extras. For example the woman isn't even topless. She winds up giving me a massage and at the end of it gives me an HJ.

How much would I have to tip her? She wasn't nude or topless and therefore had her clothes on the whole time.

I realize that if I don't give her a tip then she would have made no money for the half an hour since the spa management gets the $40 door fee. Would a $20 tip to the attendent be fair?

Scenerio 2. The same situation only the attendent doesn't take off any clothing by choice. In this scenerio would you have to give her a tip at all? In other words would the $40 door fee be sufficient?

Any comments on the proper massage tipping etiquette would be very appreciated.

 

[Alex]

I am confused - what is the difference between the scenarios - both say no clothes off?

 

[horsinround2do]

It's unusual that no discussion on tipping occured prior to the added service.

I've only personally experienced this in a few Asian MP's. The polite thing to do is simply ask.

I would assume that they're trying to protect themselves from any form of "solicitation" problems.

 

[Pompal 09.]

OK I'll spell things out more clearly . From 2001-2003 when I used to frequent low end spas regularly I never used to leave a tip and the attendants got mad at me.

My rationale was that since they didn't take their clothes off or do any extras such as topless or nude or NR etc then why should I have to give them a tip?

I'm just wondering if things have changed since the old days---lol?

Even if you go to a high end spa and pay a $50 door fee but decline any extras is a tip required?

 

[VassileNupolopol]

Good point Calloway . This tipping awkwardness scenerio did usually happen in asian spas. However it also happened in some non-asian spas as well.

 

[Walking with Prince Jesus]

If you're set on getting basic ... here's a simple answer. Whether it's the accepted practice or not I have not idea. I'll just stick to the question asked.

Minimum $20, or $20 less than her topless option, the greater of the 2. Her services are seperate from the spa's room fee, nobody should ever have to work for free.

 

[Leo]

That seems fair .

 

[Thomas W]

***

Interesting timing.

I was at at spa yesterday and the young lady very skillfully inserted how nice it was to receive extra cash when a customer was pleased.

First time that has happened to me.

I'll be writing a review in a day or two...

 

[Randy B]

I haven't been on a table in some time now. Personally I would at least match the door fee since I wouldn't want to see the house make more money than the girl I came to see.

 

[Beer and TV Olympian]

Dave has it right... anything less would be disrespectful.

By the way... where is the "controversy" in this question?

 

[Rosa]

here's a controversial scenario I experienced at a high end spa with a well reviewed mpa who shall remain nameless.

I had seen this woman a few times and always had great sessions. We'd maybe go over 10 mins max which wasn't a big deal. I always chalked it up to losing track of time due to the fun we were having.

One day, we start our session and things start to get heavy. Before you know it, almost an hour had gone by. We clean up, she comes back in the room and says I owe her for the extra half hour.

I ended up paying for the extra half hour because I didn't want to create a noise. But in my opinion, watching the clock is not the responsiblity of the customer. It's not like I requested the extra half hour so why should I be expected to tip for the extra half hour?




I had a situation like that a few months ago with my regular MPA. We were having a great time and went over our time by about 20 minutes. I asked her if she was going to get charged and she told me not to worry about it because it was not my fault.

I still felt a little bit responsible so I checked at reception who was in fact the parlour's owner and she told me that since there were no clients waiting and I was a regular customer that does not make a habit of extending visits, there was no problem.

On my next visit, the MPA confirmed that she was not charged for my extra time. Attitude like that = returning happy customers

 

[Neicy]

I guess the controversy is the unwritten rule part of the transaction. No one is forcing you to leave a tip to the attendant if they didn't perform any extras.

True you might not be allowed back at that spa again but there are plenty of other ones to frequent in Toronto, Brampton etc.

This is in direct contrast to sp pricing where you pay $250/hr upfront and let the chips fall where they may . In other words a set price is being charged in advance of the transaction.

 

[i<3yahoo]

At the spa's the only money earned by the MPA is from Tips only!
The door fee goes to the management of Spa which is a fix amount for using their room/premises by the client and MPA's work in those rooms/cabins with Massage Table, nice decor, full shower, clean linen, towels, dim lights, and sometimes the MPA's also add perfumed candles, bottle of water, more than one Shampoo, body wahses, mouth wash, choclates are all in the account of MPA, but still if the MPA is busy she makes a good Tax-Free $$$$$$$ within 30-minutes what some small lawyers make in one hr's of their time! Thus they come under the category of Professional Money Makers!

 

[Bone Idle]

Do you think maybe she intentionally went an extra half hour so she could squeeze more money from you?

 

[djcrisp22]

you should ALWAYS tip IMO

 

[Pompal 09.]

Definately the attendants responsibility to monitor her session time.

Just as a therapist would let you know when the hour is up; not go over
the hour talking to you and tell you that you owe for the extra time.
Your RMT tells you when your hour is up, a psyhic would tell you when
the 1/2 hour palm reading is over, your personal trainer ends the sweat
session when your training hour is done. No difference here.

I've been charged by a spa owner for going 20 min. over and I paid
out of my own pocket, wouldn't dream of twisting my mouth to ask the
customer to pay. I couldn't get off the table, he gave a wicked back
massage that would have made any attendant go over time!

Some attendants make the assumption that a customer will give an extra
tip for extra time, awesome service etc....

Some attendants leave a room late giving extra time as they might
usually do, and the owner or a new receptionist says that they have
to pay for the extra time, confusing the attendant as A) they have walked out late before with no repercussions and B) cannot rationalize
why you would charge a client/attendant for going over time a little.

Makes no sense, who cares if your 10 minutes over?

 

[Dannygirl]

Not if the service is crap.

 

[Dogma]

Hey Squash, I have been to an MP only 3 times (for research purposes).

I stopped going because of awkward moments like you described. Also, there was the time when they said my friends had to wait in our car and couldn't stay in the waiting room to watch the Leafs on TV.

 

[Victory !]

Do more than one MPA share the same room? What happens if you go over time and another MPA needs the room because she has a client? Do you get that awful knock ("bang, bang, bang!") on the door?

 

[samer_refaey]

here's a controversial scenario I experienced at a high end spa with a well reviewed mpa who shall remain nameless.

I had seen this woman a few times and always had great sessions. We'd maybe go over 10 mins max which wasn't a big deal. I always chalked it up to losing track of time due to the fun we were having.

One day, we start our session and things start to get heavy. Before you know it, almost an hour had gone by. We clean up, she comes back in the room and says I owe her for the extra half hour.

I ended up paying for the extra half hour because I didn't want to create a noise. But in my opinion, watching the clock is not the responsiblity of the customer. It's not like I requested the extra half hour so why should I be expected to tip for the extra half hour?

Anyone else see my point or am I alone on this one?