Okay, I've been here almost 7 years and have not really done the research necessary to know whether you need to tip the hairdresser here or not till today. I usually cut my own hair but I'm ready to go to a shop regularly. So I asked a swiss friend of mine what a normal tip is at a hairdresser. She said they get normal salaries so if she tips she gives one or two franks. She then asked her co-workers and they said the same. Most don't tip at all.

In America, it's normal to tip, so I had to check. Though this 'tip' might be helpful to someone.

I fill her boots with 5 francs. It's the change from 50 franc note

As she is pretty, Italian and cuts my hair well, I don't mind

It's not usual here. It is usual in the UK so I had to check as soon as I arrived.

By the way, I still have my clippers, so I can give you a trainspotting haircut. No fee, no tip :-)

=DM=

I was told that hairdressers include their tip in the price of the haircut already so I never tip and as far as I'm aware not expected.

Thanks Diem for the offer. I am a little picky, that's why it's taken so long to find a hairdresser. I did find another shop to try out next week. They speak good English and seem highly trained.

I had enough horror stories in America before coming here and often had to fix what they did. With the language limits here, I decided to just get better at cutting my own hair. Gotten pretty good, but it takes time, and makes a mess, although it can be more convenient than waiting for an appointment.

Hi Colors,

If you are looking for a hairdresser I can highly recommend mine if you live near Zurich. His details can be found here http://www.nwh.ch/. He is Irish so no language problems.

Lou

Hi. I had been going to the same hairdresser for few years now (without tipping) and her service has always been the same and wonderful. One day, I decided to ask her this question (as I always got different answers from the people I spoke to re:tipping). My hairdresser told me she doesn't expect it, but I like her very much, so I have gotten into the habit of giving her a nice bottle of wine around Xmas and her bday, I'm sure it is appreciated.

I've never been in a hairdresser in CH, because I take care of it my own That's pretty practical too but only if you like very short hair with straight style. Ciao,

I just want to share my dresser experience this week. When the week started I had really really long hair. The problem was it was a bit getting in the way so I decided to cut it a little bit. I went to a shop in Oerlikon after work and then when I went out my hair was short and the cut was really ugly...made me look 10 years older. This depressed me so much that I decided to get another haircut even if it means that it will be very short. I had my second haircut with Thea Colson http://www.theacolson.ch/location.htm and for the first time in the 3 years I am in Switzerland I have a smile on my face coming out of the hairdresser (that's why I grew it long). She is really good. She trained with Toni and Guy in London for 4 years. I highly recommend her. She made me happy again.

ohh! I didn't tip. I just forgot. I was so happy I forgot to tip. I would next time though.

Thea Colson, now her name used to pop up with monotonous regularity on a certain Yahoo group... shall I use ?

Are you in anyway linked, perchance?

Sorry if you aren't, just checking...

I believe in the USA salaries in the service industries and prices too are low. But it is generally accepted that patrons will add 15% to their bill in the form of a tip.

This is not the case in Switzerland. Some 30 years ago here all prices were raised to include a tip and this increase was theoretically passed on to the staff. Rounding up 3.30 to 3.50 for a coffee or 58.00 to 60.00 for a meal is normal. But nothing more...

Nope! Such distrust! I was just happy and I would like to share it with other people. Is that bad? Isn't the purpose to share good and bad experiences?

How much? Would that be CHF 70 for a No. 2 then? Is that the going rate here?

Can anyone recommend a good place to get hair clippers from?

I bought mine from media markt a few years ago - I recall that they had many different types. I did try (with some success) cutting my own hair a few years back, but now I'm just too lazy. I pay 44 francs for my haircuts.

Thanks cathy20. My wife will need a good haircut at some point. I'll bookmark the site.

Wow! Touched a nerve...

If you'd seen the Thea Colson posts on the extwats group, you'd understand my cyncical post...

I found her shop because it was in-front of a comics shop (they have everything! French, German and a little English...this is not ) My husband likes comics and I've been crying about my hair for a few days. He figured that it will serve him well if he can spend an hour or so in the comics shop without me complaining so he convinced me to have the haircut there. Good for him that it turned out well because his plan could have backfired easily . I shared my story because a bad haircut can really ruin one's life for a month or so. Good that we got that cleared up .

I hate to admit it, but that was my first thought when I saw her name here!

That's still twice what I'm used to paying.