A man has sparked a heated discussion online after questioning whether his tip for a $4,000 tattoo was adequate.
In a post on Reddit's r/AITAH, user Own-Construction-528 asked: "AITAH for only tipping $200 on a 4k tattoo?" The Redditor explained that he recently had his arm tattooed by a highly skilled tattoo artist, with the work taking about 20 hours to complete.
"Got my arm done recently. Was a little more expensive than I would've liked, but the artist is really good," he wrote. Despite the high price, he was pleased with the work, and added a tip to his final payment.
"I did the math, he made $200 an hour. My arm is mostly black so no other colors were incorporated. It looks really good. I left a $200 tip (I thought that was fine) but my cousin, who recommended him, said that was a terrible tip," he wrote.
On Reddit, the post quickly gained traction, sparking a lively debate on tipping norms within the tattoo industry. While some commenters sided with the man, agreeing that $200 was a reasonable tip, others argued that the tip was insufficient considering the total cost and the intricate work involved.
Tattoo tipping etiquette is a topic of ongoing discussion among artists and clients. Many people agree that it is customary to tip tattoo artists 15-20% of the total cost of the tattoo. For a $4,000 tattoo, this would amount to a tip ranging from $600 to $800, significantly higher than the $200 tip given by the client.
"While tipping your tattoo artist isn't mandatory, it is a great way to show appreciation for the time, effort, and artistry that goes into creating your tattoo. A tattoo is a personalized piece of art that you'll carry with you for life, and recognizing the artist's skill through giving a tip can go a long way," a tattoo expert from Living Legend Tattoo Studio told Newsweek.
"While any tip is highly appreciated, a good guideline is to tip 15-20% of the price of the tattoo. However, this amount can be adjusted depending on your personal budget, as well as how happy you are with your tattoo; there definitely isn't a minimum amount," they added.
The conversation around tipping culture isn't just confined to tattoo parlors. In fact, many people have started arguing that tipping culture has gone too far, while Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) are the least likely to tip for service compared to their older counterparts.
After sharing the dilemma on Reddit, the man prompted thousands of responses from others offering a range of opinions.
One user, The1Bonesaw, whose daughter is a tattoo artist, noted: "My daughter is a tattoo artist and owns her own studio. As she says, tips are great, but her salary, cost of materials, rent, the whole nine yards... is worked into the agreed upon price."
While Redditor al-Siqilli agreed that the $200 tip was satisfactory: "NTA. Tip what you want to tip. You paid him an agreed upon amount, and then gave him an hour's more worth of money."
But others were less impressed and suggested that the tip should have been higher for the artist's work: "5 percent tip? I don't know," said one Redditor.
Newsweek reached out to Own-Construction-528 via Reddit for comment.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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