We recommend tipping 15–20% of the pedicure price before any discount.
Do you tip for a pedicure?
Yes. Tip the nail tech who did the pedicure. The range is 15–20% of the service price, before a coupon or a group discount. If you pay with a gift card, add the tip separately. The gift card covers the service, not the tip.
The beauty hub is Beauty and salon tipping. Other salon services are on Salon and spa tipping etiquette.
How much to tip for a pedicure
Use 15% when the pedicure matched what you booked. Use 20% when you asked for nail art, a longer massage add-on, or extra repair. The price of that add-on is part of the service price if it is on the same bill. Products you buy to take home are not.
More complex designs require extra time and skill
Quick presets
Tip Amount
$8.00
Total
$48.00
Effective tip
20%
The calculator starts at 20%, the top of our range. Set Service Type to Pedicure and keep Design Complexity on Basic. The other complexity settings raise the tip above the percentage you chose.
These prices are examples for the math only. They are not a salon's menu.
| Service price | Tip at 15% | Tip at 20% |
|---|---|---|
| $35 | $5.25 | $7.00 |
| $40 | $6.00 | $8.00 |
| $55 | $8.25 | $11.00 |
| $70 | $10.50 | $14.00 |
A $40 pedicure at 20% is an $8 tip. That matches the calculator's starting percentage on a $40 price. At 15% the tip is $6.
A discount or a gift card
A pedicure listed at $70 and rung up at $55 still gets 15–20% of $70: $10.50 to $14. The same is true when a gift card covers the $70. The tech did a $70 service.
Cash or card
Hand the tip to your tech in cash, or add one tip on the card. Do not do both for the same visit. If the salon pools tips, you still leave 15–20%. You do not need a second amount for the pool.
If a gratuity is already printed on the bill, read the percent. If it is already inside 15–20%, do not add another 15–20%. If you cannot tell, ask the salon whether that line goes to the tech.
A result you dislike is a reason to tell the tech before you leave. We do not recommend a second, lower percentage for a bad visit.
A group visit
Each person tips 15–20% of their own pre-discount price. Three people at $40 each, before a party discount, tip $6 to $8 each, or $18 to $24 as a group. You can hand that as one amount and ask the desk to split it.
You can open the Nail salon tip calculator on its own page.