I'm thinking about going to a massage therapist to see if she can help with me with some neck/pinched nerve issues (she was recommended to me by someone with the same issues).

Her practice is in a chiropractors office, not a salon or spa type setting, so I'm wondering do you still tip in this circumstance? Seems like it's more therapeutic/clinical, instead of spa/zen-like.

I don't know? What do y'all think?

Thanks

I went to one in my chiro's office and tipped. I'd spoken with the chiro about it and he said he tipped when his wife got massages. He didn't tip for his massage because she got an adjutment, so it was bartering between them.

I think I tipped 10%.

Good luck with that. I'd love to have one right now. Also, check and see if your insurance will cover part of it. If they do, I'd still tip on the full amount.

Generally, someone who gives massages is a massage therapist whether they work at a chiropractic clinic or a spa. The standard tip applies, 15-20% unless they specify otherwise for some reason. I've been to a massage therapist at a chiropractic clinic and I think I tipped 20%.

Ok, thank you both.
I guess I was thinking along the lines that I don't tip my physical therapist when I get manual therapy from him. Which is not really massage, but a hands-on stretching of sorts.

I go to a massage therapist twice per month and do not tip. I see her as a type of Dr. She owns her own practice. I pay $95 for the hour and 85% is covered by my health plan. I have been seeing her for 5 years.

I used to be a massage therapist, and when I worked in a clinic, I would almost always get tipped, but when I went out on my own and started doing therapeutic massage in-home for people who couldn't leave their homes I would almost never get tips.

It's funny, but I think when most people see you as self-employed, they don't think about tipping. It never bothered me to not get a tip, but it was always appreciated when I was given one. :-)

I think the reason is that it's your own business, and people probably feel like if you wanted to get a tip, you should just charge extra instead of expecting a tip and you are getting paid the rate that you requested. Unlike waitresses that get paid below min wage and tips are part of their wages.