Kansas City woman gets 90-minute massage, tips $25 for it. Then the worker asks her for more: ‘I won’t be going back there again’
Tipping has been a divisive topic among American consumers for years now.
While there are industries where gratuity feels automatic, like restaurants, bars, and food delivery, there are other services where the expectations feel less clear.
In fact, in recent years, tipping prompts have popped up in places people never expected, including medical offices and public water fountains.
While massage therapy is a service where tipping is common, it’s not always clearly defined. Most clients expect to leave something extra if the massage was good, especially for longer sessions.
Still, there are some questions. Is there such a thing as tipping too little for a massage? And more importantly, should a customer ever be asked to tip more? One Kansas City woman says that’s exactly what happened after a 90-minute session.
How much did she tip for her massage?
TikTok creator Alyssa (@alyssaj1992) shared a storytime explaining why she crossed one massage parlor off her list permanently. Her video has garnered more than 61,700 views.
“Just got an amazing massage, 90 minutes. It was fabulous,” she says at the start of the clip. She explains that the session felt so good, she was already thinking about asking whether the business offered memberships or packages.
She says she prepaid for the massage when she arrived and was asked whether she wanted to tip before or after the session. “I’m not gonna tip you before because I don’t know what kind of service you’re going to give me,” she says. “I already spent a hundred and some dollars for just the massage itself.”
After the massage ended, Alyssa says she asked if she could tip using her card. When the employee said yes, she named an amount she felt was generous. “I told her how much, which I thought was actually a really good amount to tip her,” she says.
The Interaction Turns Sour
“She literally says, ‘Oh, um, 90,’” Alyssa recalls, referencing the length of the massage. “‘Ninety minutes is a lot of work. Would you consider more?’”
Alyssa says the comment caught her completely off guard. She explains she had been feeling relaxed and excited about possibly becoming a regular customer.
“All of me was just like, oh, I’m done,” she says. She told the employee no and immediately felt uncomfortable. “I feel super awkward, kind of embarrassed, like I just insulted you.”
She adds that the tip in question was $25. “I’ve never tipped any masseuse more than $25,” she says. “None. Zero. Zilch.” While she admits she technically could have tipped more, she chose not to after being asked directly. “That’s just you,” she says, adding that the request crossed a line for her.
Alyssa clarifies that the massage itself was excellent and that the employee wasn’t rude overall. Still, the moment stuck with her. “That last comment really did take me off,” she says. “I’m not getting a membership there. I will not go back.”
How Much Should You Tip A Massage Therapist?
Most industry guidance suggests tipping massage therapists similarly to other spa services. General advice places gratuity between 15 and 20 percent of the service cost. For a 90-minute massage priced around $100 to $130, that range often lands between $15 and $30.
Tipping more than 20 percent is typically viewed as optional rather than expected and is usually reserved for exceptional service or last-minute accommodations. Tipping less than 15 percent can happen when the experience falls short, though clients are often encouraged to share concerns directly with the business.
Context matters. Day spas and massage franchises usually expect tips unless gratuity is included. Hotel and resort spas sometimes add service charges automatically. Medical or therapeutic massage performed in a clinical setting typically does not involve tipping at all.
Commenters Side With The TikToker, Share Similar Stories
In the comments, many viewers said Alyssa’s experience felt inappropriate.
“I work at a massage spa in California and for 90 minutes $25 is perfectly fine,” one person wrote. “I would say most people tip between 18 and 30.”
Another commenter reacted more bluntly: “COULD YOU CONSIDER A LITTLE MORE?!?!?! Nope. And now this tip is gone.”
@alyssaj1992 I won’t be going back there again
♬ original sound – alyssaj1992
A hairstylist weighed in as well. “You do not need to ever be pressured to tip more,” they wrote. “If someone wants to leave a tip, it’s appreciated, but it’s never expected.”
Other users shared similar experiences. One person said a business followed them outside after they didn’t tip. Another recalled being asked to tip 25 to 35 percent during a Botox appointment performed by the owner. “I refused and never went back,” they wrote.
The Mary Sue has reached out to Alyssa via TikTok messages for more information about her experience.
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