Do You Tip Tattoo Artists? A Nashville Tattoo Shop’s Honest Answer
One of the questions we hear all the time at Hidden Door Tattoo is: “How much should I tip my tattoo artist?”And honestly? Our first answer is usually: “You don’t have to.”
Tipping Your Tattoo Artist Is Optional
Tipping culture in the U.S. can be confusing. It exists in a lot of industries — restaurants, bars, salons — and tattooing ended up in that same world.
But the truth is simple: The only reason you should ever tip your tattoo artist is because you want to.
If you had a great experience, love your tattoo, and want to show appreciation, that’s amazing and always appreciated. But it should never feel like an obligation or something stressful attached to your tattoo appointment.
At our Nashville tattoo shop, we want clients to feel comfortable and excited about their tattoos — not worried about whether they calculated the “correct” tip.
Why Many People Do Tip
One thing many people don’t realize is that most tattoo artists working in shops don’t keep the full price of the tattoo.
Most artists give 20-40% of each tattoo to the shop, and then another portion goes to taxes and operating costs. That means a big chunk of what an artist charges doesn’t actually stay in their pocket.
But that’s part of how the tattoo industry works, and it’s not the client’s responsibility to cover those costs. Tipping is simply one way people show appreciation when they feel like their artist went above and beyond.
The Many Forms of a “Tip”
Of course, tattoo artists appreciate money. We’re human!!! But there are other things we appreciate too ~! Tattooers also love weird gifts, snacks, and random treasures.
If you’ve ever spent time in a tattoo shop, you know the vibe — strange collectibles, nostalgic toys, odd little decorations. Those things tend to accumulate because clients bring them in over time.
Some fun examples of things artists have loved receiving instead of (or alongside) a cash tip:
vintage decorations
Kewpie dolls
weird planters, cutie planters, PLANTS
nostalgic plushies
vintage Snoopy merch
random flea market treasures
vegan treats
iced oat milk lattes
Basically: if it’s odd, nostalgic, or charmingly weird, tattoo artists will probably love it <3
The Best Tip of All
At the end of the day, the best “tips” you can give your tattoo artist are much simpler:
Loving your tattoo
Taking good care of it
Coming back for more work
Recommending your artist to friends
Supporting local artists and small businesses
That kind of support means everything to artists and local tattoo shops in Nashville like ours.
So if you ever wonder whether you have to tip your tattoo artist, the answer is simple: You don’t have to.
But if you do — whether it’s 20%, a crinkly $20 bill, a vegan muffin, or a bizarre thrift store trinket — just know we appreciate the thought behind it!!
